Contents

CoverImageTitlePageForewordbyDanielKiefferIntroduction

Chapter1TheNaturopathicConceptofIllnessWhatIsanIllness?WhyDoWeFallIll?HowDoWeHeal?RemediesandTherapiesFictitiousHealingvs.TrueHealingTheDifferentStagesofDisease

Chapter2TheCausesofIllnessandtheReasonsforHealthOvereatinginGeneralOvereatingSpecificSubstancesStimulantsChemicalPoisonsPoorEliminationASedentaryLifestyleDeficienciesTheRuptureoftheAcid-AlkalineBalanceNegativeMentalAttitude

Chapter3NaturopathyinPractice:CorrectingandBalancingtheInternalCellularEnvironmentShuttingOfftheSourceofOverloadsEliminatingToxinsBenefitsofExerciseFillingtheDeficienciesRestoringtheAcid-AlkalineBalance

SpecificRemediesPositiveMentalAttitude

ConclusionResourcesGlossaryoftheConceptsofNaturopathyFootnotesBibliographyAbouttheAuthorAboutInnerTraditions•Bear&CompanyBooksofRelatedInterestCopyright&Permissions

Foreword

Ourmedicalsystemisill,andWesternsociety,liketherestofourplanet,isnotfaring well. Iatrogenic illnesses (illnesses actually caused by allopathictreatments) and nosocomial illnesses (those that develop in hospitals) areincreasing at an alarming rate.We promise the children being born today thattheywilllivetoseeonehundred,butweareconfusingmedicatedoldagewithanenjoyablequalityoflife.At the same time, it’s been demonstrated that 90 percent of all cancers are

linkedtonutritionalandenvironmentalfactors.Doctorsaredevelopingmoreandmore cases of depression in the two years following establishment of theirprofessionalpractices.Shouldour response to theseparadoxesof themodernworldbe tomaintain

our comfort level with an ostrichlike denial of the evidence, or to hold analarmistandparanoiddiscourse?Naturopathybelievesthatthispicture,dramaticas itmaybe,canbestudiedcalmlyandsolvedpositively ifwecanmanage toawaken theawarenessofbothconsumersanddecisionmakers,mostofwhoseviewshavebeenframedbyasinglephilosophy.Infact,whetheritinvolvesecoplanetaryorhealthimbalances,everythingrests

onthephilosophy,pointsofreference,andpointsofviewthatdeterminehumanbehavior. Most of the problems we currently face have their origin inmaterialistic thinking and the egotistical belief that humanity can operateindependentlyofthelawsofnatureorbiology.Naturopathy’schosenobjectiveishealthandwell-being,butintheframework

of a profound and authentic reconciliation with these laws, which are oftensimple and full of common sense:Howdowebest nourishourselves, breathefreely,andtakecareofourbodiesandtheirnaturaleliminationprocesses?Howdo we optimize our sleep, our vitality, and our libido? How do we rechargeourselvesthroughthenaturalelements—earth,water,air,andlight,forexample?Whyshouldwecarefullyalternatetimesofactivityandtimesofrest?Howcanwepurifyandregenerate the internalcellularenvironmentofourbodies?How

canwebeconsumerswithoutendangeringourplanetaryresources?Goodsensesuchas this is tobefound, infact,whereithasalwaysbeen: in

theheartofthegreathealth-sustainingrecommendationsandmedicaltraditionsthat date back to the fabled teachings of the Sumerians and theEssenes.ThisincludesAyurvedic,NativeAmerican,Chinese,andTibetanpractices,andmorespecifically for us in the Western world, Hippocrates’ noble philosophy. Themostsurprisingthing,perhaps,isthatbeyondthecontextualdifferencesintheirdetails, all of these traditions are based on the same foundations, and onlyallopathicmedicine (the institutionalWestern form thatprevails inmostof theworldtoday)hasbeenestablishedintotaloppositiontotheseuniversalconcepts.What, then, are the common elements in these traditions? Prevention is

preferabletohealing,teachingispreferabletotreating,andgivingtheindividualresponsibilityforhisorherhealthispreferabletotakingcharge.Othercommonfeatures include considering the whole person rather than the symptom,remaining humbly and respectfully attuned to the laws of a healthy life, andworking with the energetic processes of regeneration and spontaneous self-healingratherthanputtingyourfaithintheeffectivenessofaremedy.Inshort,anentireprogram.Aftermore thanacentury in theUnitedStatesandseventyyears inEurope,

naturopathyhasbecomethedisciplinethatoffersanotherkindofmedicine,oneinwhich the practitioner is first and foremost an educator of health, perfectlyeffective in the treatment of all the chronic diseases—the so-called functionaldiseases—as well as in primary prevention and quality of life. This does notmake the naturopath just one more practitioner in the vast field of naturalmedicinethatincludes,forexample,phytotherapyandhomeopathy.Heremains,rather,thegeneralpractitionerofhealth,astheallopathicphysicianisthegeneralpractitioner of illness. Is it now possible to envision the ideal public healthsystem—perhapsmodeledaftertheintegratedmedicinepracticedinsomepartsof the United States—in which the allopathic doctor, the natural medicinepractitioner, and the naturopath can congenially complement one another’sservices in an atmosphere of perfectmutual respect, all for the benefit of thepatient?TheFrenchFederationofNaturopathy(FENAHMAN)statesthatnaturopathy

isfoundedontheprincipleofthevitalenergyofthebody,andthatitcombinesthepracticesthathaveemergedfromWesterntraditionbasedonthetennaturalaspects of health: diet, hydration, psychology, physical exercise, respiration,

plants,reflexology,lighttherapy,andmanualandenergetictechniques.Itaimsatpreservingandoptimizingtheoverallhealthandqualityoflifeofanindividualbyallowingthebodytoregenerateitselfthroughnaturalmeans.Faithfultotheseconcepts, my colleague Christopher Vasey has realized a work of remarkablesynthesishere,becauseitisnoeasytasktosummarizetheessenceofourart,aswellasitsusefulapplication,insofewpages.He’searnedmygreatrespectforhisprecision,andmysincerestcongratulationsforhisteachingability.In thiswork,wehavethepleasureofrediscoveringtheessentialkeysof the

five columns treasured by Hippocrates and all of our European teachers(Sebastian Kneipp, Paul Carton, Henri Durville, Pierre ValentinMarchesseau,André Roux), and North American teachers (Benedict Lust, John H. Tilden,Henry Lindlahr, Bernarr Macfadden, Bernard Jensen), namely: serology, thescienceofbodilyfluidsandtheirdisorders(excesses,deficiencies,obstructions);vitalism, the study of our intrinsic vital energy and its invaluable capabilities(homeostasis, regeneration, self-healing); prevention, maintaining ourconnection with the natural world and a wholesome lifestyle; causalism, themethodicalquestfortheprimaryoriginofsymptoms,whichalwayscomesbackto not only the condition of the bodily fluids, but also the energetic state,meaningpsychology,spirituality,orecology;andholism,theglobalapproachtothehumanbeingandthewayheinteractswithhisenvironment.Thankyou,Christopher,forthisnewreferencework,andpleasantreadingto

all.

DANIELKIEFFER

DanielKiefferisthepresidentofFENAHMAN,whichistheFrenchFederationofNaturopathy,andpresidentoftheUEN,theEuropeanUnionofNaturopathy.He is also the director of CENATHO, the European College of TraditionalHolisticNaturopathy, andamemberofOMNES,which is theOrganizationofNaturalMedicineandHealthEducation.

Introduction

Formanypeople,naturopathydistinguishesitselffromallopathicmedicineonlyby the remedies it employs. These remedies are natural (found in nature—medicinalplants,hydrotherapy,andsoforth)ratherthan“chemical”(createdinalaboratory). In reality there is another stark difference: the naturopath has acompletelydifferentconceptofdiseasefromthatoftheallopathicphysician.Naturopathy, therefore, does not do the same thing by differentmeans, but

actually does something quite different, using extremely dissimilar means. Itstherapeuticobjectivesare,infact,governedbyacompletelydifferentlogic.Whatisthislogic?Thepurposeofthisbookistopresentthedifferentaspectsofnaturopathyby

revealing the foundationsonwhich it isbased (theoretical framework),andbydescribing themeans ituses tobring relief to thesufferersof illness (practicalapplication).

1

TheNaturopathicConceptofIllness

WHATISANILLNESS?

TheImportanceoftheBody’sInternalCellularEnvironment

It is rare for any personwhose health has been compromised to ask himself,“WhyamIsick?Whatisreallyhappeninginmybody?”Tothecontrary,allofhis attention—and that of those around him—is focused on his blatant,disagreeable, or painful symptoms, which are actually just surfacemanifestationsofhisdeep-rootedillness.It seems self-evident that the normal reactionwould be tomake a vigorous

counterattack to the assault represented by the illness. As a general rule webehaveasifdiseasewereanoutsideentityindependentofthepatient,which,byentering the body, suddenlymakes the patient sick. From this perspective,weconsidertheindividualstrickenbyillnesstobeaninnocentvictimrequiringourassistancebecause,throughbadluck,heorshesufferedanunhealthyassault.Theexpressionsusedtospeakofillnessclearlysupportthispremise.Wesay

that we “fall” ill, that we have been “stricken,” or that we have “caught” adisease.Accordingtothishypothesis,taughtbyallopathicmedicine,each“assailant”

determines different characteristic disorders. There are, therefore, as manydiseasesasthereareassailants;thisiswhatisknownasmultiplecauses,orthepluralityofdisease.Sincetherearenocommonelementsamongdiseasesinthisframework,eachmustbetreatedwithitsownspecificremedy.

WhatIsAllopathicMedicine?Allopathicmedicine isatherapeuticmethodthatdealswithdiseasebyusingmethodsthat,generally speaking, oppose the curative effects of the body’s vital forces. By suppressing

toxinsintothedepthsofthebody,anti-symptomremediesdobanishthesymptomsfromthesurface,butthisistothedetrimentofthebiologicalterrain.

In naturopathy, however, all diseases are considered as differentmanifestations of a single, common disorder. This common denominator, thisprofound illness from which all others result, resides on the level of thebiologicalterrain,orinternalcellularenvironment.Thisterrainconsistsofallthefluidsinthebody,includingthosecontainedwithincellsandthoseinwhichthecellsarebathed,aswellastheblood,lymph,andcerebrospinalfluid.

HowIsNaturopathyDifferentfromAllopathy?Naturopathytreatsdiseaseusingnaturalmethods,andtakesactiontoimprovethebiologicalterrainratherthantodiminishthesymptoms.Insupportingthebody’sownhealingpower,itaddressesthedeeprootsofillness,ratherthantheeffects.

Theintra-andextracellularfluids,alongwith theblood,represent70percentof thebody’sweight.These fluids are crucial, inasmuchas they constitute theenvironment of our cells. Intracellular fluid fills the cells, gives the body itsshape and tone, and allows the exchanges that need to takeplacebetween theorgans.Extracellularfluidcarriesoxygenandnutrients to thecells,andcarrieswastefromthecellstotheexcretoryorgans.Our cells depend entirely on these fluids. They deliver nutritive supplies

(food, vitamins, water, oxygen, and so on), eliminate toxins created by themetabolic process, and transmit messages from one cell to another, ensuringtheircoordinatedandharmoniousinteraction.

Thebodilyfluidsthatmakeuptheinternalcellularenvironmentandtheirweightpercentagesinthebody

Just as our environment provides conditions that are favorable for health orthatmakeussick,dependingonwhetherornotitispolluted,theenvironmentofthecellsplaysaninfluentialroleinthestateoftheirhealth.Iftheyarebathinginamilieu that is deficient in oxygen and overloadedwithwastes, theywill beincapableofperformingtheirtasksproperly.

Health:ADefinitionHealthisnottheabsenceofdetectablediseasesymptoms,butcorrespondstoastateofthebiological terrain in which the composition of the bodily fluids ensures and provides theconditions favorable to the cells’ unhampered normal activity.Health is determined by thestateofthebody’s internalcellularenvironment. If thisbiological terrain ishealthy,thenthebodyishealthy;ifitisunhealthy,thebodyisill,eveniftherearenoapparentsymptoms.

Ourbodyismadeupofcells.Ifthesecellsarenotfunctioningnormally,theentirebodywillfunctionpoorlyandenterthestatethatwecallillness.There is a precise and ideal composition of the internal environment that

permits proper functioning of the body. Anymajor quantitative or qualitativechangeinthesefluidsleadstoillness.Forthisreason,thevitalforceofthebodyisconstantlystruggling tomaintain the internalcellularenvironment inperfectbalance.The body does this primarily by neutralizing and expelling all wastes and

toxinsthatareaconsequenceofmetabolism.Thispurificationiscarriedoutbythe emunctory, or excretory organs—liver, intestines, kidneys, skin, lungs—whichfilterandeliminatewaste.Health,therefore,isfoundedonaveryprecariousstateofbalancethatmustbe

constantly restored. For example, if the body’s biological terrain becomesoverloaded on an irregular basis with small amounts of toxins—caused byovereating, or ingesting a stimulant like alcohol, or certain medications—theconsequences won’t be dramatic because the body is perfectly capable ofpurifyingitselfandrestoringtheidealcompositionofbodilyfluids.Ontheotherhand, if these unhealthy incidents start becoming regular or daily habits, thebody’scapacityforrestoringitsownbalancewillbequicklyexceeded.Thesewastesaccumulateinthebloodstream,whicheventuallydepositsthem

alongthewallsofthebloodvessels.Asthediameterofthebloodvesselsshrinksand the blood itself becomes thicker, blood circulation becomes less and lesseffective.The exchangesmade between the blood and the cellular fluids slowdown. The wastes that cells are constantly discharging collect in the tissue

instead of being flushed rapidly out of the body. The organs of the body,increasingly saturatedwithwastes, are unable to perform theirwork properly,and the congested excretory organs are no longer able to guarantee sufficientpurificationofthebodilyfluids.Allofthebody’sactivitiesarethenthrownoutof kilter, whether these activities involve the cells, the enzymes, white bloodcells,orbiochemicalreactions.This constricted state of the body’s internal cellular environment is what

naturalmedicineconsiderstobetheintrinsicillness.This state can be found in all diseases. It forms both their unique

characteristicsandtheircommonbase.Soitisnotbecauseanillness“enters”thebody that its overall state deteriorates; it is because the state of the biologicalterrainhasbeendegradedthatillnessmanifests.Since bodily fluids never stop circulating and there are constant exchanges

taking place among them, toxinswill necessarily spread throughout the body,and not a single part of the body will be spared. Hence this fundamentalaphorismofnaturalmedicine:“Illnesshasonecause—itisthecongestedstateofthebiologicalterrain.”Thisconceptofoneuniquemalady,theunityofdisease—that all health disorders are the expression of a single illness, which is thedegradationofthebiologicalterrain—istheoppositeofthepremiseofmultiplecausesfordiseasesthatisfoundinstandard(allopathic)medicine.Atfirstglancetherewouldseemtobeacontradictionbetweenthisconceptof

theuniqueillnessandclearlydifferentiatedformsofdiseasewithwhichwearefamiliar.Naturopathy,however,considersevery localdisordernotasan illnessinitsownright,butasmerelythesurfacemanifestationofadeeperproblem,aresultofpreexistingobstruction.Thisillnesscouldnotmakeitspresenceknownunless the internal cellular environment had already been overloaded withwastes. The specific local disorder it causes is comparable to the tip of theiceberg.The biggest part of the iceberg remains invisible: it is the overloadedbiologicalterrain.Localdisordersare,therefore,notintrinsicillnessesbutsimplythesecondary

consequencesoftherootmalady:thebiologicalterrainoverloadedwithwastes.Henceanotheraphorismofnaturalmedicine,“Therearenolocaldiseases;thereareonlygeneraldiseases.”Thisisclearlythecasebecauselocaldisordersevolveasaresultofthestate

ofthebiologicalterrain:themoreitdeteriorates,themorethedisorderescalates.Whetherthelocaldisorderisacaseofthefluoracanceroustumor,theprocess

is the same. The increase in the rate of the body’s overload—toxins thatdangerously burden the biological terrain when they collect in overly largequantities—aggravates the illness and encourages the development of thedisorder. Conversely, the local symptomswill diminish proportionatelywith areductionintherateoftoxicoverload.Theywillvanishentirelywhentheterrainhasrecovereditsstasis,insituationswhenthisreturntoabalancedstateisstillpossible.Thelocalizationof“surface”disordersdependsontheparticularweaknesses

of an individual’s body.All the body’s organs are immersed in fluids that areoverloaded with wastes. They are all irritated and attacked similarly by toxicsludge. The first organs to give way, the first to find this environmentintolerable,areobviouslythosethataregeneticallyweakestorhavethegreatestdemands placed on them. For example, for people whose profession requiresthemtotalkalot,itwouldbethethroat;forthosemostoftenaffectedbystress,the nerveswill giveway;miners, painters, and otherswho breathe in dust ornoxiousgasesattheirplaceofemploymentarelikelytohaveproblemswiththerespiratory tract. The illness is one and the same in all cases, but manifestsdifferentlyineveryindividual.We owe this concept of a single cause for every disease to Hippocrates,

knownas the fatherofmedicine. In the timearound500BCEhewrote: “Thenatureofallillnessisthesame.Itdiffersonlyinitsseat.Ithinkitonlyrevealsitselfinsuchdiversitybecauseofthemultiplicityofplaceswheretheillnessisestablished.Infact,itsessenceisone,andthecauseproducingitisalsoone.”Twenty-five centuries later, Alexis Carrel, the 1912Nobel Prizewinner for

medicine, stated: “The body is ill in its entirety. No illness remains strictlyconfinedtoasingleorgan.”

Whenthestateofthebiologicalterraindeteriorates,illnessappears.Everylocaldisorderisonly the surfacemanifestationof a deeper disorder: the congestionof thebody’s internalcellularenvironment.

WHYDOWEFALLILL?

TheRolePlayedbyToxinsandDeficiencies

Whenwe understand how the state of the terrain becomes degraded, we also

realize that itdependsentirelyonoutsidesustenance tobuildandrenew itself.Thenutritivesubstancescontainedinthefoodsweeatareusedtomanufacturecellsandbodilyfluids.Ourbodiesfunctionthankstothem.Iftheintakesuppliedbyone’sdietisgreaterthanthebody’sneeds,thebody

accumulatessubstancesitisunabletouse.Asthebodyisforcedtostorethem,theycollectinthetissues.Thiscanincludechemicalorsyntheticingredientsinfood,suchascoloring,preservatives,andsoon.Sincenaturehasneverprovidedanyinstructionstothebodyfortheiruse,thesemoreorlesstoxicsubstanceswillcollect in the tissues and alter the biological terrain in accordance with theirspecificcharacteristics.Even when the diet—the body’s primary source for retaining or restoring

health—isadequate,itisstillpossibleforwastestoaccumulateinthebody.Thisoccursevery time thatworry, stress, fear,andso forthdisturb themultitudeofbiochemicaltransformationsthattakeplaceinthebody—thebody’smetabolism.Digestionfunctionspoorly,sothefoodsingestedengenderaplethoraofwastes,generally designated as toxins. This includes crystals,which, produced by themetabolism of proteins, are acidic in nature and can be hard and painful toexcrete; and colloidal wastes, such as phlegm, which are produced by themetabolismofstarchesandfatsanddonotgenerallycausepain.

Allofthesesubstances,whethertoxicornot,whenpresentinexcessamountspreventthebodyfromfunctioningproperlyandareconsideredtobetheprimarycauseof thedeteriorationof thebiological terrain, and therefore the sourceofdisease.The body may also become overloaded with wastes due to the poor

breakdown and utilization of food substances caused by a lack of physicalactivityand the insufficientoxygenation that results fromasedentary lifestyle.Additionally,when theexcretoryorgansdesigned for theeliminationof toxinsarenotworkingefficiently,thebodyiscompelledtostoretheretainedwastesin

itstissues.Normal cellular activity also produces wastes, but only a fairly minimal

amount.Thereisamuchgreaterdangerwhenthecellsarediseased.Theythencan release far greater amounts ofwastes that graduallywill poison the entirebody.Thefactorsthatcomeintoplaywithregardtothedeteriorationandcongestion

of thebiological terrainare, therefore,multiple,but inallcases involvewastesformed by poorly metabolized ingested substances. This is why life hygiene,meaningpersonalhealthcare,andvigilanceaboutnutritiousfoodsaresovitallyimportant.Thefood,beverages,medication,andstimulants thatweconsumecaneither

keep our biological terrain healthy and disease resistant, or cause it todeteriorate.

DEThere is anothermajorcause fordegradationof thebiological terrain,onebroughtaboutnotbyanexcessofoneormoresubstancesinthebody,butbyadeficiencyinasubstanceitrequirestofunctionproperly.A deficiency is a lack of essential nutrients that are indispensable for the

body’s ability to rebuild itself and function. Such nutrients include proteins,carbohydrates,fats,minerals,vitamins,andtraceelements.Thecompositionofthebody’sinternalenvironmentcanbemaintainedonlywhenthereissufficientintakeofalltheelementsitrequires.Ifoneoftheseelementsisnotsuppliedinsufficientquantity,thereisanimmediateslowdowninphysicalfunction.Whenthis element is entirely lacking from the diet, the body functions that aredependent on it can no longer be assured. If this state of complete deficiencyextendsforaprolongedamountoftime,deathisarealpossibility.Inoursocietyofabundance,itmightseemdifficulttoimaginefallingilldue

todietarydeficiencies,butthetruthisitisverypossibleandevenquiteeasy.Thefoods available today supply less and less of our body’s needs because theythemselves are suffering deficiencies, due to modern farming and husbandrypractices.Thecountless refiningprocessesour foodundergoesbefore reachingthegroceryshelvesexacerbatestheproblem.Anothercauseofdeficiencyresidesnotintheinadequateintakeofnutrients,

but in their destruction by chemical ingredients in foods and medications,substances that act as anti-vitamins or inhibit the activity of trace elements.

Specializeddiets,thosewhichsystematicallyexcludecertainkindsoffood(forexample, carbohydrates), also contribute to the production of deficienciesbecauseofthelackofvarietyinthefoodstheyprovidethebody.Whendeficienciesarepresentforanextendedtime—whichisthecasewhen

poor eating habits are maintained—they create substantial changes in thecompositionofbodily fluidsandcausean insidious,gradualweakeningof thebody’sresistance.Furthermore,becausemostnutritiveelementsworkinterdependentlytoensure

theirmosteffectiveusebythebody,adeficiencyinanyoneofthemwillcreateaseriesofotherdeficiencies,inachainreaction.Abodysufferingfromnutrientdeficienciesfunctionslesswellandeliminates

wastepoorly.Consequently,theratioofexcesswasteandtoxininthebodywillonlyincrease.

Illnessarises,therefore,whenthebiologicalterrainisoverloadedwithwastesandissufferingfromdeficiencies.Thefunctioningofthebodyisdisruptedandcannolongerdefenditselfproperly.Thisphenomenonisnotasunknownasitmayappear,as it isusedstrategically instandardmedicalresearch.Infact, forstudyingbacterialactivityortestingnewremedies,animalsareinoculatedwithgerms. If these animals are enjoying good health, and their internal cellularenvironments are experiencing neither overloads nor deficiencies, infectionseitherdonotappear,ordosowithmuchlessfrequency.The way modern medical science attempts to overcome this obstacle to

experimentation speaks volumes: healthy animals are made susceptible tobacterial attack through a “scientific” devastation of their biological terrain.Theyarefeddeficientfoodthatisnotadaptedtotheirdigestivecapabilities,toomuchfood,cookedfood,andchemicalcocktails.Astressconditioniscreatedintheanimalsbyplacingthemindarkness,puttingtheirfeetincoldwater,andsoforth.

