In 1954 Sweden made headlines in the world press when eleven men walked from Gothenburg to Stockholm, a distance of about 300 miles, in ten days. During the whole march these men, who walked about 30 miles each day in rain or shine, did not eat any food at all!

They didn’t drink any juices, did not take any drugs, tablets or vitamins—nothing but plain water!

This fast march created a sensation not only in Sweden but around the world. Not only the average man but even the medical doctors did not realize that man can go without food for ten days, especially under such a severe physical stress. Many have heard stories of flyers who crash-landed their airplanes in the wilderness then died from starvation after eight or nine days; or of the lost mountain climbers who were starved to death after a few days. This dramatic fast march was the shock that forced people to re-assess their thinking about fasting. It made them realize that man not only can be without food for ten days but he can even perform a physical feat which many would not be able to duplicate on a diet of fat steaks.

The Gothenburg-Stockholm march received unprecedented world publicity right from the beginning. The world was not prepared for anything of this nature. Several doctors expressed their opinion that fasters would never reach Stockholm—they would die on the road. Large headlines in all the newspapers talked about “insane, mad, crack-brained faddists.” Doctors suggested stopping the project by force. Sweden’s largest newspaper sent a medical doctor, a specialist in athletics and sports, to check the condition of the fasters after about five days of march. Disappointed by the fact that he could not find anything wrong with the seemingly healthy and happy men, the doctor made his now infamous statement: “They remind me of a man who jumped from a skyscraper and while passing the tenth floor said to himself ‘Well, so far the flight is great!’ ”

Hundreds of thousands of people greeted the 11 men when they triumphantly marched into Stockholm. Medical check-ups, immediately after the march, several weeks and then several months later, showed that the men did not suffer any damage. Their weight loss was an average of 20 pounds per person, or two pounds a day.

*8\58\2*

Epsom salts, used as an after-shower drench, is an effective treatment for problems of insomnia, high blood pressure and bed-wetting.

The method is very simple. Each evening take a good hot shower to cleanse the skin and open the pores. Have ready a quart of warm water into which 2 ozs. of Epsom salts have been dissolved. When the shower (or bath) is over, slowly pour the solution over the whole body so that, as far as possible, every part has been covered. Then wait for a minute or two before patting the skin dry with a towel.

Because of its powerfully relaxing effect, this treatment can be a valuable aid in the relief of insomnia. However, each person will have to determine by experience how long to wait before drying, and how thorough the drying with the towel should be. Some will find, for instance, that if the body is not thoroughly towel-dried, they will hardly be able to get out of bed. The limbs will feel heavy and the whole body will be so relaxed that they will wonder if they will ever move again. Needless to say, this is too severe a reaction, and the treatment needs to be modified for that person. When you do it, take note of just how much rubbing you do and be aware of the effect of the treatment on your sleep and upon your feelings in the morning. You will soon learn just how brisk the rub-down should be for you in order to give you an excellent night of unbroken sleep and a fresh awakening in the morning.

This treatment will not bring lasting results from only one application. It needs to be repeated every night. The results will become apparent gradually as the treatment is repeated.

What happens is as follows: The Epsom salts draw off the toxins thrown off by the skin while at the same time the magnesium is absorbed in part by the skin and conveyed to the nerve endings. Anyone who doubts that magnesium can be thus absorbed by the skin can have his doubts dispelled very quickly by taking a handful of Epsom salts, moistening it, and rubbing it on the back over the area of the intestines. If he does this thoroughly, he will find his bowels as activated as if he had taken a stiff internal dosage.

Some may say that the Epsom salts bath would do just as well. However, this would seem very doubtful since the bath would make the solution too diluted. To achieve the same concentration in the bath, something like two gallons of Epsom salts would have to be added to the average bathtub full of water. Case History

We know a woman who suffered from symptoms of high blood pressure. Her doctor tested her, found it to be so, and warned her of the need to get the pressure down. She went to her humble home in which was neither bath nor shower, and every night took the Epsom salts treatment just described. She accomplished this by taking a wash from a handbasin placed on the floor and pouring the solution over her, rubbing off lightly, and retiring.

On her next visit to the doctor, tests showed that the blood pressure was normal. While she faithfully continued the treatment, there was no return of the trouble.

