The first and most important rule of all produce while on the Gerson Therapy is that it must be organic! Organic food can be found in a variety of sources. Some of these options are specific to the United States, but most other countries will have similar ways of finding organic produce.

Check the supplies section of our website for additional resources.

Grocery and Wholesale Stores

Many grocery stores now carry certified organic, pesticide-free produce. Most grocery stores have a produce manager responsible for ordering produce and supplies. Since you will be ordering produce in large amounts, and for an extended amount of time, ask the produce manager to set up a weekly order for you. They may even be able to special order certain harder-to-find items, such as celeriac root. Also, consider inquiring about a discount. Additionally, many big-box stores in the United States carry a variety of organic produce at a lower price. However, you may have to turn to larger specialty stores in order to find some items.

Food Delivery Websites and Apps

There is a growing trend to have groceries delivered directly to your doorstep. A quick search online will provide many options, and many more are on the way. With a bit of research you can find the ones that offer exactly what you need.

Food Co-Ops

Food co-ops, although less widely available, are always a great source of organic produce. If you live in the United States, check out www.coopdirectory.org to find a food co-op near you.

Seasonal Produce

Eating mostly seasonal produce will help ensure that produce remains as affordable and fresh as possible. Buying vegetables and fruits out of season usually means they were harvested in some other part of the country or part of the world, then shipped a long way to your local store. Produce begins to lose nutrients as soon as it is picked, so fresh is always best.

Farmers’ Markets

Buying at farmers’ markets is the ideal way to get fresh produce. You’ll be supporting local farms by buying directly from a local farmer, just after the produce is harvested. However, not all vendors at a farmers’ market are organic, so it is best to find a stand or farm you know is certified organic.

Community Supported Agriculture

Many local farms have a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) arrangement with the public, where you can purchase a share of a farm’s harvest each week. The farm may either deliver your produce to your home or to a designated community pick-up spot. Visit www.localharvest.org/csa to find a CSA in your area.

Gardening

Consider starting your own garden! No other source will give you food as fresh. Growing your own food will allow you to enrich the soil through composting and other means to ensure that your food is the most nutritious. However, gardening can take a good deal of work and getting proper rest is greatly important to a patient’s ability to heal.

Here are a few tips to get you started and be sure to check out our blog with 6 Steps to Start a Garden:

• Consider hiring a small gardening business
  In the United States, small gardening businesses can set up your garden along with automatic watering systems and perform regular garden checkups so that you need only to harvest, eat and enjoy the produce.
• Vertical Gardening
  If space is an issue, there are vertical gardening systems that allow you to grow a good deal of produce in a very small space.
• Community Gardening
  You can also get a plot at a community garden, which will also introduce you to others with an interest in growing food. Perhaps these same people will be interested in helping someone!
• Start Small
  Consider starting small; plant a few pots with herbs and keep them on a windowsill. A wide variety of videos can be found on YouTube showing how to grow and maintain an organic garden.
• Plant Pricier Plants
  Plant certain pricier items, like an assortment of greens, to complement what you need to purchase regularly.

No other method will provide you food as fresh as what comes right out of your yard. Also, growing food yourself lets you personally enrich the soil through compost and other means, in order to ensure that your produce is nutritionally superior to what might be found in a store. Keep in mind that the produce you consume becomes your medicine, so you want the highest quality medicine you can get.

Understanding this strong connection between the earth and your food could prove exceedingly valuable in maintaining a healthy view of natural healing. While starting anything new can be overwhelming, there are many videos available online with invaluable tips relating to anything and everything you want to know about setting up and maintaining a garden, e.g. the YouTube channel Growing Your Greens. These videos could make very useful coffee break companions.

And remember, don’t be afraid to ask for help from family, friends, and even your neighbors!

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2015 issue of  Healing News and was adapted for the new Gerson Therapy Cookbook.
Article written by Eric Freeman
Post by Nicole Ferrer-Clement

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