Diseaseariseswhenthebodyisoverloadedwithwasteandissufferingdeficiencies.

HOWDOWEHEAL?

TheWisdomoftheBody

Everyone has, at least once, recovered from a disease without taking anymedicine,orproductscontainingactiveingredientsfortreatingillness.Andyet,whensomeoneissick, themainconcernisalwaystoprocuremedication.Thisneedforaremedyatanycosthasbeenengraveddeeplyintoourbrains,asitiscommonlyacceptedthatwithoutmedicinethereisnorecovery.Medications are supposed to contain all the curative powers necessary to

restoreasickbodytohealth.Andyet,howmanypatientshaverecoveredtheirhealth without taking any medication, either because it was unavailable orbecausetheysimplydidnotwanttotakemedication?Also,howdoanimalscurethemselves,sincetheydonothaveanymedicinesnaturallyavailabletothem?Isthereanotheroption?Natural medicine talks about a “medicalizing” nature or “vital force of the

body.” This force cannot be identified with any one organ of the body; itsexistenceisrevealedonlyintheeffectsofitsaction.Hippocratessaid,“Thevitalforceofthebodyisthemostpowerfulforceofcohesionandactioninexistence.However,itisinvisibletotheeye;onlyreasoningcanconceiveofit.”

VitalForceThevitalforceorganizeslivingmatterandorchestrates,synchronizes,andharmonizesallitsorganicfunctions.Itisintangibleandthereforecannotbeidentifiedwithanysingleorganofthebody.Itsexistenceisrevealedonlybyitseffects.Allitseffortsareaimedatmaintainingthebodyinanoptimumstateofhealth.Itisthisforcethatenlivenstheorgansandgovernsthe processes of respiration, circulation, digestion, exchanges, and elimination. It alsotriggers reactionsby thebody’sdefensesystem; itscarswounds,neutralizespoisons,andpromptshealingcrises.

In the healthy state, the vital force orchestrates and harmonizes all physicalfunctionsofthebody.Itworksconstantlytomaintainthebodyinthehealthiest

statepossible.In theeventof injury, it is thevital force thatdirects the repairof tissueby

scarringoverwounds.When thebody is attackedbyproducts that threaten itsintegrity,whethertheyoriginateontheoutside(venom,poison,microbes,andsoon)or inside (toxinsandmetabolicwaste), itputs theentirebodyonalertandimplementsitsdefensesystem.Whenconfrontedbyarisingtideofoverloadsandcongestionofthetissues,

thevital forcedoesnot remainon thesidelinesasapassivespectator. It reactsvigorouslytorestoreordertothephysicalorganismsothatitcancontinue—orresume—itsnormalfunctioning.Allitseffortsaimatreestablishingthepurityofthe biological terrain by neutralizing the toxins found in this internal cellularenvironment, and expelling waste from the body by means of the variousexcretory organs. This eviction of toxins from the body often can take aspectacular form. Such events are called detoxification crises, also known ascleansingcrises,orhealingcrises,duetotheabruptintensityoftheirinception.Elimination during these kinds of crises will be made through the same

excretoryorgansasinconditionsofnormalhealth,butwithgreaterforcefulness.Colloidalwastewillbeexpectoratedthroughtherespiratorytract,andurinewillbeladenwithwaste.Theskinmayeliminatewastethroughheavyperspiration,pimples, or various forms of eczema. The digestive tract also plays a role byreleasingdiarrhea,orabundantsecretionsofbile.Whichexcretoryorgansarepressedintoservicedependsonthenatureofthe

waste and the strength of a patient’s different organs, so there are significantvariations from one individual to the next, and multiple possibilities for thelocalizationofdisorders.These localdisorders are thevisiblemanifestationofthevitalforce’sdefensivereactionasitseekstocorrectamuchmoreprofoundill:thecongestionofthebiologicalterrain.Instandardmedicine,every localdefensive reaction iscataloguedaccording

toitscharacteristics,isgivenaspecificname,andisthenconsideredanillnessinits own right. The eliminatory nature of illness is something Hippocratesproclaimed centuries ago: “All diseases are resolved either by themouth, thebowels, the bladder, or some other such organ. Sweat is a common form ofresolution in all these cases.” The seventeenth-century English physicianThomasSydenhamwrote:“Adisease,howevermuchitscausemaybeadverseto thehumanbody, is nothingmore than an effort of nature,who striveswithmight and main to restore the health of the patient by the elimination of the

morbific[disease-causing]humor.”Closertoourtime,in1924,Dr.PaulCarton—theHippocratesof the twentieth century—stated: “Disease in reality is onlythe translation of an inner effort to neutralize and clean out toxins,which thebodyperformsforpreservationandregenerationandisnotaneffort todestroyhealth...”The body is, therefore, quite capable of working all alone toward its own

healing. Thanks to the vital force, it contains the capacity for self-healingthroughitsimmuneresponse.Hippocratescalledthisabilityofthevitalforceits“medicalizing”nature.Theimmuneresponseis thebody’scapacitytoresistanddefenditselfwhen

confrontedwithdisease-causingprocesses.It ispresent in thebodyfrombirth,and remains present in both sickness and in health. But the body’s immunesystem isonlypowerfulandeffectiveas longas thebiological terrain remainspure and balanced. Looking at it from the reverse perspective, the more thebiological terrain is saturated with waste and deficient in other substances itrequiresforhealth,thegreaterthereductioninthebody’sabilitytodefenditself.The different elements of the immune system (bonemarrow, lymph nodes,

whitebloodcells, and so forth) arealsobathing in thebodily fluids, and theireffectivenessisdependentonthequalityofthesefluids.Thedegradationofthebiologicalterraincanbecomesopronounced—eitherbecausethetoxicoverloadissogreat,thedeficitofnutrientssoprofound,orboth,asismostoftenthecase—that the immune system loses, for all practical purposes, its ability to takeaction.Thebodyisthenleftalmostdefenselessagainstassaults.Althoughnaturalmedicineconsiders the internalcellularenvironmentof the

body tobe thedecidingfactor inhealth, theharmful influenceofgerms isnotminimized. Germs, viruses, and parasites are a reality and represent a certainpotentialdangertothehumanbody.Itwouldbeinaccurate,however,toconsiderthemtobetheprimarycauseofdisease.Agoodmanyillnessesarenotduetoabacterialattack.Forexample,heartfailure,diabetes,asthma,digestivedisorders,and nervous disorders are not caused by germs. Furthermore, the immunesystem,ifitisfunctioningproperly,iscapableofdefendingthebodyagainstallmicrobialattacks.Ifthiswerenotthecase,thehumanracewouldhavevanishedfromthefaceoftheearthlongago.There is a subtle balance between the body’s defensive force and its

vulnerability to attacks from germs. The stronger the immune system is, thesoonergermsarerenderedpowerlessordestroyed.Theycanenterthebodybut

notcauseanydamage.Ontheotherhand,theweakerthebody’sdefensesystem,themoregermscandevelop,proliferate, and invade theentirebodywith theirdevastating activity. The now-famous phrase attributed to Pasteur on hisdeathbedsumsitupadmirably:“Thegermisnothing;theinternalenvironmentiseverything.”Healing is accomplished not by attacking the secondary cause, but by

eliminating the primary cause of disease. In other words, healing requirescleansingthebody’sinternalcellularenvironmentandrestoringitshealth.

Illnessistheexpressionofaneffortbythebodytopurifyandpreserveitself.Itisnotataskaimedatdestroyinghealth.

REMEDIESANDTHERAPIES

HelpingtheBodytoHealItself

If all the health problems occurring in specific regions of the body (localdisorders)arearesultofthedefectivestateofthebody’sbiologicalterrain,andif theabilityofgerms to launchasuccessfulattack isalsodependenton thoseweaknesses, then it is simply good sense for the therapist to focus first andforemostonthisinternalcellularenvironment.Theunityofdiseaseconcepthasits correspondence in therapeutic uniqueness: the correction of the biologicalterrainthroughpurifyingitandamendingitsdeficiencies.The first objective, therefore, is to free the body of toxins and waste. To

achieve this goal, it is necessary to completely clear all the body’s exits, ororgans of filtering and elimination: liver, intestines, kidneys, skin, andrespiratory tract. These organs are always working at a slower pace in sickindividuals. Thewastes that accumulate there,which the organs are unable toexpelfromthebody,arethenforceddeepintothetissues.Thevariousdrainagemethods, intended tostimulate theexcretoryorgans,will firstseek to rid theseorgansoftheirwastes,whichthenallowsthemtograduallyflushouttherestofthewastesstoredinthebody.Apersonneedstohavepersonallyexperiencedorwitnessedadrainagecureto

trulyappreciatejusthowmuchwasteandpoisoncaninsidiouslycollectwithinthebody.Individualssufferingfromlethargicintestinal transitarealwaysquiteastoundedatthequantityofmatterthattheirintestinesexpel,evenafterseveral

daysoffastingfromfood,whiletakinginonlywater.Thestrongandnauseatingodor of the perspiration of seriously ill individuals is also a well-knownphenomenon. By the same token, the deeper color and concentration of urineduringadetoxificationcrisisisalwayscauseforsurprisetothenovice,asarethemany other forms that waste assumes when it is expelled through the skin(pimples, infections, oozing). Despite the often unpleasant nature of theseeliminations,theyshouldnotbeviewedaseitherdiscouragingorfrightening;itisfarpreferabletohavethesewastesoutsidethebody,ratherthaninside.

Thefiveexcretoryorgansandtheirwasteproducts

Naturopathy calls upon a variety of cleansing methods to stimulate theelimination of toxins. Invariably the techniques are chosen for the particularpatient. Depending on the case, the therapist will choose a therapy frommedicinalplants,sweat-inducingprocedures,enemas,poultices,reflexology,andsoforth.Inconjunctionwiththeclearingofthebody’savenuesofelimination,itisalso

essential toencourage theemergenceof toxins that areembedded in thebody.Over time, concentrated wastes not only permeate the bodily fluids, but alsobecome buried in the cellular tissue. Thesewastes are, of course,muchmoredifficulttoeliminate,becausetheyfirstneedtobedislodgedbeforetheycanbe

ejected from the depths of the tissues and carried to the excretory organs bybodilyfluids.Thetechniquesusedforthispurposeeitherencourageasignificantincrease in the flow of cellular fluids, accelerate circulation, or break downwastesembeddedinthetissuesintosmallerparticlesthatareeasierforthebodytotransportandeliminate.Thesetechniquesincludefasts,monodiets(limitedtoa single food), balneotherapy, lymphatic drainage, specific physical exercises,andsoforth.By stimulating the intestines with laxative (eliminationinducing) plants or

enemas,encouraging theeliminationofurinewithdiureticplants,encouragingexpectoration with essential oils, and perspiration with hydrotherapy orbalneotherapy, thenaturopath isdoingnothingother than imitating thehealingprocedures implemented by the body itself. The vital force triggers abundantelimination of waste through the digestive tract (diarrhea, vomiting), kidneys(thick, acidic urine), respiratory tract (mucus), and skin (sweat) to purify thebodyandrestoreit togoodhealth.Inmimickingthisprocess,naturalmedicinerespects the great truth proclaimed by Hippocrates: “Medicine is the art ofimitatingthehealingproceduresofnature.”The second objective of naturopathy is to correct the biological terrain by

supplyingwhatitneedstorecoveritsequilibrium,andsatisfyingitsdeficiencies.If deficiencies in essential aminoacids,minerals, vitamins, and trace elementshave a dramatic effect on bodily function, it is simply because our bodies areunabletomanufacturethemandmustgetthemfromtheoutside.Abodythatisgivensubstancesitwaspreviouslydeprivedofforasignificant

lengthof timewill feel rebornand, amazingly, recover all its strength.All thephysical and mental functions that had been dulled or lethargic will resumeactivity,allworkleftinsuspendedanimationwillbeputbackinmotion,andthebodywillrevive.Thebiologicalterrainwillthenbepurifiedmuchmorequickly,andtheimmuneforceswillrecovertheirnormalstrength.Onecansatisfybodydeficienciesbyregularconsumptionoffoodscontaining

themissingsubstances,orwiththehelpofrestorativeslikebeeorflowerpollen,royaljelly,brewer’syeast,sprouts,seaweed,orcertainshellfish.Theabundanceand concentration of vitamins, essential amino acids, trace elements, andminerals in these food supplements support thebody’snaturalvital forces andfillitsdeficienciesmorerapidly.*1

Inallopathicmedicinethediagnosisof thepatient isconsideredtobethemostimportantpointtoberesolved,becausemedicalprescriptionswillbedeterminedbycluesthatindicateaspecificdisease.Thesecluesarerevealedbyexaminationofthepatient.Thiskindoftherapylookslikeakindofequation:thisdisease=thismedication.Untilthereisadiagnosis,treatmentcannotbegin.Thepatientistherefore placed under observation, which in realitymeans that the biologicalterrainwill be left to continue to deteriorate until a diagnosable local disorderappears.It is only then that a course of treatment can be initiated and the correct

therapeuticagentchosentocombattheillness.Thereisanothermajorinconveniencewiththisconceptofmedicine.Whena

newandunknowndiseaseappears,suchasAIDS,thepatientisforcedtoinvestall his hope in the day when the disease will be fully identified and a curemanufactured.Naturopathy does not allow itself to be halted by a “new” and “unknown”

disease.Allthatisnewaboutanyillnessisthewayitmanifestsadisorderburiedin a constricted biological terrain. Even in the absence of a diagnosis in thestandardallopathicsense,treatmentcanbegin.Thereisnoneedforthepatienttobeplacedunderobservation, towaitwhilehisproblemsgrowworseandhopefor the discovery of a cure. The correction (draining wastes and fillingdeficiencies)canbestartedatonce.Inallopathicmedicinethediagnosisisbasedontheillness;innaturopathyitis

basedon thepatient. It isnot somuchadiagnosisas it isahealthassessmentindicatingwhatimbalancesneedcorrection.Thetherapisttakesaninterestinthepatient’s lifestyle, organ strength, immune system, deficiencies, and the natureandcausesofbodyfluidcongestion.Thetherapistisconcernedwiththetotalhumanbeing—physical,mental,and

spiritual—rather than isolated fragments of his or her total being, because thecorollary to a fragmentary diagnosis is a fragmentary treatment. Naturopathystrivestorealizeanin-depthtreatmentthataddressestheprofoundnatureoftheillnessratherthanitssuperficialmanifestations.

It is worth taking a moment here to ask ourselves what makes a remedyeffective. How does it work? Customarily, one has the impression that theremedyencompassesallthehealingpowersnecessarytoeffectacure,andthatit

is the unique active agent. If we define the effectiveness of a remedy by itsabilitytocausethesymptomsofadiseasetovanish,thisisthewayitcanseem.Butifweconsiderdiseasetobeadefectivestateofthebody’sinternalcellularenvironment, we need to question how a remedy, versatile as it may be, canstimulatetheexcretoryorgans,purifythetissues,strengthentheimmunesystem,fillthebody’sdeficiencies,anddissipatelocalsymptomsallbyitself.The remedy does not heal the disease; it helps the patient self-heal. The

powersofhealingresidewithinthebody.Theyarethebody’svitalforces,whattheancientscalled itsmedicalizingnature,andwhatmodernscall the immuneresponse.Therefore theconversation isaboutself-healing,not justhealing.Noremedyiscapableofhealing thediseasesofadeadperson.Acorpse lacks thevital,organicforcethatwillbeabletostimulate,direct,andsupportit.However,itisimportanttonotethatnaturopathyisnotopposedtotheuseof

remedies.Itmakesuseofthem,butuniquely,asasupplementtoitstreatmentofthebody’sdeep-rootedissues.Ratherthanpinningallpossibilityofacureonasolespecificremedy,asallopathydoes,naturopathyactsonthebiologicalterrainthat is responsible for the specific local disorder. Furthermore, because thespecific remedies it employs for local disorders are physiological and notchemical,theyareacceptedintothebody’smetaboliccircuitry,andcanbeeasilyusedandeliminatedbythebody.Whenthisisnotthecase,remedieswillonlyincreasethedegradationofthebiologicalterrain,creatinganeffectthatismoreharmfulthanbeneficial.Itiscertainlysometimesnecessarytouseremedieswhose“cureisworsethan

theillness”whentheir temporaryusemakesitpossible toget throughdifficultjunctures:anexplosionofbacterialactivity,intensepain,abruptweakeningofanorgan, and so forth. But whereas the use of these remedies should be theexception,ithasbecometherule.Thisiswhywe’rewitnessinganexplosionofiatrogenicdiseases,illnessesthatarecausedbythemedicationsthemselves.Therationalethattheiatrogenicillnessislessseriousthantheinitialdiseaseisnotavalidargumentfortheuseofthesemedications.Localsymptomsanddisordersmayappearlessgrave,butthedegradationofthebiologicalterrainisaggravatedevenfurtherbythemedicationinducedtoxicoverload,prefiguringnewdiseases.It is always disconcerting for those who prescribe chemical medication, as

wellasforthosewhouseit,toseetheproceduresemployedinnaturalmedicine.How can herb teas and tinctures compete with products that have anincomparablyhigherconcentrationofactiveingredients?Howcanapplications

ofwater,diet,ormassageclaimtobringabouthealingwherethemostpowerfulmedicationsremainimpotent?Hereweshouldrecallthatthevalueofaremedydoes not reside in itself but in its capacities to aid, support, and stimulate thebody’sownhealingpowers.

Theforcesofhealingarelocatedinsidethebody.

Thevalueofaremedydoesnot reside in itselfbut in itsability tostimulatethesevitalforces.

FICTITIOUSHEALINGVS.TRUEHEALING

AddressingCauses,NotJustSymptoms

Sinceillnessisrootedinthebody’sinternalcellularenvironment,healingmusttranspireonthissamelevelofthebiologicalterrain,andnotatthelevelofthelocaldisorder.Healthisnottheabsenceofsurfacesymptoms,butcorrespondstoaparticularstateofthebody’sbiologicalterraininwhichthecompositionofthebodilyfluidspermitsandencouragesnormalcellularactivity.Truehealingisthekindofhealingthatrestoresthebiologicalterraintoitsoptimumstate.Theclearingupoflocaldisorderscannotbeconsideredtobeahealingofthe

illnessifthebiologicalterrainuponwhichthesedisordersappearedhasnotalsobeenchanged.Ofcourse thecessationofpainfulordebilitating localdisorderscanbehailedasagoodthing,butthisgainwillnotlastforverylongiftherootoftheillnesshasnotbeenaddressed.Unlessthereischangeinthestatusofthebodilyfluids,wewillexperienceor

witnessmanyrelapses,oftenincorrectlyidentifiedbystandardmedicineasnewattacksthatwillthenrequirenewtreatmentstorepressthesymptoms.Thisisareal battle against the seven-headedhydra.Hardlyhasone local disorder beenput down than the vital force will trigger another healing crisis at the sameexcretory location (known as a relapse) or at another location in the body (atransferofdisease,whichissimplyaredirectionofwastestoanotherexcretoryorgan).Multiple attempts by the vital force to purify the body can take place

simultaneouslyatseveral locations.Theunknowingandpoorlyadvisedpatientwillthenracefromonespecialisttothenextfortreatmentofthedifferentlocal

disorders,whereasasingletreatment—thecorrectionofthebiologicalterrain—wouldcauseallofthemtovanish.Letmerepeat,theillnessisalwaysoneandthe same, it only manifests differently depending on where in the body it islocated.Superficial healings obtained locally by treatments targeting the symptoms

ultimately fail, because toxins remain buried in the depths of the tissues. Thebody is thus forced to tolerate an increasingly elevated rate of overloads. Thepatient seems cured, but his or her biological terrain continues to degrade. Inreality,thepatientisbecomingsickerandsicker.Arealhealingcanbeobtainedonlybyrestoring thenormsof thebiological

terrain,whichcanbeachievedonlybypurifyingitcompletely.Thesemeasuresaddressing the depths of the body will automatically bring about thedisappearanceoflocaldisorders—andinadefinitivemanner—iftheerrorsthatcreatedthedegradationofthebiologicalterrainarenotrepeated.The defined and labeled local disease is only the ultimate culmination of a

longprocessofdegradationofthebody’sinternalcellularenvironmentthatmayhavestretchedovermonthsorevenyears,sothereshouldbenoillusionofafastandeasycurebyamiraculousremedy.Acurecanbeobtainedonlythroughtheimplementation of a process that is the reverse of the one that caused thedegradationofthebiologicalterrain.Alltoxinsthathaveenteredthebodymustbe eliminated, all deficiencies need to be replenished, and all damaged tissuemustrepairitself.Inalldiseases,butespeciallyinseriousdiseases,onemustfortifyoneselfwith

patience and look at the long term. There are no possible shortcuts. Thedisappearance of a local disorder does not mean that the internal cellularenvironment has been cleansed from top to bottom. To the contrary, thesymptoms can disappear fairly quickly, precisely because they are only theterminal culmination of a deep-rooted disorder. They are like the last drop ofwaterthatcausestheglasstooverflow,orthestrawthatbreaksthecamel’sback.Themostimportantthingtoemphasizehereisthatitwouldbeamistaketostoptreatmentatthepointwhenthelocaldisorderdisappears.Halting one’s intake of pharmaceutical medicine as soon as the symptoms

have vanished fits into the logic of themedical approach that considers theselocal symptoms tobe the integraldisease.Thiswayofdoing thingscannotbetransposed into treatment that will correct the body’s biological terrain.Naturopathic treatment shouldbe continued for some timeafter the symptoms

disappear.The treatment of the biological terrain does not, however, offer protection

againstnewassaultsbytoxins,ordeficienciesinotheressentialsubstances.Anychange in the patient’s lifestyle that was adopted to obtain a cure must bemaintained afterward, with some adjustments, lest the same causes recur andpromptthesymptomstoreappear.Thislifestylechangeisthepriceoftrueandlastinghealing.The disappearance of local disorders cannot be considered a healing of the

diseaseunlessthebiologicalterrainhostingthedisorderhasalsobeenchanged.

THEDIFFERENTSTAGESOFDISEASE

From“NotFeelingWell”toSeriousIllness

Thedifferencebetweenabenignillnessandaseriousdiseaseisnotadifferenceof type,butofdegree.Fundamentally, all diseasespossess an identicalnature.Butinseriousillness,thedegreeofdeteriorationofthebiologicalterrainandthescopeofthedamageitcausesaremuchgreaterthaninmorecommonillnesses.The deficiencies aremore pronounced, the overloadsmore abundant, and thedisruptionofcellular lifemoresignificant.Thestateofdecay in thebiologicalterrain is such that thephysical andmental functionsof thebodyarenotonlyrestrictedorperturbed, theyhavedeviated significantlyor stoppedcompletely.Howisitpossibleforlivingmattertoreachsuchastateofchaos?As we have seen, diseases do not make a sudden appearance but are the

culmination of a long process. Serious diseases such as cancer, AIDS, ormultiple sclerosis do not suddenly strike someone enjoying goodhealth.Theyconstitutetheterminalmanifestationofastateofdefectivehealththatmayhavebeenbuildingovermanyyears.The fact that children, aswell as adults,may be stricken by serious illness

showshowimmenselyimportantitistoavoidfictitioushealingsthatcreateonlytheappearanceofhealth,andtoconcentrateoursearchoncuresthatguaranteetruehealth.Thesealonewillpermitthetransmissionofstrong,healthycellularterraintoourdescendants.Diseaseprogressesthroughthreedifferentstagesbeforeitbecomesaserious

anddegenerativeillness.