Bed-wetting in children is often the result of a nervous or highly-strung disposition. It can also be caused by the irritation of high acidity of a body in a fairly toxic state. Epsom salts will take care of both problems. Bathe the child each night as described above. The Epsom salts will relax and settle the nervous disposition and also draw off the acidity. The result will be a dry bed, unless there is a cause of the problem other than the ones mentioned above. Again, do not expect that one application will solve the problem. It may take a week of nightly treatments before the desired results are achieved, and it will take continued treatment to maintain the results.

*38\62\2*

Case No. 1: Hamstring cramping.

This person was running on the beach and into the cold water when suddenly he felt as if a baseball bat had belted him in the right calf muscle. In intense pain, he hobbled back to his car and reached home successfully. He felt sure that he would be off his feet for days so he tried to get a pair of crutches to use. None were available, but the leg was steamed as described above. The next day he drove to the city, sixty miles away, and went about his business as usual, with only a slight limp. Two 2-hour treatments were used in this case.

Case No. 2.

Another lad suffered a motorbike accident in which his only injury was several broken bones in the back of his hand. By the time he reached the doctor, it was badly swollen. He was informed that the bones could not be reset until the swelling had subsided, in an estimated three days. He came to us and, using a cardboard carton, we made a little steam tent and steamed the hand for approximately three hours, which was as long as it took to get the swelling down. Every 15 minutes we would take it out of the tent and wrap it with a rag that had been soaked in ice water. He returned that same afternoon to a very surprised doctor who was then able to set the bones. The double action induced by the steam (sweating and circulating), had enabled the body to carry off the fluid built up in the hand.

Case No. 3.

A carpenter fell off a roof onto some rocks, badly injuring his shoulder in the process. He came straight over, and we put him into a full-body steam tent. This was done because the whole body was bruised and aching. However, we applied the ice water only to the injured shoulder. The treatment lasted about two hours. This was followed with a light massage, and the patient went home feeling comfortable. He rested the next day and returned to work the following day. It is his testimony that, but for this treatment, he feels he would have been incapacitated for the next two weeks, which was time off he could not afford.

In similar circumstances, another man was given two weeks of workman’s compensation, but with hot and cold treatment he was back at work in three days’ time. And another using hot and cold recovered over the weekend instead of being away from work for the predicted two weeks.

Case No. 4.

Working in the garden one morning, I accidently ran a prong of the garden fork into the upper part of my foot. It did not penetrate very deeply, but it did break the skin. Just then a visitor drove into the yard, and the incident was forgotten for the time. However, later in the afternoon while I was working at my desk, I began to feel pain in my foot. Looking at it, I noticed that it was swelling, but I still thought that it was not very serious. I decided to overlook it and kept on working, hoping it would take care of itself. Another half hour went by and the swelling continued. Now it was uncomfortably painful. There was no one at home to help me, so I had to devise a way to take care of the situation myself. I hobbled up to the house and set up a chair and a kettle so I could sweat the affected foot. I also wanted to disperse the build-up of fluid, so I placed my steam tent beside the refrigerator. Then I took two wet face-cloths and put them in the freezing compartment. Now I was in great pain from having to walk on the congested foot. But, by alternately heating the foot in the steam tent and then wrapping it in the cold cloths from the refrigerator, I was able to find relief after about an hour’s time. The swelling did not show any signs of going down, but there was a softening of the tissues which helped relieve the pressure.

It was necessary for me to have more than one treatment, and during this time I made a few visits to the sea-side.

I sat at the edge of the water and allowed the waves to splash over it and massage it. Sea water contains many healing mineral salts that cleanse and restore health. This, together with the action of the waves, stimulated the circulation. An onlooker at the beach was shocked when she saw the condition of my foot the first day. I only wish she had been there later to see the effective results of using nature’s doctors in this instance.

*29\62\2*

This is an effective treatment for one suffering from gastrointestinal indigestion, gall bladder tenderness, constipation or colitis. This treatment, applied every night and preceded by the fomentations described above, if persisted in, will cure obstinate constipation. No drug for laxative purposes should be taken, even if the patient goes for three or I’ ‘in days without a bowel movement. Nature will take care “I this. Patients who have depended on drugs entirely for 15 to 20 years have been cured with this treatment and have remained cured. It is the effect of increased circulation of the blood to the digestive organs that accomplishes this result. Materials Needed:

Strip of linen (or two layers of cheesecloth) 8 to 10 inches wide and long enough to pass around the body twice.

