Weight loss! What a challenge! Especially for a foodie! I love food, all kinds. Ever been to Pat’s in Philly for those mouth-watering cheese steaks smothered in Velveeta cheese sauce? Or to a classic drive-in with those incredible sweet burgers, crunchy onion rings and delicious hand-made milk shakes? All favorites that I’ve had to give up!

Over the years, I’ve moved away from many of the greasy unhealthy fast foods that I love and moved steadily towards healthier and healthier foods. My definition of “healthy” has also evolved, along with my increased skepticism over the myriad health claims made daily by various diets, foods and exercises. I’ve changed my eating habits based on personal experience with all the changes I have made, as well as the constant changes in research on obesity and health, and on the many promises of health that simply did not come true.

After my delicious greasy fast food years, I began eating responsible healthy “balanced” meals. But I kept gaining weight! Then, I went through the healthy exotic fruit juice fad; just a few ounces daily of very expensive Noni juice were supposed to make me healthier.

Of course, there were many miracle juices and foods and supplements over the years, all of which were called “miracle health” foods, most of which made more than a few implied promises of miracle health results, and all of which were expensive. Yet, the results weren’t what I was expecting. In fact, the only thing lighter was my wallet. Indeed, to my astonishment, I kept gaining weight.

Then I tried some popular diets, some medically recommended, like The South Beach Diet and Weight Watchers; others more obscure, like The Perfect Health Diet, and Fat Sick and Nearly Dead’s juicing diet. I also tried raw food, vegetarianism, veganism, and more.

Trust me, I tried all the weight loss advice first, including several other protocols, without much success. They tend to work for a short time, sometimes I’d lose 10-15 lbs, then plateau. From there, it is the war of the worlds to lose a tenth of a pound. If there is one thing I learned, it’s that just because something is labeled “healthy,” “natural,” or “organic,” it doesn’t mean you can’t still gain weight eating it.

This year, I tried a new one: the Gerson Therapy. I’ve already blogged about it three times. It doesn’t make claims of weight loss. Rather, it brings about total body and health transformation, and that weight normalization, gaining or losing weight, is merely a secondary benefit. Well, what did I have to lose – besides whatever was in my pockets?

Stuffed acorn squash – a typical Gerson meal

It’s a complicated protocol, one that requires special equipment, and it’s time consuming, extreme, and to some it sounds outrageous, if not downright un-American! After all, no red meat? No water? No salt? All organic foods? Filtered air? Distilled water? No cleaners? Are you kidding me!

The treatment is very multifaceted and so complex that it takes a good month or two to even understand what the treatment is, and sometimes requires hiring a Gerson Coach or Home Set-up Trainer to help one get set up, buy supplements, buy equipment, and understand the protocol.

With a little reluctance, and considerable trepidation, I embarked on Gerson Therapy in early September. Since then, I’ve been on a modified Gerson Therapy diet.

I am fortunate that I do not have any chronic degenerative disease or disorder. So why would I bother with such an expensive, restrictive and complex protocol? I’m doing this for the same reason that Joe Cross did his juicing regimen. Frankly, I related to his documentary Fat Sick & Nearly Dead! However, when I tried juice fasting, I didn’t get the results. I bought a Vita-Mix blender, learned how to make smoothies and switched to a vegan diet, yet I didn’t lose a single pound!

I had medical checkups and lab tests, and was certain there must be a problem with my thyroid, but thankfully nothing negative showed up. My thyroid results were fine. In fact, everything checked out fine, which in and of itself is great, but that still left me with one major question: how will I lose this weight?

Clearly losing weight is imperative for me. Otherwise, I may be inviting a diagnosis down the road, which is probably something I don’t want to experience or invite into my life.

Thus, I decided to take action now rather than later. I decided upon the Gerson Therapy precisely because of its thoroughness, its application in such a broad range of disorders, and its ability to create more vitality and become more healthy. Why wait till I’m sick, right?

Now, I have some results to share:

I’ve lost weight! I have lost more than 21 lbs since starting the therapy! I am starting 2014 25.4 lbs lighter than last year. My goal is to lose 50 lbs more.

While I was on vacation over the holidays, I took a couple weeks off the Gerson protocol and gained 5.2 pounds. But, once I came home and went back on the therapy, I lost those 5.2 pounds in just four days! I am delighted it was so easy.

No matter what, It feels so good to have lost weight; I feel better and can do more, with more ease and energy. I have to thank my wife and family for supporting me. I am incredibly thankful to the non-profit Gerson Institute for guiding me through the Gerson Therapy, and showing me how to strengthen my health, the side-effect of which is that I am finally shedding the weight that I have been so eager to remove for so many years.

The Gerson Institute, by the way, has provided all information absolutely free, as part of their Education Department outreach service. They have a very special dedicated staff answering phones for the purpose of providing information to those who wish to try Gerson Therapy, so if you ever get a desire to ask questions, call them, you have nothing to lose, its free.

The Gerson Institute’s Education Department is open from 8:15 AM – 12PM, 1 PM – 4:45 PM US Pacific Time. Generally, the office is closed from 12-1 PM for lunch. Toll Free 1-888-443-7766 US and Canada

About the Author

Jon Salem is an Adult ADHD Coach who loves entrepreneurship, technology, horses, dogs, cats, chameleons, travel, and science! This post originally appeared on Jon’s blog at http://coach4adultadhd.com/

Additional Resources

If you, like Jon, are not sick, but interested in adopting a healthier lifestyle based on Gerson principles, check out our general nutritional guidelines:

• Gerson Guidelines for General Nutrition

And if you’re interested in learning more about the Gerson Therapy, check out our upcoming Gerson Basics class! Gerson Basics is designed to give you all the information you need for getting started on the Gerson Therapy. You can attend Gerson Basics here in San Diego, or watch online.

• Take Gerson Basics