FirstStage

The first stage is the stage of warning signals,when a person who has beenenjoyingsoundhealthobservestheappearanceofminorhealthproblems.Thesewarningsthatthepersonisleavingtheidealstateofhealthmaybe,forexample,a loss of enthusiasm and a lack of pep, temporary indisposition, difficultyrecoveringafterexertion,orevenpimplesordigestivedisorders.Theskinmayloseitssheenandthehairturndullandlackluster.Allofthesearesignsthatthebiologicalterrainisbecomingdegraded.Therateofoverloadisstilllowduringthis stage,and thesekindsofdisorderswilldisappearquickly if the individualconsidersthemaswarningbellsandtakesappropriateaction.Inotherwords,sheshouldscrutinizeherlifestyleoverthedaysorweeksprecedingtheappearanceof any health problems to identify what has produced these alterations in herbiologicalterrain.Has she put a strain on her health from overeating, consuming toxins,

overworkednerves,lackofsleep,orbeingtoosedentary?Thebiologicalterraindeteriorates every time the lifestyle exceeds the body’s working capacity, orevery time the body’s physical and mental capacities are diminished for onereasonoranotherandcannolongerperformthetasksrequiredofthem.If thepatient refuses to listen to thewarningsbeing issuedbyherbodyand

continues living extravagantly without making any course corrections, thebiologicalterrainwillcontinuetodeteriorate.Thecollectionofwasteandtoxinsin this internalcellularenvironmentwillgoonuntil it reaches the thresholdoftolerance, when a vigorous reaction by the body’s vital forces will trigger ahealth-restoringcleansingcrisis.

SecondStageThe second stage, that of acute illness, is reached at this point. Any furtherpossibilityof toleratingtherisinglevelof toxinshasbeenexceeded,andallofthebody’svital forcesaremobilized toexpel theexcesswaste from thebody.Depending on the location or form taken by these cleansing crises, allopathicmedicinemightdiagnosetheflu,measles,bronchitis,andsoon,labelingeachofthesedefensivereactionsofthebodyasdiseasesintheirownright.In general, acute illnesses are violent and spectacular. The fever

accompanyingthemrevealstheintenseactivitythebodydeploystorenewitself.Thisactivityisextendedalloverthebody,moreover,andcallsontheservicesofall the excretory organs. The flu, for example, is characterized by abundantsecretions from the respiratory tract, intestinal upset, profuse sweating, andwaste-ladenurine.Acuteillnessesareofshortdurationbecausetheintensityof

theeffortoforganicpurificationissufficienttorestoreorderrapidly.

Fever:WhyWeHeatupFeverisareflectionofthebody’sattempttodefenditselffromabiologicalterrainoverloadedwithtoxins.Theaccelerationofimmunedefenses,bloodcirculation,respiration,andcellularexchanges produces heat and thereby increases body temperature. Fever is, therefore, amanifestationofthebodydefendingitself,whichiswhyitisacommonsymptomofsomanydifferentmaladies.Itisthebody’sbrilliantwayofincineratingandeliminatingalargeamountoftoxinsinashortspaceoftime.Unless the patient’s temperature climbs so high that it poses its own risks to the body,

breakingafeverwillonlyobstructthebody’sdefensesystem.

The confusion at this stage is to mistake the effect for the cause. If thesedefensivereactionsareerroneouslyperceivedasthecauseofthediseaseandnotasaneffectofthedeteriorationofthebody’sinternalcellularenvironment,thetherapywillnotbedirectedtowardhelpingthebodyinitseffortstopurifyitself,buttowardrepressingunwelcomeandtroublesomesymptoms.Thetreatmentforthesymptomswillhaltalleffortsofthevitalforce—inotherwords,theimmunesystem—andpushthetoxinsdeepintothedepthsofthebody.Theresultwillbean increase in the level of toxicity and a decrease in the body’s defensivecapability.If the patient, contentwith the disappearance of his symptoms, resumes his

earlier lifestyle, the accumulation of waste will resume. Every new palliativetreatment undertaken to repress the efforts of body detoxification (symptoms)will bring about an increase in wastes and reduce the vital force’s ability torespond. Subsequently, at the stage of serious illness, it will be a cause forsurprise that the immunesystem is, for allpracticalpurposes,nonexistent.Yetthroughoutthepatient’sentirelife,everyefforthasbeenmadetodestroyit.

ThirdStageInthethirdstage,diseasesstopbeingacuteandprogresstobecomingchronic,orrecurring.Theoverloadrateisfartoohighandthevitalforcetoocompromisedforanyoneroundofphysicalcleansing tobesufficient,as is thecasewithanacuteillness.Wethenseecasesofbronchitis,eczema,orlivertraumarepeatingevery few months or weeks. Detoxification efforts need to be renewedconstantly, as they never completely succeed in purifying the internalenvironment. At this stage, the body absolutely requires outside assistancebecauseitsownforcesarenolongerfullycapableofdealingwiththecongestion

of the biological terrain. This support can be provided with cleansing cures,combined with filling the body’s deficiencies, as well as the use of specificphysiologicalremedies.Inthisway,thebiologicalterrainwillrecoveranalmostnormalcompositionandhealthcanbereestablished.

Alas,fartoooftenthepatientcontinuestobelievearemedyisrequiredforeachillness, and that each more serious illness demands a stronger remedy. Shecontinues to eliminate the effects without ever removing the causes. Theresistanceofthebiologicalterrainandthevitalforceprogressivelydeteriorate.Inthefirstthreestagesoftheillness,thevitalforcewasstillstrongenough,to

a greater or lesser degree, to expelwastes from the body.But once the fourthstage has been reached, the stage of serious and degenerative disease, thispossibilityisgone.Wastesandtoxinsnolongercanbeexpelledproperly,andthebody’s attempt to accommodate itself to their massive presence disrupts itsproper functioning. It must fight to survive the highly toxic condition of thebiologicalterrain.These days, more and more people are coming into the world with such

compromised immune systems that, in the evolution of their health problems,theydonotevengothroughthefirst three typicalstagesof illness.Frombirththeir bodies have been so overloaded with wastes that no cleansing andregenerative crisis can interrupt the continued degradation of their internalcellularenvironments.

FourthStageDuringthefourthstageofanillness,what’sleftofthevitalforceisstilltryingtosave the lifeof thepatient, but anyattempted solutionsmust takeplace in therestricted framework of the internal environment, making them increasinglydifficulttoachieve.Wherecanthevitalforcedirectthenewwavesofwastesandtoxinsrelentlesslyinvadingthetissues?Howcanitcontinuetoprotectthecells?Thecells,whichshouldbebathedinnourishingandvivifyingpurefluids,are

suffocatinginfluidssaturatedwithwastesandtoxicsubstances.Theyareforcedto live in a kind of poisoned swamp. In addition they are suffering from ashortageofessentialnutrients.Every kind of physical dysfunction is then possible. Cells become

progressivelylessnormalandlivingmatterbecomesincreasinglydisorganized,whichisrevealedbythedestructionofcertainkindsoftissueororgans(sclerosis—hardening of a body part, irreversible lesions, deformities); aberrationalbehavioron thepartof thecells,whichareno longersubject to the intelligentguidanceofthebody’svitalforce(cancer);orbythebody’sinabilitytodefenditself as an organized unit againstmicrobial and viral assaults (AIDS, variousimmunedeficiencydisorders).Atthisstagethereismuchlesshopethaninpreviousstagesforaremedyor

otherarbitraryformofinterventionthatwillrestoreordertothephysicalchaosreigning in the body. The logical solution is to alter the biological terrain asmuch as possible in the direction of health, and while waiting for this to beaccomplished,supportthepatientwithspecificremedies.The difficulty researchers encounter when attempting to perfect effective

remediesagainst fourthstagediseasesstemsfromthe fact thatdiseasesof thisnature cannot be cured via shortcuts. It is instead imperative to retrace one’sstepswhile there isstill time,andmakeafocusedattempt toceaseandamendwhatever mistakes have been made against the body’s internal cellularenvironment.Thatthisisthesolesuremeansofobtainingremissionoratruecurehasbeen

abundantlyprovenbyallwhohavetakenthiscourseofaction.

Illnessgoesthroughthreedifferentstagesbeforebecomingsoseriousthatitistheterminalmanifestationofastateoffailinghealth,onethathasbeendefectiveformanyyears.

2

TheCausesofIllnessandtheReasonsforHealth

Becausethestateofourhealthisdependentonthestateofourbiologicalterrain,anythingcapableofcausingthisinternalcellularenvironmenttodeterioratewillinevitablythreatenouroverallhealth.The more crucial and numerous the factors causing degradation of the

biologicalterrain,themoreitdeterioratesandthegreaterriskwerunoffallingseriouslyill.Itis,therefore,inourbestinteresttounderstandthesecausessothatwe can avoid them.We should not expect to find these causes in exceptionalsituations(poisoningoraccidentalintoxication,forexample),butinthehabitsofourdailylives.Our biological terrain is composed of what we ingest as solid, liquid, or

gaseousnourishment(theairwebreathe),aswellaseverythingelsethatentersthebody(foodadditives,medication,tobacco,andsoforth).Everyinfluencetowhich our body is subjected becomes encapsulated in our biological terrain.Simplelogic,then,invitesustoexamineourlifestyles.The influence of lifestyle on our health does not always appear obvious

becausetheerrorsthatwemakedonotalwaysaffectusinawayclearlyrelatedtowhatwearedoing.Thesebadhabitsfirstbringaboutchangesthateventuallygrowlargerinsize—aprocessthatcantakemonthsorevenyears—andbecomevisibleonthesurfaceintheformoflocalizeddisorders.Let’s take a look at how these mistakes and bad habits break down our

biologicalterrainandmakeusill.

Alltheinfluencestowhichourbodiesaresubjectedbecomeencapsulatedinourbiologicalterrain,hencetheimportanceofexaminingourlifestyles.

OVEREATINGINGENERAL

Ingeneral,thefirstandforemostilleffectattributedtoeatingtoomuchisthatitleads to obesity. But eating more than is necessary has a number of othernegativerepercussions.

OrganExhaustionDigestionrepresentsamajortaskperformedbythebody.Itneedstocarryoutaseriesoftransformationsonthefoodsingested,sothattheycanbeabsorbedandthevaluablenutrientstheyoffercanbemadeusablebythebody.The force expended for digestion increases with the amount of food

consumed. Overeating inevitably leads to general body fatigue. The negativeeffectsofoverworkingfirststrikethedigestiveglands,followedbytheheartandthecirculatorysystemthathastotransporttheexcessfoodproducts,andfinallytheexcretoryorgansthatareresponsibleforexpellingthisvastquantityofwastefromthebody.

IntestinalFermentationandPutrefactionThebody’sdigestivecapacityisnotlimitless.Whentheamountoffoodeatenistoolarge,orwhentoomanydifferentkindsoffoodareeatenatthesametime,thedifferentstagesofdigestionperformpoorly.Foodthathasnotbeendigestedsufficientlywillfermentandputrefyintheintestines.Intestinal fermentation and putrefaction produce a plethora of toxic

substances: pyruvic acid, scatol, indole, ptomaine, and so forth. If thesesubstancescanbespeedily flushedoutof theorganism, theywillcausehardlyanydamage.Butbecauseof the fatigueof thedigestive and excretoryorgans,thisisexactlywhatdoesn’thappen.Thisisthewaythebodypoisonsitselfwithtoxicsubstances.

Self-poisoningDependingonthedegreeoftheintestinalbreakdown,thespeedoftheintestinaltransit can be slowed so considerably that fecal material remains inside theintestinesfordays,orevenweeks,causingself-poisoning.Theintestinalmucousmembranes are attacked and irritated by these unexcreted poisonswithwhichtheyarenowinprolongedcontact.Eventuallytheydeveloplesionsandbecomeporous. From this point, instead of allowing only nutritive substances to flowintothebloodstream,thedestroyedmeshoftheirwallsalsoallowsthepassageoflargertoxicmolecules.

By creating a situation that leads to lesions in the intestinal mucousmembrane, overeating throws open the doors to intestinal poisons andwastes.Aslongasthelivercanmanagetoneutralizethesewastes, theywillnotcausethebodyanyunduesuffering.Butonce theanti-toxinfunctionof the liverhasbeenexceededbythemassofwastesitisreceivingonadailybasis,thelivercannolongerprotectthebodyandlittlebylittlewillbecomecompletelyoverrunbythesetoxins.Thepatientactuallypoisonshimselfwithhisownwastes.

TheAccumulationofOverloadsEven if digestion is functioning perfectly well, overeating will still cause thebiologicalterraintobreakdown.Indeed,whenovereatingtakesplace,thebodyisreceivingmorefoodthanitneeds.Whatshoulditdowiththeexcessnutritivesubstances?It can place part of them in reserve, storing them in anticipation of future

needs, as itdoeswith fatorglucose.But thebody’s storagecapacities arenotunlimitedeither.Whenthereisanoverabundanceofanystoredsubstanceinthebody, even a useful one will become harmful. Just think, for example, ofdiabeticswhosufferfromavarietyofailments,allofwhichcanbetracedtothepoisoning of their body by sugar. Likewise, the excessive fat collected in thetissuesofobeseindividualswilleventuallycausethemmajorproblemssuchasslowedcirculationandcellularexchange,uselessfatigueoftheheartandorgans,andcloggingoftheorgans.Insteadofstoringexcesssubstances,thebodyalsocantrytoeliminatethem.

Itfirstneedstobreakthemdownintoaformtheexcretoryorganswillfindeasytoexpel.However,thebreakingdownofthesesubstances,whichwouldfreethebody from undesirable overloads, does not take place properly because of theoverall slowedpaceofbodily functions.Breakingdownglucose, for example,doesnotendwiththenormalproductionofeasilyeliminatedwaterandcarbondioxide, but comes to a halt at an intermediary stage that produces numeroustoxicacids(pyruvicacid,succinicacid,fumaricacid,andsoon).Even if the breakdown of excess substances takes place normally, it is still

producing toxins. For example, the degradation of proteins inevitably leads totheproductionofureaanduricacid.Overeatingdoes not necessarily lead to gainingweight. It can also,without

anyincreaseinpounds,congestthebodyenoughtocausesignificantchangesinthecompositionofbodilyfluids.

ExcretoryInsufficiencyThe body’s use of food substances always produces waste and toxins. Thisinvolvesanormalandentirelyanticipatedprocess,sincetheroleoftheexcretoryorgans (liver, intestines, kidneys, skin, and lungs) is specifically to eliminatethesewastes.Ofcourse, thegreater thequantityoffoodconsumed, thegreaterthequantityofwastesthatwillbeproduced.When they exceed the eliminatory capacity of the excretory organs, toxins

clog the “filters” and cause congestion in the organs.As elimination becomesunabletotakeplaceproperly,wastestartscollectinginthetissues.

HowDoesOneOvereat?Practically speaking, there are two different ways in which it is possible toovereat,althoughtheycanbecombined:eatingtoooftenoreatingtoomuchatonetime.Inadditiontotheirthreeregularmeals,manypeopletakebreaksaround10:00

a.m.and4:00p.m.toeatsnacks.Thesefoodsareintendedto“justtidemeover,”butteatimeandcoffeebreaksnacksareoftenjustasrichasthethreemainmealsoftheday.Thesepeopleareactuallyeatingnotjustthreemealsadaybutratherfiveormore!Thecakes,cookies,chips,sandwiches,coffeedrinks,andcandiesthat are the usual “snack” culprits represent a substantial portion of the dailydietaryintake.Inthesecondkindofovereatingitisnotnecessarilytheamountoffoodthatis

mostimportant,butitsquestionablenutritionalvalue.Thesefoodsaretoorich,withtoomanycaloriesandtoofewnutrients.Atmealtime,insteadofconsumingtherecommended70percent“light”foods

(salads, raw and cooked vegetables, fruits) and 30 percent concentrated foods(meat,cheese,eggs,grains,fattyfoods),theproportionsarereversed.Thecoreof the meal is formed by meat, often served with fattening, flour-thickenedsauces, whereas the portions of fruit and vegetables are extremely limited.Sometimesitseemsasiftheselatterfoodsareonlyfordecoration.Overeating is rampant in every strata of the population. Although the real

needsofanadultareplacedaround2400caloriesaday,actualintakesaremuchhigher.TheaveragedailycaloricintakeinSwitzerlandisaround3,380calories,3,633caloriesinFrance,3,651inBelgium,and3,654intheUnitedStates.

Overeatingwearsoutthebodyandoverloadsitwithwaste.

OVEREATINGSPECIFICSUBSTANCES

Inovereatingingeneral,thesubjecteatseverythingintoolargeaquantity.Whenthereisoverconsumptionofspecificfoods,thesearecasesinwhichasinglekindoffoodisconsumedinquantitieshigherthanthebodycanproperlydigestandutilize.Alltheproblemsencounteredwithgeneralovereatingarealsoproblematicin

specificfoods,butwiththeadditionofthedistinctproblemsspecifictothefoodsbeing consumed in excess.There are primarily four foods incriminated in thisgroup:sugar,meat,fat,andsalt.

DietsTooHeavyinSugarThe digestion of foods rich in carbohydrates—fruit, grains, bread, potatoes,refined sugar products—provides glucose for fuel,which the body requires inordertofunction.Inorder tobe transformed into energy, glucosegoes through twometabolic

phases:ananaerobicphase(intheabsenceofoxygen),andanaerobicphase(inthe presence of oxygen). During the anaerobic phase, through the action ofdifferent enzymes, glucose is transformed successively into citric acid, alpha-ketoglutaric acid, pyruvic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid,oxaloaceticacid,andfinallylacticacid.Thesedifferentacidsarecalledthetoxicintermediatemetabolites(TIM).Inthesubsequentaerobicphase,theTIMareoxidized,therebyreleasingthe

energythebodyneeds.Theresidueleftbythislasttransformationiscomposedofwaterandcarbondioxide,bothofwhichareeliminatedeasilybythebody.But when there is excess consumption of carbohydrates, the body receives

more glucose than it can possibly transform. Instead of culminating with theproductionofenergy,thebreakdownoftheglucoseisinterruptedduringoneofthestagesoftheanaerobicphase.Whetheritisatthepyruvicacidstageormalicacid stage, the intermediarymetabolites are toxic residue that will poison thebody.The presence of TIM deteriorates the biological terrain in numerous ways.

Bloodandlymphhavelessliquidity,therebyslowingtherateofcirculationandexchangeandcausingcongestionintheorgans.Themucousmembranesoftheorgansandthewallsofthecellsareattackedandinjured,whichincreasestheir

vulnerability. A certain number of biochemical reactions no longer can occurbecause of the change in the pH, or acid-alkaline balance, of the internalenvironment. The biological terrain becomes increasingly acidic and the bodydepletes itself by surrendering its alkaline substances to neutralize the excessacidity.*2Themorecarbohydratesconsumed, thegreater thedeficiency in thevitamins and trace elements required to activate the enzymes involved in thebreakingdownofglucose,andthemoretheconversionofglucoserunstheriskofbeinghaltedduringitsanaerobicphase,whichproducesTIM.Consequently, the glucose from foods that are rich in vitamins and trace

elements,suchasfruitandwholegrains,ismetabolizedmuchmoreeffectivelythantheglucosefromfoodsthathavescantamountsofthesesubstances,refinedfoodsforinstance.Refinedsugars(bothwhiteandbrown)andgrains(whiterice,whiteflour,pastamadefromrefinedflour)arelargeproducersofTIM.Andyet,theconsumptionoffoodsmadefromwhiteflourandrefinedsugarisincreasingat an alarming rate. The use of white bread is widespread, and the annualconsumptionofsugarpercapitaintheUnitedStateshasgonefrom64poundsin1900 to more than 139 pounds. The latter figure includes both refined whitesugar(62pounds)andthehighfructosecornsyrup(77pounds)foundinalmostall processed foods. Sugar consumption in the United States is double theEuropeanaverage.A heavy carbohydrate diet is especially harmfulwhen it includes toomany

foods containing refined sugar: candy, chocolate, baked items, preserves,commercialsoftdrinks(averaging100grams,ornearlyhalfacup,ofsugarperliter),andsweetenedyogurt(16grams,ormorethan3teaspoons,ofsugarperl00grams)...andlet’snotforgetthesugarweaddtocoffeeandtea.

DietsTooHeavyinProteinFoodsrichinprotein,suchasmeat,fish,cheese,eggs,grains,andbeansprovidethebodywiththeessentialaminoacidsitneedstogrownewreplacementcellsfor those that are worn out. The minimum daily protein requirement for theaverage individualhasbeenstrictlyestablished,andit isnot large.Forhealthyadultsitis0.8gramperkilogramofbodyweight,whichconvertstoonlyabout36gramsofproteinforevery100poundsofbodyweight.Alltheexcessproteinthatisingestedstillneedstobebrokendownandeliminated,becausethebody’scapacityforstoringaminoacidsinreserveispracticallynil.Thebreakingdownofproteinsengendersthreekindsofextremelytoxicwaste:uricacid,ammoniacacid,andketonicacid.While thebodyiscapableofbreakingdownammoniac

and ketonic acids into less toxic substances such as urea,which is eliminatedthroughthekidneysandthesweatglands,ithasnosuchabilitytoneutralizeuricacid.Whenhighproteinfoodsareeatenintoohighquantities,thebody’scapacity

toneutralizeandeliminatethewastesgeneratedbymetabolizingthemisquicklyexceeded.Theresultisammoniacpoisoningandaccumulationofuricacidinthetissues.The overeating of high protein foods is the most serious kind of food

overconsumption, because thewaste created inmetabolizing them is themosttoxictypeofwastethatcanbecreatedbyfoodinthebody.Additionally,whentheseproteinsareingestedintheformofanimalproducts,

thewastedoesnotcomemerelyfromthemetabolizingoftheseproteins.Animaltissuealsocontainsallthemetabolicwastegeneratedbyananimalwhenitwasstillalive;inotherwords,theanimal’suricandammoniacacids,andsoon.Atthebeginningofthetwentiethcenturyinwhatiscommonlyknownasthe

developedworld (primarilyWesternEuropeand theUnitedStates), theannualconsumption of meat per capita was around 90 pounds. A century later thisfigurehasmorethandoubledto201pounds,whichisadailymeatconsumptionofmorethanhalfapound.Thisfiguredoesnotincludealltheproteinconsumedinfoodssuchasdairyproducts,eggs,beans,andgrains.These days, a meal without meat is not considered to be a real meal.

Furthermore,manypeopledonottakeintoaccountthatthemeatproductseatenasasnack,likesalamiorhotdogsorbeefjerky,alsorepresentanintakeofmeat.Excessiveconsumptionofproteinalsocancomefromovereatingcheese,eggs,orbeans.