Piece of flannel 12 to 14 inches wide and about the same length as the linen (or gauze).

Piece of rubberized cloth or plastic large enough to cover entire area around body.

Procedure: (to be carried out at bedtime)

Wring the compress out of water at about 65° F. Wring very dry and apply quickly to the waist. Bandage should extend down past the pubic bones.

Cover this with the length of the flannel. Draw the edges of both layers snugly and pin with safety pins. (Persons with broad hips and narrow waists may wish to pass a narrow strip between the thighs and pin to the girdle to prevent slipping up.)

The best procedure is to apply the girdle at bedtime and leave it on until morning. If, after wearing it for several nights it should cause irritation, leave it off for a few nights. If it causes chilliness and does not warm up readily, cover it with another thickness of flannel, or wring it out more thoroughly. A good substitute for flannel is an old jumper or cardigan knitted from wool.

Warmth can be conveyed to a swollen, inflamed joint in the same way. Again, using cold water, wring out the four thicknesses of cheesecloth and bind them around the inflamed joint. Cover with plastic or Glad Wrap and two layers of woolen cloth or some other warm material. A relaxation of the tissues results from the warming action caused by increased circulation. Toxins are carried away in the blood stream, and healing results.

In the case of pains thought to be caused by the liver, a different kind of compress is applied. Here, fresh cow’s milk is used instead of water. The lactic acid in the milk is thought to be of value in changing the chemical balance in the patient’s favour. The hot compress is not used in conjunction with this. Dip the compress cloth in the fresh milk, wring out and place in position on the abdomen. Place a plastic cloth over it and add extra coverings of warm cloth, as before. In a case like this, more than one thing can aid and should be used in the treatment. Warm herb teas (sage, peppermint, etc.) can be drunk and vitamin C given to counteract the inflammation. These, along with the natural aid given to the body through the skilful use of the milk compress, will bring about a soothing of the tissues that will greatly assist in the restoration of the sick organ.

To draw away congestion from the stomach area and increase circulation to the feet, take a thin pair of cotton socks out of cold water and wring them out till they are very dry. Slip them on the feet, and over these pull on another pair of thick wool socks. Within a few minutes, the feet should warm up. If not, then put the feet in hot water and get them warm before reapplying the wet socks. Long socks as well as short ones may be used in this treatment. Long ones would tend to draw away congestion on a larger scale. This treatment is useful for increasing the circulation to the feet for anyone who suffers from chronic cold feet, even when there is no problem with the stomach.

To check vomiting, place a cold compress wrung out of ice water over the stomach, and one across the throat. If vomiting is severe, cover the stomach compress with a flannel bandage drawn very tightly. It is possible that in some cases you may find that applications of heat will give more relaxation. In this case, just use towels wrung out of hot water. Place them over the stomach and cover with a blanket.

In my own family during an epidemic of stomach flu, one of us found that heat relieved the pain and the other found cold to be more relieving. So, here again, you will need to study the particular patient’s reaction. Whichever way it is preferred, water is the active agent to be used in this case.

*20\62\2*

The eldest child in a family of four children complained of feeling hot. His face was flushed, and he had a high temperature. Unfortunately, he could not be treated as the family was on the road during a long journey. Hardly had they arrived at their destination when he broke out with the measles.

A few days later his youngest brother developed the same symptoms, and it was clearly evident that he, too, was coming down with the measles. This time circumstances allowed prompt application of the wet sheet treatment. When his hot skin came into contact with the first sheet, he recoiled from it. But as the treatment was persistently and firmly applied, he was soon enjoying it. In half an hour his fever was down, and the measles never did break out. The next morning he was happily playing with the other children.

The results of this case do not mean that every measles case can be stopped in this way. But when the patient comes from a family who has lived healthfully, as this child did, he will have more power to ward off the disease, and this kind of result will be more likely to happen. It is interesting to note that when the healthy, elder brother did not receive any treatment, the measles broke out and ran their full course. In the case of the child who was assisted, the toxins causing the fever were destroyed at the outset which prevented further negative effects.