DietsTooHeavyinFatsFatplaysbothabuilding roleandanenergetic role inourbodies.Fats canbefound in oleaginous foods like nuts and seeds (fat content 35–60%), eggs(11.5%),meat(up to30%fat),sausages(up to50%),cream(30%),andbutter(81%).Modernstudieshaveproven theexistenceof twokindsof fat: saturatedand

unsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acids are of vital importance to thebody, and are easily metabolized. Saturated fatty acids are another story,however,asthebodyfindsthemdifficulttouse.It is the latter thatare thefirst tocollect in thebody’sfatreserves(cellulite,

obesity) and which adhere to the walls of the blood vessels (cardiovasculardisease).Onceestablishedinthetissues,theyareextremelydifficulttodislodge,breakdown,andeliminate.Itshouldalsobenotedthatexcesscarbohydratesarestoredinthebodyintheformofsaturatedfattyacids.All foods containing fatty substances are composed of both saturated and

unsaturatedfattyacids,buttheirproportionvariesfromonefoodtothenext.Thefoodsthatholdthehighestconcentrationsofsaturatedfattyacidsareofanimalorigin,butthislistalsoincludespalmandcoconutoils,whichareusedtomakemargarine. However, these kinds of margarine are distinctly different fromvegetable margarines that are rich in non-hydrogenated and unsaturated fattyacidsandaremanufacturedfromcold-pressedvirginoils.In their natural form, unsaturated fatty acids, generally of plant origin,

produceabeneficial effecton thehumanbodybyproviding itwithvitaminF,alsoknownastheOmega3and6fattyacids.Whentheyaresubjectedtooverlyhigh temperatures, they are adulterated. For this reason, when cooking, it isbetter touseagood-quality refinedoil (sparingly) than thevirgincold-pressedoils.Excess consumption of fats often goes hand-in-handwith the overeating of

meat.Thisisnotonlybecausemeatsthemselvesarerichinfats(beef20%,veal11%,ham30%,salami35to49.5%),butalsobecausetheyareoftencookedingreaseandfat,andservedwithequallyfat-ladensauces.Excess ingestion of fatty substances can also be the result of the excess

consumption of dairy products, especially butter, whether on bread orvegetables,insaucesanddips,orusedincooking.The harmful effects of fats are increased even further when they are

overheated. In fact, the carbonization of oils or grease during cooking—primarilyinfrying,deep-frying,andbarbecuing—givesbirthtosubstancesthatareespeciallytoxicandcarcinogenic.

DietsTooHeavyinSaltThe foodswe are offered by nature contain very little salt. Plant-based foodscontain less than 100 milligrams of salt per 100 grams and animal productscontain less than 250milligrams per 100 grams. The salt thatwe consume isprimarily added to foods as part of their preparation (in bread and cheese, forexample),astheyarecooked,orwhentheyareeatenatthetable.Salt helps maintain the proper rate of water in the body, which means it

contributestoensuringthatthereisenoughfluidwithinthecells,blood,lymph,andsoforthinorderforthebodytofunctionproperly.Oneofthepropertiesofsalt,infact,isitsabilitytoretainlargeamountsofliquid(11gramsofwaterper1gramofsalt).Saltalsohelpsmaintaingoodmuscletoneandbloodpressure.Too much salt in the tissue leads to retention of more fluid than the body

needs. This accumulation ofwater causesweight gain (in the form ofwater),createsedemas,andtirestheheartbecauseitisforcedtocirculateafluidmassmuch larger than what is necessary. Blood pressure will also increase andcontinuetoincreaseinproportiontotheamountofexcesssaltinthebody.Thiscanbringaboutavarietyofhealthproblemsassociatedwithhighbloodpressureas well as cerebral congestion and heart fatigue. Furthermore, the kidneys,responsible for the elimination of salt, will either be assaulted (resulting ininflammation) or clogged (causing kidney stones) by the amount of salt theyneedtoexpel.Also,assaltretainswaterinthetissuesitalsoretainsthetoxinsbeingheldthatmayotherwisehavebeeneliminated.Overconsumptionof salt isextremelycommon today.Thiscanbeattributed

bothtoatendencytoaddmuchtoomuchsalt toourfoodsbeforeweeatthemand to the overconsumption of highly salted foods such as cheese, cold cuts,chips,saltednuts,cannedsoups,andketchup.Saltcanevenbefoundinsweetfoodssuchascakesandcookies.

Thebodycannotdigestandproperlyuseexcesssubstances.

STIMULANTS

In addition to the actual food we eat, we regularly consume products wemistakenlyconsidertobefood.Thesearestimulantslikecoffee,tea,cocoa,softdrinks, and alcohol. Tobacco is another commonly used stimulant, but no oneconsidersittobeafood.Stimulants contribute practically no nutritive substances to the body.

However, one reason they are so widely consumed is that they give theimpressionofprovidingenergy.Because of our unnatural—even anti-natural—habits of life (stress, lack of

sleep,andsoon),wearealwaystiredandconsequentlyweperpetuallyattempttoenergizeourselveswiththeaidofstimulants.Inreality,theenergythatisfelt

ontakingastimulantisnotprovidedbythestimulantitselfbutisextractedfromour body’s reserves. The truth is that all stimulants contain numerous toxicsubstances.Inordertoprotecttheorganism,thevitalforcetriggersadefensivereaction by accelerating the body’smetabolism to neutralize, break down, andeliminatethesepoisons.This acceleration of themetabolism is experienced as a jolt of energy from

outside,whereasinrealitythebodyisonlywearingitselfoutbybeingforcedtoreactagainst repeatedpoisoning.A trulyviciouscycle isestablished: themorethebodyisrevivedbystimulants,themoreitexhaustsitself;themoreexhausteditis,thegreateritsneedforstimulation.During any exertion, there is wear and tear on the tissues and waste

productionfromthebreakingdownoffuelusedbythecells.Whenitcollectsinthe tissues, the toxins of fatigue can dangerously overload the body’s internalcellularenvironment,especiallyiftheeffortissustainedforaprolongedstretchoftime.Fatigueisthesignalwearegiventointerruptoureffortssoastoallowtheeliminationofwastestheseeffortshavealreadygenerated.Ifthispurificationperiodrepresentedbyrestisnotrespected,andif,byvirtue

of stimulants, new forces are extracted from the body’s reserves to make thecontinuation of the effort possible, then new toxins are produced. These willcombinewith those thathavealreadyaccumulated,andwhichwere thereasonfor taking the stimulant. When the body is not granted the rest it needs, itbecomesmoreandmorepoisonedbyitsownwaste.Thisendogenousintoxicationwithinthedeeptissueisproducedbythetoxins

offatigue,andonlyexacerbatedbytheintoxicationresultingfromtoxinsinthestimulants.

Coffee,Tea,Cocoa,ColaBeveragesmadefromcoffee,tea,cocoa,orcolacontainvaryingproportionsofone or more of the three following alkaloids: caffeine, theosphylline, andtheobromine. These three elements are soluble in both water and in oil.Consequently, they are able to penetrate any kind of tissue; the protectivemembraneofthecell,whichisfatty,cannotfunctionasafilteragainstthem.Thetoxicstatecausedbythesealkaloidsis,therefore,capableofafflictingeventhebest-protectedtissues,suchasthoseofthenervesandthebrain.The ravagescausedby thesebeveragesdonot stop there.Theyalsomakea

significant contribution of tars and oxalic acid. Furthermore, the amount of

purine—a substance that gets brokendownby themetabolism to becomeuricacid—contained in these beverages is quite high. Approximately 1 to 2teaspoonsofdriedtea(therecommendedquantityforonecup)providesasmuchuric acid to the body as onewould get fromdrinkingmore than six quarts ofmilk(approximately24glasses).

AlcoholicBeveragesEveryoneisfamiliarwiththeravagescausedbyalcohol,butbecausewearesoused tohearingabout themweno longerpayenoughattention.Peoplehaveatendencytosay,“Alittlealcoholcannotdoabodyharm,”which isessentiallytrue.However thedailyconsumptionof10ounces(3deciliters)adayofwinewith 12 percent alcohol by volumewill add up to an intake of 4 gallons (15liters)ofpurealcohol inayear’s time.Theconsumptionof a liter (mostwinebottlesare0.75liter)ofwinewith10percentalcoholcontentcorrespondstotheingestionofonehundredgramsofpurealcohol(nearlyone-halfcup).Alcoholisnot a food but a poison that wears out the liver and irritates and ossifies thetissues.

TobaccoAlthoughitisconstantlyrepeatedthatthenicotine,carbonmonoxide,cadmium,arsenic,ammonia,andupto599legaladditivesinhaledwitheverycigarettebysmokers—and thosearound them—areviolent toxins, thewarningsconcerningtobacco poisoning are not taken seriously enough. In fact, there seem to be alargenumberofpeoplesurvivingthispoisoning,despitedailydosesoftobaccohigherthanwhatisotherwisebelievedtobefatal.Itisthereforenecessarytospecifythatthedosescommonlycitedasfatalare

thelevelsthatwouldbedeadlyiffoundintheblood.Butthankstotheceaselesseffortsofthevitalforce,thepoisonscontainedintobacco—justlikethoseofalltoxic products of any kind—are rapidly removed from the bloodstream to beeliminatedby theexcretoryorgans, if theseorgansarefunctioningproperly,orburiedinthedepthsofthetissuesiftheyarenot.Confrontedbysuchpoisoningonadailybasis, theexcretoryorgansarequicklyoverwhelmed,ofcourse,andthe poisons are then deposited out of the bloodstream in the tissues, therebysaving the smoker from poisoning by keeping the blood within normscompatiblewithlife.But while a quick death is averted, the smoker is still subjected to a slow,

widespreadpoisoning.Throughouttherestofhisorherlife,thesmokerwillbe

beset by numerous disorders thatwill eventually lead to a slowdeath throughprofounddegradationofthebiologicalterrain.

Whenastimulantistaken,whatisfeltasarushofnewenergyimportedfromtheoutsideisactuallyadefensemechanismofthebody.

CHEMICALPOISONS

For what is now decades, human beings have been consuming and beingpoisoned by enormous quantities of chemical ingredients added to their food.Thisisacriticalcauseofbodyfluidcongestion.Thedifferentsourcesofthesechemicalsubstancesarethefollowing:

ProductsUsedinFarmingPlant fertilizers, as well as the products used to protect crops (insecticides,fungicides, pesticides, herbicides—often twenty to thirty treatments betweenplanting and harvest) partially permeate the tissues of vegetables, fruits, andgrainsandenterourbodieswhenweeatthetreatedfoods.

ProductsUsedinRaisingAnimalsAll the medications (antibiotics, vaccines, and so on) and fattening agents(hormones, special diets) given to animals permeate their flesh or their by-products (eggs, milk, dairy products) and ultimately are swallowed byconsumers and embedded in their tissues. Only recently, a new threat hasemerged—thedangerfromGMOs,orgeneticallymodifiedorganisms,containedinlivestockfeed.

FoodAdditivesThesesubstancesaremanufacturedforthepurposeofpreservingfoodproducts,as well as for making them appear attractive to consumers. They includepreservatives,stabilizers,foodcoloring,flavorenhancers,andsoforth.Someofthemare perfectly harmless, such as thebeet juice that adds red color to fruityogurt, but others are now recognized as violent poisons. There are severalthousand substances used as additives. Although there are only minusculeamountsofeachindifferentfoods,thereisanestimatedannualconsumptionofseveralpoundsofadditivesperpersoneachyear!

MedicationsThemajorityofmedicationsproducedbythepharmaceuticalindustryareeithersyntheticproductsordangerouschemicalsubstances.Convincingargumentsforthisareprovidedonthemedicationsthemselves.Simplyreadthewarninglabelsforthemanycontraindicationsandpossiblesideeffects.Theirriskbecomesonlymore apparent when we see them abruptly pulled from the market forunexpected, disastrous side effects. We also should keep in mind the manyiatrogenicdiseasesdiscussedearlier.

HouseholdProductsSome of the ingredients in cleaning and beauty products commonly foundaroundthehome—detergents,cleansers,shampoos,hairdyes,andsoforth—aretoxic. Although their toxicity is not extremely high, their regular use isdangerous.

TheProductsofPollutionPollutants contaminate the air, water, and soil. They come from factorysmokestacks, automobileexhaust, emissionsgeneratedbyheatingandcooling,andthewastewatercreatedbybothhomesandindustries.The levels of all of these chemical substances are overseen by official

agencies that determine the admissible amount of toxic content in variousproducts and in our environment. Against all normal expectations, toxic orcarcinogenic products are not banned outright, but quantities of substancesknowntobedangerousareregulatedsothatonlyverysmalldosesofeachcanbeused.Thesedoses are far belowwhat aredeemed tobe fatal amounts, andeven if they accumulate over time,must not exceed the quantities compatiblewithlife.Youmighttrytoreassureyourselfthattheexpertssurelyknowwhetherornot

thebodycan tolerate these substancesand inwhat amounts.But aplethoraofeventsandexperimentsshowthat theydonotreallyknow,andthat thehumanbody does not handle being poisoned at all well—even when this chemicalpoisoninghasbeenapprovedbytheappropriateregulatingauthorities.Thelarge-scaleusageofadditivesandchemicalmedications,whichhasbeen

acceleratingonlyoverthelastfewdecades,isstilltoorecentaphenomenonintermsofhumanhistorytoallowus to trulymeasure thelong-termeffects.Therepercussionsoftoxicpoisoningarenotalwaysvisibleimmediately.Sometimeslung cancer doesn’t declare its presence until thirty or forty years after the

smokertakeshisfirstpuff.Furthermore, different experiments seem to show that the appearance of

cancerouscellsismorerapidwhenthere’salargerdailydoseofacarcinogen—inkeepingwithwhatonemightexpect—butsurprisingly,thatthedosenecessaryto produce a tumor is practically constant. In other words, it doesn’t matterwhether the incidents of carcinogen ingestion are close together or spacedfurther apart, because it is not the quantity contained by the body for a givenmomentthatcounts; it is totalquantitythathastraveledthroughthebody.Theeffects of each ingested dose, therefore, continue to add up, without anysubtraction, over an entire lifetime.Whether the critical level ismet by smalldosesoverlongperiodsorjustonelargedose,itisequallydisastrous.Thereisyetanotherconcernthatneedstobeaddressedhere.Whileweknow

verylittleabouttheeffectofeachadditivewhentakenindividually,weareevenmore ignorant about what happens when they combine in our tissues to givebirthtocompletelyunknowncompoundsthatmightbeextremelytoxic.The current multiplication of new forms of serious disease is directly

connected to this discreet and insidious chemical poisoning of the body, forwhichmanaloneisresponsible.

Therepercussionsofapoisonousortoxicstatearenotalwaysimmediatelyvisible.

POORELIMINATION

Ourbodiesareendowedwithfiveorganschargedwithfilteringallthemetabolicwaste and residue out of the bloodstream in order to expel it from the body.Thesefiveexcretoryorgansaretheliver,kidneys,intestines,skin,andlungs.When functioning properly, they are capable of eliminating all the waste

producedbyordinarydailylife.Evenwhenmistakeshavebeenmade,thepurityof the biological terrain can still be safeguarded for a certain period of timebecause the vital force of the bodywill intensify the filtering and eliminatorywork performed by the excretory organs. However, this increased work levelcannotbesustainedindefinitely.Soonerorlater,theexcretoryorganswillbecomeexhaustedandtheiractivity

will diminish. If the conditions forcing them to work overtime continue,eventuallytheywillsufferinjuryandbecomeincapableoffunctioningnormally.

It is therefore imperative to rapidly correct all the errors that created thisunhealthycondition.Severalfigureswillallowustorealizethespeedwithwhichanorganismcan

becomesaturatedwithwastes.Thekidneysnormallyeliminate25to30gramsofureaeverytwenty-fourhours.Iftheyeliminateonly20grams,thatrepresentsaretention of urea of 5 grams a day, adding up to 150 grams (more than fiveounces)amonth!If,insteadofeliminatingthe15gramsofsalt(NaCl)thataretypicallyabsorbedfromfoodeverytwenty-fourhourstheyexpelonly12grams,thisaddsuptoaretentionrateof90grams(morethanthreeounces)ofsalt inonemonth.Ofcoursethesefiguresarenotanexactdepictionofreality,becausethewaste

that one excretory organ is incapable of eliminating can be eliminated byanother,providedthelatter’scapacitieshavenotbeenexceededbyoverworkaswell. But these figures can give us a greater understanding of the quantity ofwaste that can collect and begin to degrade the state of our internal cellularenvironmentifwedonotpayattentiontoelimination.So what are the criteria for the proper, healthy functioning of our five

excretoryorgans?

TheLiverTheliverfilterswastesoutofthebloodandexpelsthemfromthebodywiththebile.Ithasanexcretoryfunctioninadditiontoitsdigestiverole,inasmuchasitpermitstheemulsificationoffats,animportantstageinthedigestiveprocess.Bileinsufficiencyrevealsitspresencebyoveralldigestivetroubles,abdominal

pain, nausea, fermentation, bloating, coating on the tongue, bad breath, andheadaches aftermeals. Another common reaction is feelings of disgust at themerethoughtofeatingfattyfoodssuchaseggs,friedfoods,fat-ladensaucesandgravies, and rich pastries; individuals will be incapable of consuming thesefoods.Theconsistencyandcolorofthestoolcanalsorevealthisinsufficiency.Inthe

absenceofbile, theindividualisgenerallyconstipatedandhashard,drystoolsthat resemble goat dung more than human excrement. The brownish-yellowcolorofstoolisduetothepresenceofbilepigments.Theskinandeyesbecomeyellow when bile is not eliminated properly, because the pigments remainstagnant in the regionof the liver, fromwhence theycaneasily travel into thebloodstream. A few other revealing symptoms include greasy skin, the

propensity to have pimples, and the tendency to suffer inflammation in therespiratorytract.Butevenifwearenotsufferingfromanyoftheproblemsmentionedabove,

thereisstillalwaysthepossibilitythatourlivermaybeinthemidstofbecomingdeficient because the entire anti-natural lifestyle that is prevalent todaycontributes to this condition (overeating, chemical poisoning, stress,vaccinations,andsoon).

TheIntestinesWhen the intestines are functioning properly, they empty themselves once ortwice a day (not necessarily at a set time), and the stools are firm, eliminatedeasily without straining, and do not have a very strong odor. After one haspassedastool,thereshouldbeafeelingofhavingthoroughlyemptiedoneself.Buthowmanypeopleproduceonlyonestooleverytwoorthreedays,ifnot

lessfrequently,orhavestools thatareeitherdryandhard,orcompletely looseandrepulsive?Theseindividualsoftenhavegreattroubleevacuatingandneverhavethefeelingfollowingabowelmovement that they’veemptied themselvescompletely.Thisimpressionisquiteaccurate—matteriscontinuingtocollectinthe intestines, distending and deforming them. Moreover, by fermenting andputrefyingwhilestill insidetheirbodies, thisnon-eliminatedfecalmatterstartsattacking themucousmembranes of the intestines,which become porous as aresult. Instead of being evacuated, some of the wastes are reabsorbed by thedamaged mucous membranes and spread throughout the body via thebloodstream.

TheKidneysThekidneysexcretethewastestheyfilteroutofthebloodbydilutingthemwithwater.Thequantityandcharacteristicsofoururinerevealmuchaboutthestateoftherenalexcretoryorgan.Normallyanaverage1.5liters(about6.5cups)ofurine should be eliminated daily,whichmeans around five to six urinations aday. Because it is carrying waste, urine is colored (golden yellow) and has adistinctiveodor.Anindividualissufferingfromrenalinsufficiencywhenthequantityofurine

fallsbelowthenorm,ifsheurinatesonlytwotothreetimesaday,oriftheurineis too clear and resembles water. In this case the kidneys are certainlyeliminating fluid from the body, but not enough waste to give the urine itscharacteristicyellowcolor.Thisobservationaboutcolor isobviouslynotvalid

forpeoplewhodrinkalotofwater—threeliters(morethanthreequarts)aday,forexample,asthisdilutestheurineandcausesittoloseitscolor.

TheSkinWithitssebaceousglandsthatsecretesebumanditssudoriferous(sweat)glandsthat secreteperspiration, theskinhasadualeliminationsystemat itsdisposal.Thesevariousglandsarequitetinybutnumerous.Consequently,theyareabletoeliminate substantialquantitiesofwaste.Duringa fever, for example, the skincanperspirequartsofsweatloadedwithurea,uricacid,andsalt.Skin that is functioning properlywill perspire during times of exertion and

whentemperaturesarehigh.Apersonwhoneverperspiresorwhoperspiresonlyfromspecificlocalesofthebodyhasanexcretoryorganthathasbeenpracticallysealed shut. Because it is incapable of performing the eliminatory dutiesexpectedofit,theotherexcretoryorgansareforcedtoworkharder.Anothersignofpoor function is overlydry skin, or, conversely, skin that is toooilyor hasacne.The appearance of a pimple or a case of eczema is certainly a defensive

reactionoftheexcretorysystem,butitisalsoasignthateliminationsmustnotbefunctioningwell,becausewastesarestagnatingintheregionofthisexcretoryorgan.

TheLungsWastes that are eliminated by way of the respiratory tract should first andforemostbeofagaseousnature—carbondioxideandwatervapor.Solidwastesshouldbeextremelyrareandprimarilyconsistofdustthathasbeeninhaledandtrapped in the filters of the upper respiratory tract. It is not normal to have aconstantly runny nose or to be coughing and expectorating. People prone toinflammationinthemucousmembranesoftherespiratorytract(colds,sinusitis,bronchitis) are showing evidence of congestion of the biological terrain andoverworkedexcretoryorgans.

Signsofexcretoryorganweakness

The inhalation and exhalation of air should be regregular, deep, and easilyadaptedtoachangeinrhythmduringintenseperiodsofexertion.Someonewhorunsoutofbreathtooeasily,evenduringslightexertion,orwhoisoftengaspingfor air or frequently needs to spit out colloidal waste, has an overloadedpulmonary excretory organ wherein gaseous exchanges are not taking placeproperly.

Expulsionofwastefromthebodyisnotthesoletaskperformedbytheexcretoryorgans.Theymustfirstfilterandextractthesewastesfromthebloodstream,thenprepare theminaway thatallows themto leave thebodywithout injuring thetissues.Eachexcretoryorganfiltersandeliminatesspecificwastes.Whenoneofthese

organscannolongermanagetoeliminateallthewastespresentedbythebody,anotherexcretoryorganstepsinandeasesitsworkload.Forexample,colloidalwastes that the liver is incapable of filtering can be expelled through thesebaceousglandsorrespiratorytract.

A system ofmutual aid, therefore, exists between the excretory organs andallows them to protect the purity of the biological terrain by ensuring that theessentialtaskofeliminatingwastecontinuestotakeplace.Ofcoursethissystemcanonly function as long as the assisting excretoryorgans are not themselvesoverworked.Ifthisisthecase,deepandrapidcongestionofthebodywilloccur.It is easy to see that the deficiency of one excretory organ does not lead

directlytoseriousillness.Butthechronicinsufficiencyofoneorseveraloftheseorgans will certainly lead to a state of poor health eventually, because of theprogressivesaturationofthebiologicalterrainwithwastes.Thosesufferingfromserious,orbigillnessesareall“smalleliminators.”

Bigillnesspatientsareall“smalleliminators.”

ASEDENTARYLIFESTYLE

In addition to weakened muscles and organs, a sedentary lifestyle causesdecreasedoxygenation,slowedmetabolismoffoodintake,andpooreliminationoftoxins.Ourancestorsweremuchmorephysicallyactivethanwearetoday,simplyout

ofnecessity.Elevators,automobiles,supermarketsandthelikehavecreatedan“easy life” that’s not so easy on our bodies. Our motor capacities areunderutilized,eitherbecauseofjobsthatrequireustoremainseated,ouruseofmotor vehicles to travel rather thanwalk even short distances, the absence ofphysicalactivityduringleisuretime,oralloftheabove.The lack of time that often serves as a pretext for not walking, taking the

stairs, or preparing foodsmanually is just that—apretext because time that issaved in thisway isusedbymostpeople insedentarypursuits, likesitting forhoursinfrontofthetelevisionorcomputer,ortravelinglongdistancestogetto...thegym.

DEFICIENCIES

Thebodydoesnotholdwithinitstissuesallthenutritivesubstancesitwillneedover thecourseofa lifetime. It is, therefore,necessarilydependentonwhat isprovided by sources outside the body. Our food should regularly bring us

sufficient quantities of all the nutrients (amino acids, carbohydrates, fats,minerals, vitamins, and so forth) that are essential for the formation andmaintenanceofourorgansaswellastheirfunctioning.Once the body is deprived of one of these nutrients, its functioning is

disrupted; the first sign is the slowing of one or more body functions.Subsequently, if the deficiency lasts too long, certain physical and mentalfunctions can grind to a halt. If it remains uncorrected, death will eventuallyensue.Forexample,dependingonwhatsubstances thebodylacks, tissueswillnolongerberepaired,theresistanceofthemucousmembranesdiminishes,thereisa lossofmuscle tone,enzymeactivity is reduced,secretionsstop, thebloodbecomesthinner,andwhitebloodcellslosetheirdefensiveability.In illnesses caused by deficiencies, nothing can halt the evolution of the

disorder and the degradation of the biological terrain other than restoring anadequate supply of the missing substance. As long as this substance remainsabsent, the body will continue to go downhill. Because the body is totallydependent on themissing nutrient, nomedicine is capable of taking its place.Just as the solution to this problem is simple—the ingestion of severalmilligramsofvitamins, forexample—adisordercanremainseriousso longasthedeficiencyremainsunaddressed.Evenadeficiencyofasinglenutrientcanhavecatastrophicconsequences.In

fact,nutrientsworkinterdependentlywithoneanother.Theabsenceofjustonecan,therefore,rendertheutilizationoftheotherscompletelyineffective,andlikeachainreaction,createastateofmultipledeficiencies.Although we live in an era of abundance, it is much easier to experience

deficiencies of this nature than one might think. It might be a deficiency ofsupply (the foods ingested by the body do not contain all the necessarynutrients),oritcouldbeadeficiencyofutilization(thenutrientsaresuppliedtothebodybutthebodyisunabletomakeuseofthem).

DeficienciesofSupplyInthesimplestcase,foodscontainingthemissingsubstancearenotbeingeatenbytheindividual.Inthepast, thiswasacommonoccurrenceforinhabitantsofextremelyisolatedregionsthathadalimitednumberoffoodsattheirdisposal.Today, deficiencies of supply are more likely to be due to a deliberate—buterroneous—eating choice. Many people, perhaps because they have beenmisinformedorhavenotgrasped the entirepicture, totallybanishone foodorentirefoodcategoryfromtheirdietsandpracticeskeweddietsthatleaddirectly

to thevariousdiseasescausedbydeficiencies.Somepeople indiscriminatinglyeliminate all fat from their diets after having read somewhere that fats wereimplicatedincardiovasculardisease.Othersavoideatingacertainfruitforfearofbeingpoisonedbypesticides,andsoon.Dietsthatarepracticedforphilosophicaloraestheticreasonscanalsocreate

serious deficiencies, if these individuals do not take into consideration thephysiologicalimperativesofthebody.Anotherverycommoncausefordeficienciesofsupplytodayarisesfromthe

factthatourfoodnolongercontainsallthenutrientsitshould.Theseelementshavebeenremovedbyvariousproceduresthatalterthefood’souterappearanceorincreaseitsshelflife.Perhapsgrainshavebeenrefined,aprocessthatmakesitpossibletoobtainextremelywhiteflour,butwhichdeprivestheconsumerofpreciousnutrientsthatarelocatedinthepartofthegrainthatgetsdiscardedinthe refining process.Vegetable and plant oils are also subjected to a series ofmechanical,caloric,andchemical transformations thatcause themto lose theirvitamins and trace elements. The same holds true for refined sugar, which,stripped of all living elements, can be preserved almost indefinitely.Additionally, the depletion of soil and inadequate farming or livestock-raisingmethodsislikelytoresultinasharpdropinthenutrientcontentoffoods,asisthedryingoffruitsathightemperatures,eatingonlycookedfoods,andthrowingawaythecookingwater.Aspecialwordneeds tobesaidconcerningwater.Ofall thesubstancesour

bodiesneed,waterisatoppriorityinasmuchasourbodiesprimarilyconsistoffluids.Dailyintakeofsufficientwateris,therefore,essential.Therealityisthatmanypeoplearenotdrinkingenoughwater; theirdailyconsumption isclearlybelowthe2 liters,orslightlymore thanhalfagallon, that theirbodies requireeveryday.This shortageofwater creates a state of chronic tissuedehydrationthathampersthebody’snormalfunctioning.*3

DeficienciesofUtilizationThis kind of deficiency is causedwhen the body finds it impossible to utilizesomeofthenutrientswithwhichithasbeenprovided.This could be either because the nutrients were destroyed in the intestines

beforetheycouldbeabsorbedintothebloodstreambytoxicsubstancesresultingfromintestinalfermentationandputrefaction,orbecausethebiologicalterrainissosaturatedwithwastesthatexchangesareoccurringpoorly.Ineithercasethe

resultisthesame:thenutrientsdon’treachtheareaofthebodywheretheycanbeused.Numerouschemicalsubstancesfromadditives,pollution,andpharmaceutical

medicationhaveaninhibitingeffectonvitaminsandtraceelements.Whenthisoccurs, they can be described as anti-vitamins, or chelators of trace elements.Thenutrientsarepresent in thebodybuthavebeen rendered inactive,orevendestroyed,bychemicalpollution.Theindividualsufferingfromdeficienciescansupply her body with all the proper nutrition it needs, but in vain; theconsumption of these inhibitors creates a state of deficiency in the body, inadditiontoothertoxiceffects.The simple consumption of stimulants causes deficiencies because their use

demandsmorenutrientsthatwillallowthebodytoneutralizethepoisonsofthestimulants.Theconsumptionoftobaccoincreasesthebody’sneedforvitaminC,alcohol forvitaminB, and so forth. It is important tonote thatdeficiencies invitaminCreducethebody’scapacitytodefenditself,anddeficienciesinvitaminBdisruptthenervoussystemandencouragecloggingofbodyfluidsbecauseofthepoorutilizationoffoodthatresults.Another reason why the body finds itself incapable of benefiting from the

nutrients it is suppliedstems from the fact that theyare removedbefore it canputthemtouse.Infact,numerousdeficientfoods,suchasrefinedsugar,whiteflour,andrefinedoils,aswellasall thefoodproductspreparedwiththem,areknownas“vitaminthieves.”Becausethesefoodsareincompletetheynolongercarry the enzymes, vitamins, and catalytic metals required to digest them. Inorder tomake thedigestivebreakdownof thesedeficient foodspossible, thesevital substanceswill be pilfered from the body. Refined and processed foods,even before they give the bodywhatever nutritive substances theymight stillcarry,aredesecratingwhatisalreadythere.When incomplete and deficient foods like these are consumed on a regular

basis,thebody’sreservesendupbeingpillaged,andseriousdeficienciescanbeestablished.

Once the body has been deprived of any one essential nutrient, its functioning will bedisturbed.

THERUPTUREOFTHEACID-ALKALINEBALANCE

Ourbodiesfunctionbestwhentheacidicandalkalinesubstancesthatenterintothe composition of tissues and bodily fluids are present in equal quantities—whatwecalltheacid-alkalinebalance.

APrecariousBalanceThe body contains both acid and alkaline substances, and the balance between them iscritical toourgoodhealth.Thisbalance—thedegreeofacidityoralkalinity in thebody—ismeasuredaspH.ThenormalpHofblood,andof thebiological terrain ingeneral, is7.39.WhenthereismovementawayfromthisidealpH,frequentlycausedbyouracid-producingdietandlifestyle,thebodilyterrainbecomeshighlysusceptibletodisease.

Anydisruptionofthisbalancewillleadtoillness.Themostcommonrupture,extremelywidespreadatpresent, is theonecharacterizedbyadisproportionateamount of acid in the internal cellular environment, or acidosis. The healthproblems that thiscancausearequitevaried:chronic fatigue, stress,excessivenervousness, depression, rheumatic disorders, tendinitis, eczema, tooth decay,andsoforth.Howare these disorders formed?Acids have virulent properties that irritate

thetissuesandcangoontocauseinflammations,forexampleofthejointsandtendons. Inorder todefend itself, thebody seeks toneutralize the excess acidwiththehelpofitsbuffersystem.Todothis,itstealsthealkalinemineralsfoundinthebloodandtissues.In timesofheavydemandorregularwithdrawals, theorgans and tissues lose their mineral content and become weaker and morefragile (dentalcavities,eczema,nervous fragility . . . ).Furthermore,anacidicbiological terrain is an environment that provides unfavorable workingconditionsforenzymes,those“littleworkers”responsibleforallthebiochemicaltransformations that take place in the body. Energy production, tissueregeneration, and cellular exchanges all diminish and are replaced by chronicfatigue,depression,reduceddefenses,andamarkedlossofenthusiasm.Theprinciplecausefortheruptureoftheacid-alkalinebalancetowardacidity

isdietary.Theproportionofacidifyingfood(meat,flour,fat,refinedsugar)weconsumeisgenerallymuchhigherthanthatofalkalinefood(saladgreens,rawand cooked vegetables, potatoes, almonds, bananas). Because it is receiving amuchgreaterquantityofacidsonadailybasisthanitisalkalinesubstances,itis

abigchallengeforthebodytoneutralizetheexcessacid.Itisthereforeobligedto pillage its alkaline reserves from the tissues, with all the unhealthyconsequences this theft entails. Usually the body is unsuccessful atreestablishingaperfectlynormalpHandmustlivewiththisexcessacid,whichcreatesachronicstateofrecurringdiseaseduetoacidosis.The other causes of acidity are the consumption of stimulants, poor

eliminationofacidsby the skinandkidneys,vitamindeficiencies, and lackofoxygenation. In addition, a negative mental attitude (anxiety, aggressiveness,bitterness, and so forth) will disrupt the metabolism and engender moreproduction of acid by the body. Insufficient sleep and overwork will produceacidsaswell.

Summary:TheCausesofAcidificationoftheBiologicalTerrain

ExcessofacidifyingandacidicfoodsandbeveragesInsufficientalkalizingfoodsUnder-oxygenationVitamindeficienciesPooreliminationbyskinandkidneysStressNegativementalattitude

Aswe have ascertained, themajor causes for degradation of the biologicalterrainandthosefor theformationofanacidicbiological terrainare thesame.Thereare,however,severaldifferentkindsofbiologicalterraindegradation,ofwhichacidificationisjustone.Itisextremelywidespread,becausemanypeoplehave trouble from the outsetmetabolizing acid, and the excessive quantity ofacidsconsumedinthetypicaldietrapidlyexceedsthebody’sabilitytodealwiththem.Onemeans of determining if your biological terrain is acidic is tomeasure

yoururinarypHwith thehelpof litmuspaper.Thenormalacidcontentof theurine is the same as that of the entire body, which we have seen is a pH ofaround 7.When a person’s lifestyle and diet is acidifying,more acidswill beeliminatedthroughurination,whichwillloweritspHtoaround6or5.

ThepHscale

NEGATIVEMENTALATTITUDE

Everyone has personally experienced the influence of mental attitude on thebody’sfunctioning.Thesimplenervousanticipationexperiencedbeforeexamsisenough to cause all sorts of disruptions—loss of the desire to eat, sweating,accelerated heartbeat, trembling hands, upset stomach and other intestinalproblems,and thepersistentdesire tourinate.Aquarrel thatbreaksoutduringthemiddleofamealcanalsobethecauseofindigestion.Moreover,grievancescancauselossofappetite,worriescanpreventsleep,andsoon.Also, who doesn’t know people with liver complaints (hepatics) who

experiencealivercrisis(nausea,indigestion,vomiting)overthesmallestworryandasthmaticswhohaveanattackwheneversomethingupsetsthem?Therearealso those who regularly get sick on Monday mornings—both adults in theworkforceandschoolchildren—fromdreadabouttheweekloomingahead.If the episodes of our mental life, limited in time like the examples just

mentioned, can momentarily overwhelm various bodily functions, how muchworsearethedisordersengenderedinsomeonewhoagonizesperpetuallyabouteverything,dwellsondark thoughts, iseasilydepressed, fears fallingseriouslyill, is impatientwith those around him, attacks his neighbors, and explodes inrageoverthemeresttrifle?It would be wrong to think that we are unable to do anything about our

individual fortunes and are simply thevictimsof events. In fact,what ismostimportant is not the situationwe are experiencing, but our attitude toward it.Some people get irritated at the slightest thing,whereas others are capable ofkeepingtheircalmeveninthemoststressfulcircumstances.Two people experiencing the same situation in which both are involved

equally—followingthedeathofsomeoneclosetobothofthem,forexample—canreactintotallydifferentways.Onemaybecompletelystrickenbyitandfallinto a slowdecline,whereas theother, althoughprofoundly shaken,will get agriponhisorherfeelingsand,fullofenthusiasm,findnewmeaninginlife.

Thepowerofourattitudeandthoughtsovereventsisalsorevealedbythefactthatjusttoimagineanunpleasantsituationisenoughtocauseachangeinbodilyfunctioning.Thesimplementionofforthcomingexams,evenweeksinadvance,can create anxiety and tieone’s stomach intoknots.Thoughtsofviolence andhatred are capable of creating tension even if the person against whom theseviolent thoughts are directed is absent. Likewise, the joy inspired by ananticipated visit can work positive changes on the overall state of a patient’shealth.The influence of thoughts is such that, up to a certain point, even life and

deatharedependentonthem.Thewilltoliveofcertainseriouslyillindividualsoraccidentvictimscanhelpthemtoriseaboveabsolutelydesperatesituations.Ontheotherhand,sickorinjuredpeoplewho“giveup”or“justleteverythingdrop”sometimesdiefromdisordersthatarequitewithinthescopeoftherapeutichealingmethods.Becausetheattitudeofthepatienthassuchprofoundinfluenceonhisorher

illness, it is clear that the therapist guiding the treatment of these individuals,evenwhen their problems are quite serious, should never diminish thementalaspect of the question as a minor matter while concentrating solely on thematerial and physical aspects of the patient’s case. The psyche exerts itsinfluenceonthephysicalatalltimes.Justasanegativeattitudecanincreasetheseriousnatureofhealthproblemsorhamper their treatment,apositiveattitudecanlaythegroundworkforimprovement.But how, in concrete terms, does a negative attitude cause the state of the

biological terrain to deteriorate? Our thoughts and the feelings they engenderalterthenormalfunctioningofourorgansbymeansofthesympatheticnervoussystemandtheendocrineglands.The sympathetic nervous system,which is a part of the autonomic nervous

system,regulatesunconsciousbodyfunctionssuchassalivation,perspiration,airflow to the lungs, and so on. It acts on our body’s organs by slowing oraccelerating their function, adapting their activity at every moment to theconstantlychangingneedsofdailylife.Forexample,whenweneedtoconfronta danger, the digestive functions are inhibited because they are useless as ameansofdefendingourselves.Once the danger has passed, the autonomic nervous system slows the

circulatoryandrespiratoryfunctionsandstimulatesthedigestivefunctionsothatanyinterrupteddigestioncancontinue.

Butwhenapersonhasanerroneousattitudetowardlifethatputsherinastateof constant tension, her digestive functions, to borrow the preceding example,are in a state of chronic indigestion, which is a huge producer of wastes andtoxinsthatcontributetothedeteriorationofthebiologicalterrain.Dependingontheresponsesofthesympatheticnervoussystemtotherequests

made of it, other changes can occur: eliminationwill be poor if the excretoryorgansarepermanentlyinhibited,ortherecouldbeaproblemwithoxidationifitistherespiratorysystemwhoseactivityisconstrained,andsoforth.Theendocrineglands, including the thyroid, adrenalglands, and soon,will

become disrupted in the same way as the sympathetic nervous system. Forexample,fearstimulatesthereleaseofadrenalinebytheadrenalglands,constantirritation and agitation accelerate thyroid function, and so forth. Hormonalsecretionsalsoaffectthefunctioningoftheorgans,andcancausepoordigestionorelimination,oraslowingofcirculationthatwillbringaboutthedeteriorationoftheinternalcellularenvironment.The influenceofmental lifeoverphysicalhealth canbe subtle, but the fact

remainsthat it isoffundamental importance.Morethananyotherunbalancingfactor thatasksus to initiatechange inour lifestyle, thisonedemands—ifonereallywantstobetrulycured—profoundself-transformation.

The influenceofour thoughts issuchthat,uptoacertainpoint, lifeanddeathdependonthem.

3

NaturopathyinPractice

CorrectingandBalancingtheInternalCellularEnvironment

Thefirstquestiontoleapintothemindofeverypersoningoodhealthwhohasgraspedtheimportanceofthestateoftheinternalcellularenvironmentwillbe,“WhatcanIdotomaintainthisstate?”For those suffering from poor health, whose bodies are already overloaded

with toxins and deficiencies of essential nutrients, the question obviouslywillhavetoberephrasedto,“WhatcanIdotocorrectmybiologicalterrain?”Inbothcasestheguidingprinciplesformaintainingorrepairingthebiological

terrain remain identical. The manner of applying them, however, variesenormously fromone patient to the next, and fromone stage of illness to thenext.Theadviceprovidedherewillnecessarilyconfineitselftointroducingandexplainingtheguidingprinciples.Theycanbeadoptedtogreatbenefitwhethersomeone is sickor enjoyinggoodhealth.However, theydonot suffice in anycase for constituting the treatment, properly speaking, of people stricken byseriousdisease.Itisimperativethatindividualsinthissituationseekthehelpofa qualified medical practitioner. In fact, precisely adjusting the advocatedmethods to the health needs of every individual, and changing them inaccordancewitheachperson’soverallstate,isanart.Furthermore,thecorrectionofthebiologicalterrainofindividualssufferingfromseriousdiseaseinvolvesamuchstricterandmoreintensiveapplicationoftheprinciplespresentedhere.Theguidelineforrepairingthebody’sinternalcellularenvironmentwasgiven

tousbyHippocrates:“Treatmentshouldaimatopposingthecauseofthediseaseandnotallowingittopersist.”Sinceillnessresultsfromthedegradationofthe

biological terrain by the collection of waste and deficiency of nutrients, thelogicaltreatmentwouldconsistof:

causingthosewastespresentinthebodytoberemoved,preventingnewwastesfromentering,andfillingdeficiencies.

Thisapproach,likethemethodsfordrainingoverloadsorfillingdeficiencies,isastonishinglysimple.Theknee-jerkreactionofthetwenty-first-centuryhumanbeing,accustomedtomuchmoresophisticatedprocedures,willbetodoubttheeffectiveness of these methods. But they truly are effective because they arebasedentirelyonconformitytonaturallawsandphysiologicalimperatives.Thisapproachfollowsthedirectionoftheselawsandsupportsthem.

“Treatmentshouldaimatopposingthecauseofthedisease.”—Hippocrates

SHUTTINGOFFTHESOURCEOFOVERLOADS

Drainingwastes out of the bodywill not lead to any positive result if, at thesame time, other toxins are still being allowed to enter. Over the course of anormalday,newwastesareabletoenterourbodiesbecauseofourdetrimentallife habits. If we can correct these bad habits, only one front remains to beconquered.Allthebodywillhavetodoiseliminatetheold,accumulatedwastes.Itis,therefore,fundamentallyimportanttoshutofftheperpetualsourceofnewoverloadsandmonitorwhatweconsume.Theregulationofwhichfoodsaresuppliedtothebodywillofcoursebemore

meticulous and precise for someone seriously ill than for someone suffering aminordisorder.Whenthedietisconstantlybeingadjustedtobeintunewiththedigestive and excretory capacities of the body, a kind of status quo will bereached. The rate of excess substances does not rise and the organs are neveroverworked. The strength that is saved in this way is then available for thehealingprocess.

RegulatingQuantitiesInoureraofabundanceandchronicovereating,regulatingthequantityoffoodingestedgenerallymeansreducingit.Buteatinglessisinnowaysynonymous

withalwaysbeinghungryandfollowingdraconiandiets.Inaccordancewiththefamousmaxim,“Youshouldeattolive,notlivetoeat,”quantitativelyregulatingyourdietmerelymeansthatyoueatonlywhatyourbodyneeds.Iftheovereatingisduetoeatingmealsthataretoobig,stepsshouldbetaken

tomake themmoremodest, either by pure strength ofwill, preparing smallerquantities, or replacing concentrated foods (meats, fried foods, flour-basedfoods)withfoodsoflittleconcentration(vegetables,salads,rawfood,fruit).Theovereatingwe see today ispartiallydue to thepoornutritivequalityof

our foods.We are instinctively driven to eatmore in an attempt to obtain themineralsandvitaminsourbodiesneedbutcannot find in therefinedfoodsweoffer it.Byeatingwhole foods, and therefore increasing thevalueofwhatweingest,weinevitablywillreducethequantityoffoodweeat.Chewingfoodmorethoroughlyandforalongertimealsohelpstoreducethe

quantity of food ingested.The impressionof being full is partially establishedwhenthetastebudsaresaturatedwithimpressions.Overeatingmayalsobeduetoanexcessamountofsnackingbetweenmeals.

In thiscase, it’s important tobeon the lookoutprimarilyforsugar intake.Thehungerfeltbetweenmealsismostoftencausedbyalackofglucoseintheblood.Thiscanberemediedbyeatingsweetfoods(freshordriedfruit,honey)at thesametimeasproteins,forexamplecottagecheeseoryogurt.Thecarbohydrate-proteincombinationinterruptsandstabilizestheuseofsugarsbythebodyandmakesitpossibletomaintainnormalglycemia,orsugarlevels,betweenmeals.Refined sugars in their various forms (chocolates, candies, desserts) are to beavoidedatallcostsbecausetheyencouragethehypoglycemiccrisesthatarousehungerpangs.

RegulatingQualityOut of ignorance, incomplete information, or thoughtless habit, many peoplefollow irrational and unhealthy diets.Oftenwe consume far toomuch of onekind of food or totally neglect another. For example,meat is present at everymealbutnofruitiseatenatallthroughouttheday.Thefoodseatenexcessivelyinerrorareprimarilymeat,refinedsugar,fat,and

salt:

Withrespecttomeat,apersonwillfeelmuchbetterbyconsumingthisfoodonlyonceaday,orevenbetter,everytwodays.Ifoneissick,it’sbest to abstain from meat completely for a certain period. Fish is

generallylessloadedwithtoxinsthanmeat.Itis,therefore,aviableandvaluablesubstitute. Totaleliminationofmeatfromthediet isonlywarrantedfor thosesuffering from serious disease. Their risk of deficiency is practicallynonexistentsincemeatisextremelylowinvitaminsandminerals,andthesolevaluablenutrienttheysupply—protein—canbefoundinmanyotherfoods.The need for sugar or sweet foods is a legitimate one inasmuch ascarbohydrates are an essential fuel supplying energy to the body.Butwhy choose refined sugar, a fuel that makes us sick throughdemineralizationandacidification,whenthereareotherssuchasfruitsandhoneythatcontributetoourgoodhealth?Individualssufferingfromseriousdiseasesshouldabstaincompletelyfrom sweets and other food containing refined sugar. This alonewillbringabouthugehealthimprovements,andwouldalsobebeneficialforthosewithnosymptoms.Determiningthebestfatstoconsumedependsonthewaytheywillbeprepared and eaten. When cooking, it is best to use a good-qualityrefined oil (but sparingly!) because they don’t adulterate at hightemperaturesascold-pressed,virginoilsdo.Toeatonbread,realbutterin small quantities is fine as are vegetable margarines rich inunsaturatedfattyacids.Forsaladdressings,usecold-pressedvirginoilsandnotrefinedoils.The daily salt requirement is somewhere between 3 and 5 grams. Inactual practice, we easily consumemuchmore than that—with somepeopleingestingasmuchas12to15gramsaday, threetofourtimesmorethanthebodyneeds.Toavoidtoomuchsaltinone’sdiet,firsteliminatethe“fake”foodsthataresohighinsaltsuchaschipsandsaltedpeanuts.Thesearenotrealfoods;theyarefoodproductsthathavebeenmanufacturedsolelytoappealtopeople’stastebuds.Thenworktowardreducingthesaltaddedduring cooking and refrain from adding any extra salt to foods oncethey reach thedining roomtable.Thiswillallowfordiscoveryof thetruetasteofthesefoods,whichisalltoooftenreplacedbythetasteofsalt.