*10\62\2*

Rather than being a step on the way to getting a good tan, most Australians now recognise that sunburn can cause permanent damage, resulting in premature aging, pigment disorders and skin cancer, and should be avoided at all times. For details on sunburn avoidance and discussion on the questions surrounding the use of sunscreen creams, see the entry on skin cancer.

Despite the warnings, few of us can say that we have never been sunburnt, although the severity of the burning varies greatly depending on skin type and the degree of ultraviolet exposure. Mild sunburn results in hot and sore redness of the skin which, in most people, turns into a tan within days. Tanning is the skin’s natural response to ultraviolet radiation and results from the production of more of the dark skin pigment, melanin, to protect against further radiation. Opinions vary as to whether a small degree of tanning, acquired gradually, should be encouraged to offer protection against serious burning. A severe case of sunburn will be extremely painful, can lead to dehydration, blistering of the skin and the loss of the outer skin layers through peeling.

Generally speaking, you can treat sunburn as you treat any other burns to the skin and special care should be given to ensuring the patient drinks plenty of fluids. Begin with a long cool bath or shower and apply the gel of the Aloe vera liberally over the affected area, being careful not to break the blisters. The gel is soothing and mildly antiseptic. Creams or poultices of calendula (marigold), camomile, comfrey leaves or St John’s Wort are calming and will promote healing. Many people also advocate the external and internal use of Vitamin E to help the body repair the damaged tissue. Traditional home remedies for sunburn include the application of slightly acidic substances like diluted vinegar and sliced tomato. Cold tea is also effective for relieving the heat and pain. The patient should dress in soft loose clothing and avoid further sun exposure of any kind until the skin has fully healed.

*60\69\2*

In Germany the use of St John’s Wort for elderly depressed people is by no means confined to specialists such as Dr Volz. Rather, it is part of ordinary clinical practice, prescribed by GPs. As part of my attempt to get a picture of usage patterns of St John’s Wort in Germany, I distributed my survey questionnaires to pharmacies there and received several replies from elderly users of the herb. My colleague, Dr Alexander Neumeister, a psychiatrist in Vienna, interviewed some of these respondents. Here are three of their stories.

Elsa, a 65-year-old retired nurse, has always regarded herself as an anxious and sorrowful person, never as happy as others. She was treated on and off with the early anti-depressants, but stopped them after a few days because she could not tolerate their side-effects. After her retirement she became markedly depressed and a GP urged her to take St John’s Wort. Although she was convinced it would not work, she agreed to do so because it was an herbal extract. Within two weeks of starting the herbal anti-depressant (900 mg per day) she felt her anxiety and depression lift, and is now able to enjoy her life. She spends her time taking care of her grandchildren and going on holiday. She has observed no side-effects.

Irene, an 80-year-old retired schoolteacher, had never suffered depression until three years ago when she developed heart problems. She had several heart attacks and suffered from angina whenever she exercised. She was on medications for high blood pressure. Hospitalized for these problems, she was extremely fearful but regarded these fears as excessive because, as she put it, her life was not at immediate risk and others in hospital were more seriously ill than herself. She had difficulty falling asleep and sleeping through the night, and stopped socializing with friends even though she had previously been a gregarious person. Her doctor prescribed St John’s Wort, starting with 300 mg at night. At this low dosage it did not help her, but when he increased the dosage to 900 mg per day, her sleep pattern improved, her depression lifted and she no longer felt anxious. At about the same time she began to feel better physically. She has remained on St John’s Wort for three years without suffering any relapse of her depressive symptoms.

Gerda, a 72-year-old housewife, describes herself as a very nervous person with many physical symptoms, especially abdominal pains after eating, for which she has taken medications over the years. She had observed a seasonal pattern to her physical and emotional problems, which became worse during the winter. Six months ago she began to feel so depressed, anxious and irritable that her children took her to a psychiatrist. He initially prescribed Lustral, but she developed feelings of nausea, became more anxious and agitated and stopped the medication after two weeks.

On St John’s Wort her anxiety has settled down and her abdominal pains have almost disappeared. In addition, she no longer has need for daily pain medications.

There is no reason to believe that St John’s Wort will not prove equally effective and well tolerated in elderly individuals in Britain and the US as it has proved in Germany. Even though relatively few older people have taken the herb for depression in the US, here are a few reports that have come to my attention. By now there must certainly be many more such success stories.

*34\75\2*