Anunbalanceddietcanalsobecausedbytheabsenceofcertainfoods.Often

the deficiency of one food will bring about the excessive consumption ofanother.Theabsenceofvegetablesatamealwillcompelthedinertoeatmorepastaorrice.Thefoodmostoftenabsentfromthetableisfruit,closelyfollowedbyvegetables.For the qualitative regulation of food, we again turn to Hippocrates: “We

shouldreducewhatisinexcessandaddwhatislacking.”

EliminatingStimulantsShuttingoffthesourceofoverloadsalsomeanseliminatingallthestimulantsinwidespread use by peoplewho give little thought to the poisons they contain,and against which the body must fight to render them harmless. In addition,stimulantsinterferewiththeabilitytogetthehoursorqualityofsleeprequiredtomaintainahealthybody.When this problem is pointed out to them, consumers of stimulants

immediately ask, “Do I really need to dowithoutmymorning coffee?”or “Isoneglassofwinebadformyhealth?”No,acupofcoffeeoraglassofwineisnotbadforsomeoneingoodhealth.Ontheotherhand,botharedefinitivelynotgoodforsomeonewhoisill.Furthermore,it isgenerallynotaquestionofonecuporoneglass,butseveral.In addition to thewell-known ill effects of stimulants like tobacco, alcohol,

coffee, and tea, the sleep disruption they can cause is acidifying to the body.Theireliminationfromthedietwillbenefitanyone,andisanabsolutenecessityincasesofseriousillness.However, the weaning period must be handled delicately to prevent any

disruption of the already enfeebled bodily functions by abruptly putting thepatientinastateofsharpwithdrawal.Achievingadependency-freestateshouldbe done as quickly as possible, but gently and gradually so that the body canbecome accustomed to it without incurring too much disturbance in thosefunctionsthathavebeendependentonhabitualstimulation.

EliminatingChemicalPollutioninFoodandMedicationIllindividualsarepoisonedbywaste;theirbodiesareextremelysensitivetoanynewformofpoisoning,andtheywillhavegreatdifficultyfightingit.Sincethebodyisalreadyworkingovertimetoprocessaccumulatedtoxins,itisessentialtoeliminate all possible causes for additional struggle by avoiding any food thatcontainschemicalpoison.Asmuchaspossible,theillshouldeatonlyfoodthatdoesn’t contain any dangerous additives: organically grown grains, fruits, and

vegetables; and animal products from healthy animals raised in a wholesomeenvironment.Chemical “medication” is another cause of poison in the body. Sometimes

medication is essential, but more often than not it is taken in excess or ill-advisedly.Whynotusenaturalremedies(plants,homeopathicpreparations,andsoforth)thatthebodycantolerateeasilyandwhichareincontestablyeffective?All the daily aches, pains, and minor sicknesses can be treated with theseremedies. Chemical tranquilizers, pain relievers, and sleep aids often can bereplaced by plant-based remedies. More importantly, the practitioner cancombineanaturalanti-symptomtreatmentwithatreatmenttargetingthecausesofthesymptoms.

Whenfoodintakehasbeenadjustedtomatchthebody’sdigestiveandexcretorycapacities,theorgansareno longeroverworked.Thebody forces thatarepreserved in thiswayarethenavailableforusebythebody’shealingprocess.

ELIMINATINGTOXINS

When the biological terrain is overloaded with toxins, when the organs arecongestedandthebloodispolluted,whentissuesarepoisonedandthecellsareasphyxiated bywastes, there is only oneway to begin to restore the body tohealth:cleanseit.An individual trulyneeds topersonally experience abody-cleansing cure to

fullyappreciatetheconsiderablesizethatamassoftoxinscollectinginonebodycan assume, and also to appreciate how getting rid of them produces suchremarkablehealthimprovement.The“exitdoors” thatneed tobecleared toallow the toxins to leaveare the

excretory organs: liver, intestines, kidneys, skin, and lungs. They provide thenecessary passageways leading out of the body, and are also responsible forfilteringwastesoutofthebloodstream.Bystimulatingtheexcretoryorgans,oneisalsostimulatingtheeliminationof

the wastes that have collected in these organs, thereby encouraging thepurification of the blood. But this is not enough to really cleanse the bodythoroughly. The greatmass ofwastes is not found in the bloodstreambut hasbecome embedded in the depths of the tissues. These wastes will need to bedislodgedfromthetissuessothattheycanmaketheirwayintothebloodstream,

whichin turnwillcarrythemto theexcretoryorgans.Todislodgethese toxinspermeatingthetissues,itisnecessarytoturntovariousmethodsthatdifferfromthoseusedtostimulatetheexcretoryorgans.Thesemethodsareusedtoensuretheremovaloftheencrustedtoxins.In the application of cleansing cures, these two points have to follow one

anotherinorder:Theexitdoorsfromthebodyhavetobeopenedbeforeeffortstodislodgethelayersofdeeplyburiedtoxinscanbegin.Ifoneproceedsintheopposite order, or takes both steps simultaneously, the dislodged toxins willarriveinamasstoohugetobeprocessedbytheinsufficientlyopenedexcretoryorgans.Itispreferabletoeliminateallsurfacetoxinsbeforeinitiatinganyeffortstoexcavatetoxinsburiedinthetissues.

OpeningtheExcretoryOrgansTherearenumerousmethodsforopeningtheexcretoryorgansandincreasingtheelimination rhythm. Those listed here are the most effective and easiest forgeneralapplication.The stimulation of the excretory organs can be expedited beautifully by

medicinalherbs,ifthecorrectdosageisused.Tooweakadosewillnotprovidesufficientstimulationtotheexcretoryorgans,anddosesthataretoostrongwilltriggerviolent reactions that irritateandexhaust theseorgans.Thebestway tofindtheoptimaldosewithouttoomuchdifficultyisbystartingwithweakdoses,thengradually increasing thedoseeveryday.One should stopat thedose justbelowthelevelthatbeginstounleashviolentreactions.The several plants or preparations discussed in the following pages, along

with instructions for using them, will allow you to put them to workimmediately,but this isbynomeansanexhaustive list. Itgoeswithoutsayingthatotherplantsorpreparationscanbeusedwithequalsuccess.When takingdrainers—products that encourage the drainage of toxins from

thebodybystimulatingthefunctionoftheexcretoryorgans—thepatientshouldbeabletoobjectivelyobserveanincreaseineliminationoftoxins;forexample,urine is darker because it ismore chargedwithwastes, and the intestines areemptyingproperly.Sincethecloggingofthebodytakesplaceoveraspanofyears,itisimportant

nottonurturefalsehopesthatadraininglastingseveraldayswillbeenoughtounclog and purify the internal cellular environment. Drainage cures, well-adapted to thepatient’s capacity, shouldbepursued for severalmonths.When

confrontedwiththelengthoftimethesecuresrequire,somepatientswillworryaboutbecomingdependentonthemedicinalherbstheyareusing,andbehesitantabout taking them over a sustained period of time. On the contrary, in theireffortstoavoidapotentialdependencyontheseplants,whichisanillusoryfear,theyareonlymakingthemselvesmoredependentontheirtoxins!At the start of a cleanse, the various excretory organs will be opened

successively to avoid overworking the body. In the next phase they will bestimulatedsimultaneously,ifthepatient’shealthpermits.Ifnot,theyshouldbestimulated in alternation, with treatments lasting three to four weeks. Somedrainers work on only one excretory organ. For example, hepatics and renaldrainers target the liver and kidneys, respectively. When a drainer works onseveralexcretoryorgans,itiscalledadepurative.

Drainageoftheliver

Ifwehad toselectonlyoneorgan tostimulate, itcertainlywouldbe the liver.The sound functioningof the entire body is dependent on this organ’s healthyfunctioning.Itplaysakeyroleinallvitalfunctions.Notonlydoesitfilterandeliminate wastes, but it also neutralizes and destroys poisons and toxins,carcinogenicsubstances,andgerms.To function properly, the liver requires heat. The liver’s optimum working

temperature is 102–104°F (39–40°C), thus it operates at a temperature that ishigher than that of the rest of the body. Simply sending heat to the liverencourages its proper functioning. One easy solution is to place a hot waterbottleonthebodynear theliverforaroundtentothirtyminutes, threetimesaday,generallyafterameal.Oneshouldnotbemisledby thesimplicityof thisprocedure. Its amazing effectiveness results from the fact that it works inconjunctionwiththeprinciplesofnature.There are three plants that stimulate the liver quite well: dandelion, black

radish,androsemary.

Dandelion(Taraxumofficinalis) as amother tincture (macerationof amedicinalherb in ten times itsweight in alcohol): 10–50drops, threetimesadaywithwaterbeforemeals.BlackRadish(Raphanusniger)intablets:1–3tabletsdependingonthemanufacturer,threetimesadaywithwaterbeforemeals.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): 1 teaspoon of leaves per cup,steepedfor10minutes,threecupsadaybeforemeals.

Therearealsonumerouscommercialherbteasindicatedas“fortheliverandgallbladder,”“hepaticdepurativeherbtea,”orsomesuchvariation.

DrainageoftheIntestines

Together,thesmallandlargeintestinesformatubethatisapproximately23feetlong and 1 to 3 inches in diameter (7 meters in length, 3–8 centimetersdiameter). The intestines can contain an enormous mass of stagnating fecalmatter.Drainingthemmeansgettingridofthismassthat,asarule,isfermentingandputrefying,thusservingasthestartingpointforcountlessinfectionsbroughtabout by the degeneration and mutation of the intestinal flora. This alsoencourages intestinaldisassimilation, theprocessbywhich toxinspass throughthe1968square feetor600squaremetersof surfaceareawithin the intestinalmucousmembranes.Theintestines,likealltheexcretoryorgans,filterthebloodthat passes through their tissues to remove thewastes. Thesewastes are theneliminatedwiththefecalmatter.Asufficientquantityof roughage (vegetable fiber) isessential for filling the

intestine and stimulating its peristalsis. Increased and regular consumption ofraw and cooked vegetables, fruits, andwhole grains (brown rice,whole grainpasta, whole wheat and other whole grain breads) is most often sufficient toreestablishproperintestinalfunctioning.Drinking enough water over the course of the day also encourages the

intestinaltransit,becausethestoolsrequireacertainamountofmoistnesstobeeasily eliminated. The stools of people suffering from constipation are alwaysdryandhard.Ifnecessary,onecanincreasethevolumeofroughagebyaddingwheatbran

to the diet (1 to 3 tablespoons a day) or flaxseeds (1 to 2 tablespoons a day).Thesecanbeadded to foods likeyogurtandsoup, forexample.Bothof theseproductshavethepropertyofswellingoncontactwithwater,andtherebyfillinguptheintestine.The laxative effect of plants varies, and can thereby be easily adapted to

differentintestinalcapacities.Chemicallaxatives,however,tendtobeharshanddifficulttoregulate,andaretobeavoided.

GentleLaxatives

Steepthreetosixprunes,ortwoorthreedriedfigsinaglassofwaterforanentireday.Thatevening,eatthefruitsanddrinkthejuice.

AverageStrengthLaxatives

Buckthorn in a mother tincture: take 20–70 drops with water beforegoingtobed.Youwillfeeltheeffectinthemorning,uponawakening.Common mallow (Malva sylvestris) in mother tincture: take 20–50dropswithwaterthreetimesadaybeforemeals.

StrongLaxativesorPurgatives

CastorOil:take1–3capsulesdependingonthebrand,withwaterintheevening.

Intestinal enemas are also extremely effective. A wide variety of thesetreatments exist from the rectal douche to complete cleansingof the colonviacolonicirrigation.Withtheexceptionofthelatter,allareeasilyperformedinthecomfort of one’s home with the help of minimal equipment. Here is oneexample:

TheTwo-QuartEnemaAnenemaconsistsof the introductionofwater into thecolonso that the fecalmatter will dissolve in the support liquid and be eliminated easily when theliquid is expelled.To introduce thewater,youwillneedanenemabag,whichcan be easily purchased in most drugstores or stores specializing in healthproducts.Theenemabagalsoincludes:

a2-quartcontainerfortheliquidalongrubbertubeacannula(tubesuitableforinsertionintotheanus)withafaucet

Bring2quartsofwatertoaboil,andsteepfivechamomilesachetsortwelve

chamomile flowers for 10 minutes. Allow this to cool until it has reached atemperatureof95–98.6°F(35–37°C).Pour the“tea” throughastrainerandfillthe2-quartcontainer,placingitataconvenientheightsothatthewaterpressurewillfacilitateitsentryintotheintestines.Thepartofthecannulathatcanbeintroducedintotheanusshouldbepushed

inentirely,makingsure that itsfaucet isclosed.Getdownonall fours leaningyourheadandtorsoforward.Openthefaucetofthecannulaandallowthewatertoentertheintestines.Itiseasytofacilitatetheirrigationoftheintestineseitherbychanginghowdeeplyyouarebreathing,subtlyshiftingyourposition,orevenbymassagingyourabdomenintheareadirectlyoverthecolon.Ifthewaterpressureistoostrongorcausespain,closethefaucetforaminute

or two. Once the water has been introduced into the colon, the cannula isremoved. The liquid can be held inside for severalminutes to ensure that thestools are thoroughly liquefied. Then seat yourself on the toilet so that theintestinalcontentscanbeevacuated,aprocessthatusuallytakesseveralwavestocomplete.Two-quartenemascanbeperformedonadailybasisforoneweek,ortwicea

week for two months. They also can be performed every now and then, asnecessary.

DrainagethroughtheKidneys

Thekidneyseliminatethewastestheyfilteroutofthebloodstreamintoaback-upliquid:urine.Insufficientconsumptionoffluidswillleadtothestagnationoftoxinsat thelevelof thefilter,becausetheylackthesupport theyneedtotakethemoutofthebody.Itisthereforeimportanttodrinkenoughfluids,atleasthalfagallon(2liters)daily,andtoeatjuicyfruitsandvegetables.Medicinalplantsthatstimulatethekidneystoworkarecalleddiuretics.When

properdosesareutilized,thevolumeofurinewillbeclearlyhigherthannormal,or even doubled. The urinewill also contain a greater amount ofwastes, andconsequentlywillassumeadeepercolorandthickerconsistency.Thekidneyscanbegentlystimulatedwith:

Artichoke(Cynaracardunculus):1–3 tabletsorcapsules three timesadaywithwaterbeforemeals.Pilosella (Pilosellaofficinarum) inmother tincture: three times a day,

30–50dropswithwaterbeforemeals.JuniperBerries (Juniperus communis): 1 teaspoon of berries per cup,steepfor10minutes,threecupsaday.

Therearealsoquiteafewherbteasthatadvertisetheirusefor“kidneysandbladder,”ortheir“diuretic”or“renal”properties.

DrainagethroughtheSkin

Theskinexpelsmanywastesfromthebodythroughperspiration,evidenceforwhichisthestrongbodyodorofpeoplesufferingillhealth.Repeatedperiodsofheavysweatingarenecessarytocleansethebiologicalterrainthoroughly.For those who are capable, sustained physical exercise represents the best

optionforperspiration,becausesweatismuchmoreconcentratedwhencreatedbyexertion.Toencouragetheprocess,theindividualmustengageintheexerciseof choice (jogging, bike riding, and so on) while wearing enough clothes toaccumulate theheatnecessary to trigger sweating.To further assist breakingasweat,theeffortshouldberatherlongindurationandinducesufficientexertion.Atleastonesessionaweekisnecessarytoguaranteesufficientelimination.The practice of taking a sauna has a long history. The only necessary

precaution is that thenumberof sessionsand the temperatureof thecoolbaththat follows should be adapted to the vitality of the individual. Like physicalexercisethatinducessweating,thesaunaremainsafairlyathleticpractice.

TheHigh-TemperatureBathIncontrast to saunas,high-temperaturebathsareoneof the simplest andmosteffectivemeans of inducing heavy sweating.They also offer the advantage ofbeingeasy topracticeathome.Thepatiententersapleasant temperaturebath,then gradually adds hot water until it becomes quite hot. The addition of hotwatershouldstopjustbeforeitbecomestoohotforcomfort.Thissensationof“too hot” varies widely from one person to the next. However, the importantthingisnottheobjectivetemperaturebutthesubjectivesensation,becausethisiswhatwill triggerperspiration.The individual shouldbeable to stay in thehotbathfortentotwentyminutes.Drinkinganinfusionofelderorlindenflowersbeforethebathwillfacilitate

perspiration(1tablespoonpercup,letsteep10minutes).

Inaddition to theheavysweating thisprocess triggers,anotheradvantageofthis kind of bath is the bracing effect it has on the bloodstream. In increasingcirculation,itdislodgesalargeamountofwastefromthedeeptissues.Toavoidanabruptandmassiveexodusof these toxins toward theexcretoryorgans, it’sbesttostartwithoneweeklybath,andgraduallyworkuptoarateofthreebathsa week. Several baths are sometimes necessary before the skin “opens” andsweatingtakesplaceproperly.Thebathisfollowedbyrestinghorizontallyforatleasthalfanhourwiththe

body wrapped in towels or sheets. Sweating can continue during this restingperiod.

DrainagethroughtheLungs

The lungsareequipped toexpelprimarilygaseouswastes.However,when thebiologicalterrainisgreatlyoverloadedwithwastesandtheexcretoryorgansareexhausted, therespiratory tractservesasakindofemergencyexit.Thepatientbegins expectorating, spitting, and coughing up solid waste in the form ofphlegm,orcolloidalwaste.Thisdefensivereactioncanbeintentionallytriggeredfor therapeutic purposes. In fact, all physical activity causes some degree ofshortness of breath, and amore intense rate of oxygen exchange in the lungsfacilitates the eliminationof colloidalwaste burdening thebronchia.To createthiseliminatoryshortnessofbreath,simplytakeawalk,jog,goforabikeride,orwalkupthestairs.Certainmedicinalplantsactivatethiskindofeliminationandmakeiteasierby

liquefyingthewastes.

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptusglobulus): 1–3 tablets, three times a daywithwaterbeforemeals.Thyme(Thymusvulgaris)inamothertincture:threetimesaday,20–40dropswithwaterbeforemeals.Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara): 1 teaspoonof flowersper cup, steep10minutes,threetofourcupsadaybetweenmeals.

DislodgingtheWastesTheopeningoftheexcretoryorgansallowsalargenumberofwastestoleavethebody.However, someof thesewasteshavebeen in the tissues for so long that

they are now encrustedwithin them.They therefore need to be dislodged andsent back to a blood vessel so they can find their way out through the mostappropriateexcretoryorgan.Toaccomplishthis,theoverallcirculationoffluidsinthebodyshouldbeactivatedtoincreaseexchangesbetweenthebloodandthecellular fluids. It is also possible to “burn off” and break downwasteswherethey are lodged in the tissues by increasing bodily combustions through aprocesscalledautolysis.

Theexcretoryorgansandtheirdrainers

AcceleratingExchanges

The practice of a sport like bike riding, long-distance running, hiking in themountains, and so forth vigorously stirs the bodily fluids in the depths of thetissues because of the physical exertion these exercises require. Repeatedmuscularcontractionscrushthetissuesasiftheyweresponges,therebysettingthewaste-saturatedfluidsofthebodyinmotion.Sickindividualswhoarenolongercapableofmakingasustainedeffortcan

benefitfromthiskindofchurningofdeepbodilyfluidsbyeitherextremelyhotbathsormassage.Withmassage,thecrushingofthetissuesdoesnotresultfrommuscular contractions but from pressure exerted by themassage therapist. Byadaptingthetypeandstrengthofthemassagetotheindividualpatient,ahighlybeneficialaccelerationofexchangesonthecellularlevelcanbeobtained.Specialmentionshouldbemadeofaparticularmassagetechniqueknownas

lymphaticdrainage,whichisintendedtodrainthelymphaticsystem.Duringthisprocess,lymph,whichnormallytravelsquiteslowlythroughthebody,ispushedforward through the lymphatic vessels. The nodes are also encouraged todisgorgestagnatinglymphinthisway.Thedrainageoftoxinsandtheresultingcleansing of the biological terrain through this process can often be quiteremarkable.

IncreasingCombustion

Byincreasingcombustionwithinthebody,wastescanbe“burnedaway”onsite,which offers certain advantages. All the body then has to do is eliminate the“ashes,”wastesthataremuchtinierandeasiertotransport.Infact,withoutsuchaprocess,wastesareoftentoolargeinsizetobeextractedfromthetissuesandguidedoutofthebodythroughtheexcretorysystem.This process, in which wastes are broken down into smaller particles and

digested by the body, is known as autolysis. It is caused by the activity ofenzymesproducedbythecellsthemselves,inresponsetospecialdietsandfasts.Autolysis isonly triggeredduringparticular situationswhen thebody isnot

receivingsufficientnourishment.Thismeansthebodywilldigestitsowntissuesto make available to the vital organs the essential nutrients they require tofunction.Thebodywithdrawsnutrientsfromitslessvitalregions—forexample,fatcellsormuscles—totransferthemtomorevitalareassuchastheheart,brain,orliver.Byvirtueofthewisdomthatgovernsthephenomenonofautolysis,thetissues

areattackedinthereverseorderoftheirimportance,startingwiththosethatareleastimportanttothebody’sabilitytofunction.Wastesandtoxinswillthereforebebrokendownbeforethemoreimportanttissues.It is possible to trigger this autolysis of wastes and sick tissues (tumors)

intentionally by following a restrictive diet. The greater the restriction of this

diet,themoreintensetheautolysiswillbe.There are a great many restrictive diets. The main thing is to reduce the

quantityofdifferentfoodsingested,whilekeepinginmindthatthisismeanttobea therapeuticprocedureand,as such, shouldbe followed foronlya limitedtimeandadaptedtothecapacityofthepatient(fromseveraldaystoaweekasasingle cure, or repeated several times over a longer period). For cures ofextendedduration, it iscrucial toseektheguidanceofacompetenthealthcarepractitioner.Whenthisrestrictioneliminatesallfoodexceptwater,itisafast.Ifallfoods

butoneareeliminated, it is amonodiet (grapediet, carrotdiet,or similar).*4Diets in which two or more foods are retained are included under the termrestrictive.Examplesincludethelow-caloriediet,ordietsthatsetalimittothenumberofcarbohydratesorfatgramsconsumedduringthecourseofaday.Therestriction can be centered on one food (meat, salt) or a group of foods (redmeat,fats,refinedsugar).Fasts,monodiets,orrestrictivedietsthatareadaptedto the specific health needs of the individual patient figure among the mosteffectiveandusefulnaturalmeansfortreatingdisease.A restrictive diet that is followed for a fairly extended period of time, or

repeated,quiteoften leads to thebreakingdownandeliminationofsubstantialquantitiesofwaste.Theinternalbiologicalterrainofthebody,thecradleforalldisease,willtherebyfinditselfpurifiedwitharesultingimprovementinoverallhealth.

Summary:DifferentKindsofDiets

Restrictivediet:partialorcompleteeliminationofoneorseveralfoods,asopposedtothestandarddietMonodiet:onefoodpluswaterFast:wateronly

Increasing combustion and accelerating the metabolism through physicalexerciseorhighheatbaths,orbytriggeringtheprocessofautolysis, replicatesthepurifyingandhealingprocess thatnature itself triggerswithfever.Fever isoneofthemostpotenthealingmethodsemployedbythevitalforceofthebody,andforthisreasonitispresentinmanyillnesses.Fevercertainlysignalsthatthebody is in danger, but it also indicates that it is still capable of fighting back.

Thanks to fever, the body can compensate to a certain extent for its pastshortfalls and sluggish activity by functioning more vigorously and burningawaytoxinsthathavecollectedinthetissues.Someindividualssufferingfromillhealthnolongerhavethephysicalstrength

necessaryto“create”afever.Themethodsforraisingbodyheatdescribedinthissectionondislodgingwastesarecopiedfromnatureandenableus to re-createnature’sbeneficialdefensesystem.

Whenorgansarecongested,bloodisdirty,thetissuespoisoned,andthecellsasphyxiated,thereisonlyonelogicalactiontobetakentorestorethebodytohealth:cleanit.

BENEFITSOFEXERCISE

Thebenefits of physical activity are sonumerous that by themselves they cancompensate for, and partially eliminate, the harmful effects caused by thecongestionofthebiologicalterrainwithtoxins.Increasingphysicalactivitymakesitpossibletoburnofftheexcessescreated

by overeating. Physical exertion activates physical functions and therebyencourages the abundant elimination of toxins. Through the acceleration ofcellular exchanges and blood flow, thewastes embedded in the depths of thetissuescanbedislodgedandcarriedawaytotheexcretoryorganstobeexpelledfrom the body. The deeper breathing caused by physical exertion causes aconsiderable increase in the body’s supply of oxygen, which encourages thebreakingdownoftoxinsand,thereby,thepurificationofthebiologicalterrain.Nothingismorecapableofbringingaboutdeepchangesinthebody’sinternal

cellularenvironmentthanphysicalexercise.Justasafreshbreezerekindlesthealmost-extinguished sparks beneath a bed of ash, exercise will reignite andcleansethebody.But doing “physical exercise” does not refer only to those privileged and

limitedmomentsduringwhichwevisit thegym,bike,orplay tennis.Wealsocanbeveryphysicallyactiveinourregulareverydaylivesif,insteadofhoppingintothecartodrivetotheoffice,wegetthereatleastpartiallyonfoot;skiptheelevatorandtakethestairs;carryourownbags;andinsteadofusinganelectricmixer or blender, beat or pulverize our foods by hand. As an added bonus,physical exercise releases endorphins, which are known to improve mental

attitude.

Byaddingonlyphysicalexercise,wecancreateprofoundchangesinourbiologicalterrain.

FILLINGTHEDEFICIENCIES

A sick body, if it is overloaded with wastes, is also generally suffering fromdeficiencies in a number of nutritive substances: vitamins, minerals, traceelements,andsoon.Supplyingitwiththesemissingsubstanceswillallowittorepairitsinjuredanddepletedtissues,strengthenitsorgans,andresumenormalfunctioning.The sicker the body, themore ravenous it is for the nutrients it is lacking.

Supplies of thesemissing nutrients need to be provided regularly and over anextendedperiodoftime.Inthisway,thedeficiencieswillbegraduallysatisfiedandthepatient’sbodywillrecoveritsformerstrengthandvitality.A healthy, natural, and varied diet would be the best way to fill the

deficiencies and supply missing nutrients, if the foods available were not sooften lacking in these same nutrients. For this reason, it is essential to alsoincludenutrient-richdietarysupplementsinthepatient’sdailyintake,inordertocompensateforthesedeficienciesasrapidlyaspossible.

Thesickerthebody,thehungrieritisforthenutrientsitlacks.

ANon-DeficientDietThe ideal non-deficient diet is the one offered by food farmed organically orbiodynamically, as both of these methods respect the natural development ofplants and provide the most favorable growing conditions. These farmingmethodsproducegrains,fruits,andvegetablescapableofmaintainingthehealthofthosewhoconsumethem.Inorder toenjoy thebenefitsofferedbynon-deficient foods, it isobviously

necessarytoavoidcreatingshortagesinthefoodbyovercookingit,forexample.Additionally, all refined foods should be avoided, as some of their essentialnutrientshavebeenremoved.Insteadofwhitebreadandpasta,peopleshouldeatwhole grain or brown bread and whole grain pasta. Refined oils should be

replaced by cold-pressed, virgin vegetable oils (except in cooking). Refinedsugars shouldbe replacedbyunrefinedcane sugarorothernatural sweetenerslikehoney,maple syrup,pear concentrate, or agave.Candies andother sweetsshouldbereplacedbyfreshordriedfruits.

Byeatingavarietyoffoods,onewillavoidaunilateraldiet,whichisoneofthemaincausesofnutritivedeficiencies.Inshort,toavoidscarcitiesinyourdietandthedeficienciesthatthenappearinyourbody,eatavarieddietcomposedofwholegrainandorganicallygrownfoods.

FoodSupplementsThe healing process can be accelerated, thanks to the use of pollen (bee andflower), brewer’s yeast, various seaweed products, cod liver oil, spirulina,blackstrap molasses, wheat germ, royal jelly, and so on. The strongconcentrationsofvitaminsandmineralscontainedinthesefoods,andtheireasyassimilationby thebody, helps fill deficienciesmuchmore rapidlybecauseofthequantity,quality,andvarietyofnutrients theysupply. In fact,eachnutrientdepends to some extent on the presence of other nutrients in order to beassimilatedproperly.Since certain food supplements are more effective for some patients than

others,it’simportanttolookforadvice,orexperimenttofindthemostsuitableoptions.Healingbymeansofthesesupplementscantakeseveralweeks,orevenmonths.It ispossible to takeseveraldifferentproductsat thesametimewithoutany

adverseeffects.

Byrepairingdeficiencies,thesickindividualisbetterabletoeliminatetoxins;likewise,whenthebodyrids itselfof toxins, it’seasiertosupplementdeficiencies.Thetwoprocessesareinseparablyboundtogether.

RESTORINGTHEACID-ALKALINEBALANCE

Anoveracidicbiologicalterrainiscorrectedprimarilybymeansoffood.Ratherthan consumingmore acidifying foods than alkaline foods, as is generally thecase,theindividualmustkeeptrackofwhatiseatentoseethattheproportionisequal,orevenreducetheproportionofacidicfoodstofallbelowthatofalkalinefoods.Theproportionofalkalizingfoodsconsumedshouldbe50percentinanindividual with a normal pH balance, but 60 to 80 percent in someone withoveracidity.Simplyput, thismeanseatingmorevegetables—greensalads, rawand cookedvegetables, potatoes—thanmeat and flour products.An additionalmeasureaimsateliminatingallfoodscontainingrefinedwhitesugar,whichis,infact,apowerfulacidifyingagent.Alkalinefoodsthatmustbeincreasedtomakeupfortheacidifyingfoodsare

all the green and colorful vegetables, which come in great variety. Potatoes,which are extremely alkalizing, should replace grains as often as possible,althoughgrainsshouldnotbetotallyexcludedfromthediet.Chestnuts,almonds,avocadoes,dates,andbananasareother foods thatarehighlyalkalizing.Dairyproducts such as cottage cheese along with eggs are balanced proteins tosubstituteformeatandfish.Wholesugarfromthecaneoragavenectarshouldbe used in the place of white sugar, and maple syrup, fruit concentrate, andhoneycantaketheplaceofpreservesandjellies.

AcidifyingFoods

These foodsmayseem tobealkaline innature,butmake thebody’spHmoreacidic:

Redmeat,fowl,processedmeatproducts,meatextracts,fish,shellfish(mussels,shrimp,andsoon)EggsCheese(strongcheeseismoreacidicthanmildcheese)Animalfat(lard,suet)Vegetable oil, especially peanut and refined oil, and oil spreads(margarine)

Wholeandrefinedgrains:wheat,oats,andespeciallymilletBread,pasta,cerealflakes,andallfoodsmadefromrefinedgrainsLegumes:peanutsandbeans(soy,white,broad,navy,andsoon)WhitesugarSweets:syrup,pastry,chocolate,candy,preserves,jelliedfruitsOleaginousfruits:walnuts,hazelnuts,pumpkinseeds,andsoon(exceptchestnutsandalmonds)Commerciallymadesodas,sodaswithcolabaseandothersCoffee,tea,cocoa,wineCondimentssuchasmayonnaise,mustard,andketchup

AlkalizingFoods

Thesefoodshelptocombatoveracidityandrestoreacid-alkalinebalance:

PotatoesGreenvegetablesofalltypes(raworcooked),saladgreensColorfulvegetables:carrots,beets, redandyellowpeppers, and soon(excepttomatoes)Corn(kernelsorcookedaspolenta)Milk(liquidorpowder),cream,butter,well-drainedcottagecheeseBananasAlmonds,BrazilnutsChestnutsDriedfruits,especiallydatesandraisins(exceptthosethataretarttothetaste:apricots,apples,andsoon)AlkalinemineralwaterAlmondmilkBlackolivespreservedinoilAvocadoesCold-pressedoilNaturalsugar

WeakAcidFoods

Theacidifyingeffectsofthesefoodsvaryaccordingtotheindividual’sabilitytometabolizeacids:

Whey, yogurt, curdled milk, kefir, cottage cheese that has not beendrainedwellFreshfruits(thelessripethefruit,thegreatertheacidity)FruitjuiceSauerkraut,lacto-fermentedvegetablesHoneyVinegar

Settingasidethedietaryfactor,thereareothermeasuresthatshouldbetaken.Better oxidation of acids occurs when there is physical activity—such aswalking, sports, gardening—and elimination of acids already present in thetissuescanbeincreasedbytheconsumptionofdiureticmedicinalplants(forthekidneys)andsudorifics,orsweat-inducingplants,fortheskin.Anotherextremelyimportantmeasure,oneprovenessentialformostcases,is

the takingofalkalinemineralsupplements tohelp thebodynotonlyeliminateacidsingesteddaily,butalso,andprimarily,tofacilitatetheevacuationofacidslodgedinthedepthsofthetissues.Thismeasureisofmajorimportancebecausethebodyresistsallowingacidsembeddedinthetissuestobepulledbackintothebloodstream—en route to the excretory organs—because their return to thebloodstreamrepresentsadangerousalterationofitspH.Theseacids, therefore,haveanunfortunatetendencytobekeptinthedepthsofthetissuestoprotecttheblood.However,asubstantialdeliveryofalkalinereservestothebodymakesitpossible to eliminate these embedded acids. Buffered by the alkalinesupplements,theacidscandriftbacktothesurfaceintheformofneutralsalts,aformthatwillnotharmthebloodpH.Alkaline supplements are blends of calcium,magnesium, potassium, and so

forth in a form easily assimilated by the body. Available in tablet form orpowder,thesepreparationsaretobetakenthreetimesadaywithalittlewater,beforemeals.Toassureappropriatedosage,itshouldbecalibratedinaccordancewith theurinarypHof the individualconcerned.Thegeneral rule is to takeasmuchsupplementasnecessarytoobtainaurinarypHbetween7and7.5,based

onthesecondandsubsequenturinationsoftheday(notthefirstone).Therefore,ifadoseof2tablets,threetimesadaypushesthepHfrom5.5to6.5,thedosagewill have to be increased so that it can get to a normal pH of 7 to 7.5. Thisimportant rule ensures that correctionof the acidity in thebiological terrain isdoneproperly.The various measures undertaken to deacidify the biological terrain will

graduallycausealltheacidsembeddedinthedepthofthetissuestocometothesurface and be expelled from the body. Over time, this deacidification of thedepthsof thebiological terrainwillnotonlyheal thepatient fromcurrent ills,butalsopreventanyrelapses.

SPECIFICREMEDIES

Inaddition to thegeneral therapeuticmaneuversdescribed in thischapter, it issometimesnecessarytogiveadditionalsupport totheweakpointsofthebody.Treatment ceases to be general, focused on the entire biological terrain, butaddresses a specific organ, strengthens a deficient function, soothes irritabletissues,disinfects,andsoon.Everypatienthasvulnerablepointsthatneedtobetakenintoconsiderationduringtreatment,alongwiththemajorstepsbeingtakentocorrectthebiologicalterrain.Amongspecificremediesthatcanbeutilizedaresuchdissimilarbuteffective

therapiesasmedicinalplants,aromatherapy,magnetics,homeopathy,facialandfootreflexology,acupuncture,hydrotherapy,andmanymore.But,letmerepeat,thesespecifictreatmentsshouldallbeemployedascomplementstotheoveralltreatmentofthebiologicalterrain.

POSITIVEMENTALATTITUDE

Thetoolweknowasthehumanbodyfunctionsinaccordancewithitsowninnerlogic, but it is also highly influenced by our mental life. A balanced nature,confronting life with confidence, trust, and optimism provides the mostfavorable conditions for the body’s harmonious functioning. Conversely,negativity, fear, and aggressive attitudes disrupt this functioning and slow itdown,andcanthrowthebodycompletelyoffkilter.Thephysicalstateespousesthe fluctuations of thoughts and emotions. Physical functioning so clearlymirrorsstateofmindthatitisoftenenoughforapatienttobelievehisillnessisgrowingworseforitactuallytobecomeworse.

Depending on the patient’s mental attitude, the healing process can behamperedandblocked,or, to thecontrary,supportedandevenstimulated. It isthereforeofenormousconsequencethatthepatientadoptanappropriateattitudein confronting his illness. How can the body keep fighting if the patient hasabandonedthestruggle,orevenworse,isfightingthehealingprocess?Thewilltogetbetter,alongwithactiveparticipationintheremedialtreatmentbyfreeingthebodyfromthepressureofnegative thoughts,mobilizes thedefensesystemandsupportsregeneration.

Conclusion

Aclearandrealisticvisionregardsthehumanbodyasatoolthathasbeenplacedatourdisposal.This toolfunctions inaccordancewithprecise instructions thatmustbefollowedtomaintainitsproperworkingorder.Inotherwords,therearea certain number of physiological imperatives—laws of health—that set outconditions for theproper functioningof thebody.Thebodymustbeusedandmaintained in conformance with these instructions, and not as momentarymoods,whims,anddesiresdictate.Apersonloseshealthyequilibriumandfallsillwhenthelawsofhealth,asdescribedinthisbook,arenotrespected.Aslongastheyareadheredto,thebodywillremaininexcellenthealth.Every disease has a cause. Its very existence necessarily implies mistakes

havebeenmadeinthephysicalandmentalcircumstancesofthepersonafflicted.So long as these errors are not detected and eliminated, health problemswillpersist and be provoked. It is therefore absolutely necessary to alter one’spersonalhealth regimen.Changesmust takeplace.Thepatientcanandshouldtake control by beginning to eat differently, eliminating the sources of toxicbuildup,leadingamorephysicallyactivelife,oradoptinganewmentalattitude.Therapeuticmethodsare available tohelp thepatient, but these changes are

something that only the patient, not the naturopath, can make happen. If thenaturopath leans toward optimism, it is not for the purpose of plantingsuggestions that will encourage healing in the patient’smind. The confidenceandhopethenaturopathcangiveisbasedonaconcretereality,oneconfirmedbycountlesscasesofremissionandhealing.Now,inclosing,Ileaveyouwithasummaryofsixbasicrulesforrecovering

andmaintaininghealth:

1. Eat a varied diet of whole, preferably organic foods, consistingpredominantlyofplants.

2. Eattoolittleratherthantoomuch.

3. Drinkmorethan2quartsofwateraday.4. Engageinphysicalactivityeveryday.5. Getenoughsleepeverynight.6. Approachalloflife’schallengeswithapositiveandconstructiveattitude.

Resources

To find a local naturopathic physician, visit the website of the AmericanAssociationofNaturopathicPhysicians:www.naturopathic.org.InCanada,use thesearchfunctionprovidedby theCanadianAssociationof

NaturopathicDoctors:www.cand.ca.

ALKALINESUPPLEMENTS

pHionNutrition14201N.HaydenRoad,SuiteA4Scottsdale,AZ85260888-744-8589www.phionbalance.compHion Nutrition manufactures and distributes pH test strips, alkalizingsupplements, and other products geared toward detoxifying and augmentinghealthybodychemistry.

AUTHOR’SWEBSITE

www.christophervasey.chThe author presents his different books and provides for each the table ofcontentsandageneralintroductiontothesubjectofthebook.Thewebsitealsocontains biographical information, a calendar of conferences, and contactinformation.

GlossaryoftheConceptsofNaturopathy

The numbers following each definition refer the reader to pages in the bookwheretheconceptisdiscussed.

acid-alkalinebalance:Thisisthebalancebetweenacidandalkalinesubstancesinthebodythatpermitsittoremainingoodhealth.TheunitusedtomeasurethedegreeofacidityoralkalinityispH(seealsopH).ThenormalpHofblood,andofthebiologicalterrainingeneral,is7.39.Whenthereismovementawayfromthis ideal pH, disease appears. Acidosis, or excess acid, is themost commonexampleofanacid-alkalineimbalance,andisacommonresultofouracidifyinglifestyle and diet. Acidosis can be corrected by following an alkalizing diet,oxygenation,andbytakingalkalinesupplements.

acidosis:Thestateofthebodywhentheacid-alkalineratioisoutofbalanceandthebiologicalterrainisacidic.

acute and chronic illness: Diseases are crises of detoxification or cleansingtriggered by the vital force as it seeks to eliminate the surplus of toxinsencumbering the biological terrain.An illness is acutewhen the vital force isstrong. Elimination is violent, spectacular, and short in duration . . . and itachievesitsgoal:therenewalofthebiologicalterrain.Chronicdiseasesarethesame efforts made by a weakened vital force, and are, therefore, of lesserintensity.Incapableofrepairingthebiologicalterraininoneattempt,thesecriseswillrecurregularly,hencetheirchronicnature.

allopathic medicine: A therapeutic method that deals with disease by usingmethodsthat,generallyspeaking,opposethecurativeeffectsofthebody’svitalforce.Byrepressingtoxinsintothedepthsofthebody,anti-symptomremediesare successful in banishing symptoms from the surface, but this is to thedetriment of the biological terrain. The opposite method of health care isnaturopathy.

autolysis:Autolysisisaphysiologicalprocesstriggeredbyspecialdietsandfastsduring which the body digests or breaks down (lyse) its own tissues (auto).Whenitstopsreceivinganyorenoughnutrientsfromoutside,thebodyisforcedtodrawonitsownreservesfornutritivesubstances,whichitdoesbyfirstself-digesting diseased tissue and toxins.Autolysis, therefore, has a curative effectbecauseitridsthebiologicalterrainofthewasteswithwhichitisencumbered.

biological terrain: Just as a plantwill either prosper orwither depending on thequalityoftheterraininwhichitgrows,ourcellsandtheorganstheyformwillfunctionproperlyornotdependingonthe“biologicalterrain”inwhichtheyfindthemselves.Thisbiologicalterrainiscomposedofthebodilyfluidsinwhichthecells are immersed, in otherwords the fluids around them (extracellular fluid,lymph,andblood)andthoseinsidethem(intracellularfluid).Theliquidenvironmentofthecellensuresitreceivesthesuppliesofoxygen

andnutrientsitneeds,andthereby,thisenvironmentistheultimateguarantorofhealth. Because of its crucial function, any overly large quantitative orqualitative alteration suffered by these fluids leads to disease. Two primaryimbalances arepossible: either thepresenceof an excessive amountof certainsubstances(toxins,poisons),whichleadstodiseasescausedbyoverloads;ortheabsence of certain substances (nutrients, minerals), which will engenderdeficiency-causeddiseases.

chronicillness:SeeAcuteandchronicillness.

colloidalwaste:Colloidalwasteisoneoftheprimaryvarietiesoftoxins(seealsoCrystals). These toxins are non-soluble in liquids. For example, phlegm, theviscoussubstancethatiseliminatedbyblowingone’snose,isacolloidalwaste.When mixed with water these substances do not dissolve, but retain theirappearance.Sputum,pus,andsoonareallcolloidalwastes.Colloidal wastes are eliminated by the liver, the intestines, the sebaceous

glands, and also sometimes by the lungs. The illnesses caused by colloidalwastes are not painful as those caused by crystals are, and they are fluid innature:inflammationsoftherespiratorytract,acne,oozingeczema,andsoforth.Thesourcesofcolloidalwastearestarchesandfats.

crises—cleansing, healing, detoxification: The vital force governing the body doesnot remainapassivebystanderwhenconfrontedby the collectionof toxins inthebiologicalterrain.Whenthetolerancethresholdhasbeencrossed,itabruptly

intensifies the functioning of one ormore excretory organs to rid itself of thewasteswithwhichitisencumbered,givingrisetothedescriptionofacleansing,ordetoxificationcrisis.Thesecrisesarealsocurative,becausebyeliminatingtheprimarycauseofillness—theaccumulationoftoxinsinthebiologicalterrain—theybanishthehealthproblem.

crystals: Crystals are one of the twomajor kinds of waste (see alsoColloidalwaste).They are hard and canwound like real crystals, but like sugar or salt,they dissolve in water. Crystals are eliminated by the excretory organs thatevacuateliquids—thekidneysandthesweatglands.Crystals are generally acidic, like uric acid or oxalic acid, but also can be

discardedmineral salts. The sandwe have in our eyeswhenwaking, and thesubstance that makes our joints creak are composed of crystals. Crystalloiddiseasessuchasrheumatism,kidneystones,sciatica,tendinitis,dryeczema,andneuritiscanbepainfulandarenot“runny.”Thesourcesofcrystalsareproteins,whitesugar,andacidifyingfoods.

deficiencies:Adeficiencyistheabsenceorinsufficientamountofanelementthatis essential for the body’s nutrition. The shortagemay be of protein, calcium,vitamins,oranyothernutritivesubstance.Deficienciescaninvolveoneormorenutrients, and be temporary or long-lasting. They also can bemajor orminordependingontheimportanceofthemissingsubstance.Indeficienciesofsupply,themissingnutrientdoesnotreachthebodybecausethefoodcontainingitisnoteaten or has been extracted from the food before consumption; the refiningprocess,forexample,stripsgrainsoftheirvitaminBcontent.Indeficienciesofutilization, nutrients enter the body via their host foods, but are destroyed byharmful substances (anti-vitamins or chelators—drugs or other substances thatinhibit themetabolicactionofavitaminor traceelement)before thebodycanuse them. Deficiency-based diseases are treated by providing the missingsubstanceinordertosatisfythedeficiency.

depurative:Adrainerthatworksonseveralexcretoryorgans.

diagnosis:Inallopathicmedicine,adiagnosisismadetodeterminewhatillnessisafflicting the patient. The goal of a diagnosis is to identify a malady beforeprescribingaspecificremedy.Innaturopathy,thereisadiagnosisbutitevaluatestheoverallhealthoftheindividual(seealsoHealthassessment).

diet:Dietisoneoftheprimaryfactorsforremainingin,orrestoring,goodhealth.

Thebodyisentirelydependentonfoodforbuildingandrepairingitself,andforcarryingoutitsfunctions.Apoordietcausesthedeficienciesandtoxinsthatareattherootofanydegradationofthebiologicalterrain.

dietarysupplement:Aproduct taken tosupplementone’s regulardietbecauseofits richness in nutrients. Vitamins, minerals, trace elements, flower and beepollen,brewer’syeast,seaweedandkelp,wheatgerm,andspirulinaaresomeofthemanydietarysupplementsavailable.

disassimilation:Thepassageof toxins through the intestinalmucousmembranes(600 squaremetersor1968 square feet of surface).The intestines, like all theexcretoryorgans,filterthebloodthatpassesthroughtheirtissuestoremovethewastes.Thesewastesaretheneliminatedwithfecalmatter.

diuretics:Medicinalplantsthatstimulatethekidneystowork.Whenproperdosesare utilized, the volume of urinewill increase and possibly double. The urinewill also contain a greater amount of wastes; consequently, it will assume adeepercolorandthickerconsistency.

drainers: Products that encourage the drainage of toxins from the body bystimulating thefunctionof theexcretoryorgans.Thesearemedicinalplantsorotherproductsthathavehepatic,laxative,diuretic,orsimilarproperties.

drainage: Drainage is a process that intentionally triggers the elimination oftoxinsfromthebody.Thepurposeistoreestablishnormaleliminationifithasbeeninsufficient,andeventoincreaseitforawhileinordertocompensateforthepreviousperiodofinsufficiency.The excretory organs are the essential vehicles for drainage. During this

period, theworkperformedby the liver, intestines,kidneys, skin, and lungs isstimulated through a variety of techniques and cleanses. These can includemedicinal plants, juice or food that has detoxifying properties, inducement ofheavysweating,poultices,intestinalenemas,andthelike.Depending on the strength of the individual patient, a drainage can be

performedthroughoneorseveralexcretoryorgans.

elimination:Evacuationthroughtheexcretoryorgans(liver,kidneys,andsoon)oftoxinsburdeningthebiologicalterrainandbecomingthesourceofdisease.Theelimination of toxins is encouraged by diet, exercise, and drainage. Health isregainedthroughcorrectionofthebiologicalterrain.

excretory organs: The excretory organs, or emunctories, are responsible forfiltering all the metabolic residue and waste out of the blood so it can beexpelledfromthebody.Theyare,therefore,notonly“doors”thatcanbeopenedtoallowthepassageoftoxins,butorgansthatactivelycleansethebloodforthepurposeofpurifyingit.These organs include the liver (evacuates waste in bile), intestines (stool),

kidneys (urine), lungs (exhalation), sweat glands (perspiration), and thesebaceousglands(sebum).When they are functioning properly, the excretory organs eliminate all the

wastesthatareingestedorproducedbyanormallifestyle.Theircapacitiescanbe exceeded by an excess production ofwastes,which happens, for example,whenasedentarylifestyleiscombinedwithovereating:toxinsarenotevacuated,thebiologicalterraindeteriorates,anddiseaseappears.

extracellularfluid:SeeIntracellularandextracellularfluids.

fast:Aperiodoftimeduringwhichapersonabstainsfromanynutritionalintakeotherthanwater.Nofoodofanykindisconsumed.Thisregimenaimsatforcingthebodytosurvivethroughbreakingdownanddigestingtoxinsandsicktissues(autolysis),whicheliminatesthemfromthebiologicalterrainandbringsaboutareturntohealth.

fever:Feverisnotadiseasepersebutareflectionofthebody’sattempttodefenditself from a biological terrain overloaded with toxins. Depending on theindividual case, it may occur in tandem with a bacterial infection. Theacceleration of immune defenses, blood circulation, respiration, and cellularexchanges produces heat and thereby increases body temperature. Fever is,therefore, a manifestation of the body defending itself, which is why it is acommonsymptomofsomanydifferentmaladies.If fever didnot occurnaturally itwouldneed tobedevised; it is a brilliant

wayofenablingthebodytoincinerateandeliminatealargeamountoftoxinsina short space of time. Unless the patient’s temperature climbs so high that itposes risks to the body, breaking a fever amounts to obstructing the body’sdefensesystem.

fillingthedeficiencies:Thisistheactionofsupplyingmissingnutrientstothebodytoalleviatedeficiencies. In thisexpression,deficienciesareviewedasholes tobepluggedbyfillingthemwiththemissingnutrients.

healing: Healing represents the return to health after an illness.A true healingtakesplacewhenthesymptomsofthedisease,aswellasthedeficienciesofthebiologicalterrainthatengenderedthem,havevanished.Thisnewstateofhealthis stable and lasting because the primary causes of the disease have beeneliminated.Healings obtained locally by treatments targeting only the symptoms are

fictitious,asthesetreatmentsaresatisfiedwithburyingthetoxinsinthedepthsof the bodywithout correcting the biological terrain.Although seeming to becured,thepatient’sbiologicalterrainremainsinadegradedstate.

health:Healthisnottheabsenceofdetectablediseasesymptoms,butcorrespondstoastateofthebiologicalterraininwhichthecompositionofthebodilyfluidsensuresandprovides theconditions favorable to thecells’unhamperednormalactivity. Health is determined by the state of the body’s internal cellularenvironment.Ifthisbiologicalterrainishealthy,thenthebodyishealthy;ifitisunhealthy,thebodyisill,eveniftherearenoapparentsymptoms.Because the biological terrain is dependent on our health and lifestyle

decisions, health is an unstable equilibrium that is constantly menaced byoverloads and deficiencies. The balance represented by good health is notacquiredonceandforall,butrequiresconstantvigilancetomaintain.

healthassessment:Ananalysisofthepatient’sdiet,eliminatorycapacity,andself-care to determine what has degraded the biological terrain and caused themanifestation of specific localized disorders. The health assessment does notdeterminewhichanti-symptomremediesarerequired,butsuggestsmeasuresfordrainingtoxinsoutofthebody,fillingitsdeficiencies,givingsupporttounder-performing organs, and reforming the patient’s self-care and awareness asnecessary.Thesemeasurescorrectthebiologicalterrain,therebybringingabouttheeliminationofthesymptomsofdisease.

hepatic:Apersonsufferingfromliverailments.Also,aproductorsubstancethatstimulates theeliminationofwasteby the liver.Through the takingofhepaticplants (dandelion, boldo, rosemary), the liver filters more waste out of thebloodstream,whichleadstoanincreasedproductionofbile.Ahepaticreactioncanalsobeobtainedwithahotwaterbottle.

hygiene:Allthemethods(diet,exercise,rest,andsoon)takentogetherthatcanbeimplementedforrestoringorpreservinghealth.Amethodbasedonhygiene

seeks to adapt the lifestyle to the body’s capacity, whereas an anti-symptomtherapy too often consists only of adapting the physical capacities to thelifestyle.

iatrogenic: This designates a health problem resulting from the medicationprescribedtohealthepatient,sometimesdescribedassideeffects.Thistypeofeventisextremelyrareinnaturopathy,butmuchmorecommonwiththeuseofanti-symptomremediesinallopathicmedicine.

immuneresponse:Thebody’sabilitytodefenditselfnotonlywhenconfrontedbygerms,butalsowhenfacedwithvarioustoxinsthatclogthebiologicalterrain.

internalcellularenvironment:SeeBiologicalterrain.

intracellular and extracellular fluids: Fluids found both inside (intra) and outside(extra)thecells.Thisisthecellularserum,apalewhiteliquid.Ithasalmostthesamecompositionasblood,butwithoutblood’sredcorpuscles.Theextracellularfluid,whichrepresents15percentoftheweightofthebody,

constitutestheexternalenvironmentofthecells.Thissubstancecarriesoxygenand nutrients to the cells, and carries away wastes they expel, toward theexcretoryorgans.Intracellularfluidrepresents50percentoftheweightofthebody.Itfillsthe

cells,givesthebodyshapeandtone,andallowstheexchangesthatneedtotakeplacebetweenorgans.

intrinsicillness:Theconstrictedstateof thebody’s internalcellularenvironmentcaused by toxins in the biological terrain that exceed the body’s capacity forrestoringitsownbalance.

laxative: Any product or substance that stimulates the elimination of intestinalwaste. A laxative effect is induced with plants such as alder buckthorn andmallow, or through enemas, abdominalmassage, and so on.A laxative gentlystimulates intestinal peristalsis, encouraging regular evacuation of stools. Thetermpurgative is reserved forproducts thatpowerfully stimulate the intestinesandbringabouttherapidandcompleteemptyingoftheircontents.

laws of health: These are the physiological imperatives to which the body issubject and from which it cannot escape, and which compel us to act in aspecificmanner in order to stayhealthy.Eating enough raw food to cover thebody’s nutrient needs, for example, is one law of health, because the body

inevitablywillfallillifitdoesnotgetthem.Drinkingenoughwateronadailybasis,gettingsufficientphysicalexercise,regularlyeliminatingtoxinsproducedbythebody,andsoonarealllawsofhealth.

metabolism:Metabolism refers to all the biochemical transformations that takeplace in the body tissue during digestion, assimilation, energy production,catabolism, exchanges, and so forth.Waste and residue, called toxins, are theresultof thesetransformationsandneedtobeeliminatedthroughtheexcretoryorgans.

monodiets:Duringthecourseofamonodiet,onlyone(mono)foodisconsumed.Each meal consists exclusively of the food in question, eaten either raw orcooked, or as juicewhen possible. Themost commonmono diets use grapes,carrots,orrice.

naturopathy:Naturopathyisatherapeuticmethodthattreatsdiseaseusingnaturalmethods and takes action to improve the biological terrain rather than todiminish symptoms. In supporting the body’s ownhealing power, it addressesthedeeprootsofillnessratherthantheeffects,andemploysavarietyofnaturaltechniquesaslistedbelow.

Nutrition

Healthy diet: organic foods; unrefined, whole grain foods withoutadditivesRestrictiveanddieteticdiets: fasts,monodiets, food-combiningdiets,naturalfoodsdietsNutritionaldietstomakeupfordeficienciesNaturalfoodsupplements

WaterTherapies

ColdandhothydrotherapyBalneotherapy,thermalandmudbathsEnemas

Exercise

Moderate exercise, gentle gymnastics, body building, martial arts,sports

PlantTherapies

Medicinal plants in their various forms: infusions, decoctions,mothertinctures,essentialoilsFruitsandvegetableswithhealingproperties

Massage

Different types ofmassage:whole body, specific region, sports, deeptissue,French,Swedish,Chinese,Thai;chiropractic;osteopathy

Reflexology

Stimulationofthereflexzonesofthefeet,hands,ears,nose,orback

LightTherapies

Beneficialeffectsofthesun(heliotherapy),influenceofthemoonandstarsColorsandtheirproperties

Air

BreathingtechniquesOxygenationAromatherapy

EnergeticTechniques

TherapeuticmagnetsRevitalization through the magnetism of precious and semi-preciousstonesandtheirbenefitsEarthenergies

MentalAttitude

Importanceofthoughtsandattitudes,mentalhealthStressmanagementRelaxation,self-suggestion,visualizationSleep

nutrients:Substancesnecessaryfortheconstructionandfunctioningofthebodythatarenormallyprovidedbyfood.Theseincludeproteins,carbohydrates,fats,minerals,traceelements,andvitamins.

opening the excretory organs: Increasing the elimination of toxins through thebody’sexcretoryorgans.This is recommendedwhen theseorgansareworkingtooslowlyorare“closed,”orclearlyfunctioningbelownormal.

overloads: Wastes, toxins, and toxic by-products, including fats but notexclusively, thatdangerouslyburdenthebiological terrainwhentheycollect inoverlylargequantities;inotherwords,theyoverloadit.Thishasnothingtowithbeingoverweight,butratherhavinganexcessofallkindsoftoxins.

pH:Measuringunitfor thedegreeofacidityoralkalinityofasubstance;pHisshorthandfor thesubstance’spotential (p)orpower to freehydrogen(H) ions.The measuring scale goes from 0 to 14: 0 is absolute acidity, 14 absolutealkalinity,and7isthemiddlepositionknownasneutralpH.TheoptimalpHofthebloodandthebiologicalterrainisslightlyalkaline:7.39.

plurality of disease: The concept that each disease is unique by nature and hascauses specific to it and dissimilar from those of other illnesses. There are,therefore, no common elements among disparate diseases. This concept inallopathic medicine leads practitioners to treat every disease with a specific

remedy(therapeuticplurality).Thisconceptisdiametricallyopposedtothesinglecause,orunityofdisease

thatisthefoundationofnaturopathy.

purify: To purify is to make clean. In naturopathy, this word refers to all theeffortsdeployedtoridthebloodandthebiologicalterrainoftoxins.

relapse:Whenanillness,bronchitisforexample,hasbeenclearedupusingonlyan anti-symptom treatment, the biological terrainwill not have been correctedand the vital force will make renewed attempts to purify the internal cellularenvironment. Each of these attemptsmaymanifest at another excretory organ(see transfer of disease) or on the sameorgan. In the latter case, the illness isreferredtoasarelapse.Thetoxinsthathavebeenpushedintothebody’sdepthsbytheanti-symptomtreatmentfindtheirwaybacktotheexcretoryorganusedinitially.Onecaseofbronchitisissoonfollowedbyanothercaseofbronchitis.Itissometimesbelievedthatthisistheappearanceofanewcaseofillness,butinfact it is the same healing crisis that was momentarily interrupted, but istriggeredanewassoonascircumstancespermit.

remedy:Productcontainingactivesubstancesfortreatingillness.Innaturopathy,remediesarenotusedtocausethearbitrarydisappearanceofsymptomswithouttakinganyactiononthebiologicalterrain.Tothecontrary,theyaimtosupportelimination via the excretory organs in order to correct the body’s internalcellularenvironment,where the rootof theproblem is located.Thiscorrectionwillautomaticallybringaboutthedisappearanceofthesymptoms.

restrictivediet:Adietcharacterizedbya reducedquantityof foods(lowcalorie,low salt, and so forth) or by a reduction in the scope of foods permitted(meatless, salt-free, fat-free, and so on). Such diets aim to bring relief to thebodyandtriggertheprocessofautolysistoeliminatetoxins.

sedentary lifestyle: A state in which the motor capacities of the body areunderutilizedeitherbecauseofa jobthat requires theworker to remainseated,theuseofmotorvehiclestotravelratherthanwalkevenforshortdistances,theabsenceofphysicalactivityduringleisuretimes,oralloftheabove.Asedentarylifestyle weakens the muscles and organs, causes under-oxygenation, slowedmetabolismoffoodintake,andpooreliminationoftoxins.

self-healing: Remedies alone are incapable of healing a patient. They can onlyrestore,support,orreinforcethehealingprocessimplementedbythevitalforce

thatanimatesandguidesthebody.Inthissense,healingdoesnotcomefromtheoutside but from within the body. The vital force corresponds with what theancientscalledthemedicalizingnature,whichweknowastheimmuneresponse.Thebodyis,therefore,capableofworkingalonetoeffectitsownhealing,in

otherwords,self-healing.“Itisnaturethathealsdisease,andmedicineistheartof imitating the healing procedures of nature,” wrote Hippocrates. Somewhatlaterintime,thefamousFrenchsurgeonAmbroiseParé(1509–1590)wouldsay:“Idresswounds;itisnaturethathealsthem.”

self-poisoning:Thiskindofpoisoningcomesfromtoxinsnotoutside,butwithinthebody.Itbegins in the intestineswhentheyareunable toemptyproperlyorwell. The poisons, toxins, and wastes that result from fermentation andputrefaction, and are not rapidly evacuated in stools, are absorbed into theintestinalwallsand thenenter thebloodstream.From there theyareconductedalloverthebody,initiatingself-poisoning.

sudorific: Any product or substance that stimulates the elimination of toxinsthroughthesudoriferous(sweat)glands.Saunas,hotbaths,andexercisehaveasweat-inducingeffect,asdomedicinalplantssuchas lindenandelder flowers.All of these cause the glands to expel a greater quantity of sweat,whichwillhaveahighercontentoftoxins.

supplies: Everything taken in by the body that allows it to function—food,vitamins,water,oxygen,andsoon.

symptoms:Symptomsarethesurfacemanifestationsofthedeep-rootedillnessofthe deteriorated biological terrain.All the symptoms of a disease, such as theinflamed and painful joints of rheumatism, are often considered to be theintrinsicdisease.Inreality,thetruediseaseisthedegradedbiologicalterrainthathasallowedthesesymptomstomanifest.

toxins:Toxinsarethewastesandresiduescreatedbythemetabolicprocess.Thelargestquantityoftoxinscomesfromthebreakingdownoffoodsubstancesbythe body. For example, used proteins create urea, uric acid, and creatine; thecombustion of glucose produces lactic acid; poorly transformed fats turn intoketonicacid,andsoforth.Anotherportionofbodilytoxinsisproducedbywearandtearonthetissues.

This includes the debris of dead cells, vestiges of red corpuscles, exhaustedminerals,andsoon.

Othertoxinsarepoisonsthatcomeintothebodyfromtheoutsideandarenotpart of the normal biological cycle: heavy metals from pollution (mercury,cadmium), insecticides, herbicides, preservatives, food additives, and the listgoeson.Tobeprecise,thewordtoxinshouldbeappliedonlytowastesproducedby the body; however, the toxic substancesdescribedhere are also commonlyreferredtoastoxins.

transfer of disease: The vital force of the body constantly seeks to rid thebiologicalterrainofexcesstoxins,which,inadditiontonormaleliminations,canberevealedbymoreconsequentialevacuationsfromtheskin(pimples,eczema),lungs(coughing),andsoon.Whenthiseffortiscounteredbyananti-symptomtreatment,thevitalforcedoesnotabandonitsefforts,butmaytransfertheexcesstoxinstoanotherexcretoryorgan.Forexample,wastespresentintheskinwillberedirected to the lungs to be eliminated from the body. This is how eczema“turnsinto”acough.

unityofdisease:Thisconceptofdisease,whichisdistinctivetonaturalmedicine,believes all health disorders are the expression of a single illness: thedegradation of the biological terrain. Diseases are, therefore, only varioussurface manifestations of a unique, deeply rooted health problem. Hence thefundamentalnaturopathicaphorism,“Therearenolocaldiseases;thereareonlygeneraldiseases.”As the degradation of the biological terrain is always the origin for any

disease, and thereby necessarily precedes the appearance of any local healthproblems, therapy is always essentially the same (therapeutic uniqueness):correct this internalcellularenvironmentbyriddingitofanyoverloadsandbyfillingitsdeficiencies.Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said in this regard: “The nature of all

illnessisthesame.Itdiffersonlyinitsseat.Ithinkitonlyrevealsitselfinsuchdiversitybecauseofthemultiplicityofplaceswheretheillnessisestablished.Infact,itsessenceisone,andthecauseproducingitisalsoone.”

vitalforce:Thevitalforceorganizeslivingmatterandorchestrates,synchronizes,andharmonizesallitsorganicfunctions.Itisintangibleandthereforecannotbeidentifiedwithanysingleorganofthebody.Itsexistenceisrevealedonlybyitseffects.Allofitseffortsareaimedatmaintainingthebodyintheoptimumstateofhealth. It is this force thatenlivens theorgansandgoverns theprocessesofrespiration,circulation,digestion,exchanges,andelimination.Italsotriggersthe

reactionsofthebody’sdefensesystem;itscarswounds,neutralizespoisons,andpromptshealingcrises.It is an intelligent force that acts wisely for the good of the organism.

Hippocrates believed the medical practitioner should be “the interpreter andminister”of thismedicalizing force; inotherwords, the therapy should reflectandmimicthisforce.

warningsignals:Minorhealthproblemsthatwarnuswhenthebiologicalterrainisoutofbalanceandbeginningtobreakdown.Itcouldbenotfeelingwell,fatigue,nervoustension,orevenafewpimplesorminordigestivedisorder.Theoverloadrate isstill low,butcorrectionof the lifestylemustbequickly implemented toavoidcontinueddeteriorationofthebiologicalterrain.

waste:Acombinationoftoxinsandtoxicsubstancesthatdegradethebiologicalterrain.

Footnotes

*1 See also the glossary entry forNaturopathy for an outline of techniquesusedbynaturopathstorestoreandmaintainhealth.

*2Formoreonthis,seethesectionattheendofthechapter,“TheRuptureofthe Acid-Alkaline Balance,” and my book The Acid–Alkaline Diet forOptimum Health, Rochester, Vt.: Healing Arts Press, 2003, Revisedsecondedition2006.

*3 For more on this see my book The Water Prescription,Rochester, Vt.:HealingArtsPress,2006.

*4Formoredetailedinformationondiets,seemybookTheDetoxMonoDiet:The Miracle Grape Cure and Other Cleansing Diets, Rochester, Vt.:HealingArtsPress,2006.

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Pressure.Chicago:Kessinger,2003.Lust, Benedict, and Louis Kuhne.Neo Naturopathy: The New Science of

HealingortheUnityofDiseases.Chicago:Kessinger,2003.Mignot, Josiane. Hydrotherapie du colon. St.-Julien-en-Genevois, France:

EditionsJouvence,2005.Valnet,Jean.ThePracticeofAromatherapy:AClassicCompendiumofPlant

Medicines and Their Healing Properties. Edited by Robert Tisserand.Rochester,Vt.:HealingArtsPress,1982,1990.

Vasey, Christopher. The Acid–Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health: RestoreYour Health by Creating pH Balance in Your Diet. Rochester, Vt.:HealingArtsPress,2002.Secondedition,2006.

_______. Les compléments alimentaires naturels. St.-Julien-en-Genevois,France:EditionsJouvence,2003.

_______.TheDetoxMonoDiet.Rochester,Vt.:HealingArtsPress,2006._______.TheWaterPrescription.Rochester,Vt.:HealingArtsPress,2006._______.TheWheyPrescription.Rochester,Vt.:HealingArtsPress,2006.

AbouttheAuthor

Christopher Vasey, N.D., is a naturopath specializing in detoxification andrejuvenation.HeistheauthorofTheAcid-AlkalineDiet,TheNaturopathicWay,TheWaterPrescription,TheWheyPrescription,andTheDetoxMonoDiet.HelivesnearMontreux,Switzerland.

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HealingArts Press is a division of InnerTraditions InternationalCopyright©2007 by Éditions Jouvence English translation © 2009 by Inner TraditionsInternational Originally published in French under the title Petit traité denaturopathieà l’usagedesmaladesqui veulent retrouver la santé etdesbien-portantsquiveulentlerester:suividuDictionnairethématiquedesconceptsdelanaturopathiebyÉditions Jouvence,S.A.,CheminduGuillon20,Case 143,CH-1233 Genève-Bernex, Switzerland, www.editions-jouvence.com,info@editions-jouvence.com

All rights reserved.Nopartof thisbookmaybe reproducedorutilized inanyform or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.

Note to the reader: This book is intended as an informational guide. Theremedies,approaches,andtechniquesdescribedhereinaremeanttosupplement,and not to be a substitute for, professional medical care or treatment. Theyshouldnotbeused to treataseriousailmentwithoutpriorconsultationwithaqualifiedhealthcareprofessional.

LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataVasey,Christopher.[Petittraitédenaturopathie.English.] Thenaturopathicway :howtodetox, findqualitynutrition,and restoreyouracid-alkalinebalance/ChristopherVasey;translatedbyJonE.Graham.p.cm. Originally published in French under the title: Petit traité de naturopathie: àl’usage des malades qui veulent retrouver la santé et des bien-portants quiveulent le rester: suivi du Dictionnaire thématique des concepts de lanaturopathie.Genève:ÉditionsJouvence,c2007.

Includesbibliographicalreferences. Summary: “How naturopathy works to establish good health and protectagainstthetoxiccausesofillness.”—Providedbypublisher.eISBN-13:978-1-59477896-41.Naturopathy.I.Title.RZ440.V37132007615.5'35—dc22

2008041957

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