Moerman Therapy
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The Moerman Therapy, also called Moerman Method or Moerman Diet is a purported cancer treatment from the Dutch practitioner Cornelis Moerman (1893–1988). Its effectiveness is supported by anecdote only – there is no evidence of its worth as a cancer treatment.[1][2]
History
Moerman who experimented with pigeons in the 1930s argued that he had identified "mysterious suppressors" of the cancer cell and there are "eight essential substances" that maintain human health.[2] He claimed that deficiency of these substances leads to metabolic disturbances and anomalies of regeneration tissue that enable microorganisms which he termed "symbionts" to convert healthy cells into cancer cells.[2]
According to Quackwatch the Moerman diet is a lacto-vegetarian diet that "prohibited all meats, all fish and shellfish, alcohol, animal fats, artificial colorings, beans, peas, lentils, mushrooms, potatoes, red cabbage, saurkraut [sic], cheeses with high fat and salt content, margerine [sic] and other hydrogenated oils, coffee, cocoa or caffeine containing [sic] teas, egg whites, sugar, salt, white flour, and tobacco."[2] The alleged "symbionts" that Moerman proposed have never been shown to exist.[2]
In 2000, Moerman's invention of the diet earned him a place at the head of "a list of the twenty biggest quacks of the twentieth century" as decided by the Dutch Union Against Quackery.[3]
Description
Genesis
Moerman was a doctor and Pigeon fancier and performed several experiments on his post pigeons. He came to the finding that it is not possible to artificially conceive cancer in healthy pigeons. According to him, the quality of nutrition played a very important role in this regard. According to Moerman, the high oxidation capacity present in pigeons (needed to fly large distances) was what protected the birds from getting cancer. The nutrients that according to Moerman were essential to health, are iodine, Citric acid, Yeast (as a source of the whole Vitamin B complex, including enzyme and, Iron, sulfur, Vitamin A, Vitamin D and Vitamin E.[4][5][6]
Soon Moerman also added vitamin C to this list. He argued that cancer does not begin as a local cellular process, but as a whole body disease, after having developed deficiencies of certain essential nutrients over a long period of time. The motive of Moerman was that cancer arises based on what Moerman called a "deraillement of metabolism ", in particular reduced efficacy of oxidation ability and increased fermentation, so anaerobic breakdown of glucose and carbohydrates, under formation of lactic acid. The progression of proliferation (tumor growth) would then only be a result of it. Moerman referred to the theory of Nobel Prize winner Otto Warburg, which is anaerobiosis as a first cause of cancerous cells.[7]
In 1939, Moerman made the conclusion that a suitable diet in humans could cure cancer. He decided to take his assumption in his GP practice.
The minor symptoms
Moerman put great emphasis on an individualised therapy in order to find the correct substances and dosage for each patient. He defined a number of clinical deficiencies (the so-called "minor symptoms" of Moerman) which would show which of the above nutrients the sick body asks for.[8]
He lists the symptoms as follows:
- Skin changes: dry, cheilitis, calluses, horned heel edges, granules in facial pores, sebaceous gland constipation, skin discoloration. → Vitamin A deficiency.
- Mucosal changes: tongue, inner lip red, cheilitis in corners of the mouth, flaky rings around nose wings. → Riboflavin deficiency.
- Tongue red like horse meat. → Nicotinamide deficiency.
- Nail changes: hard, brittle, strong streak. → Riboflavin deficiency.
- Hair changes: dull, without shine, hair loss. → Pantothenic acid deficiency.
- Swelling of the thigh. → Citric acid deficiency, Riboflavin deficiency.
- Apathy, lack of motivation, reduced vitality. → Vitamin B deficiency.
- Bleeding gums when cleaning. → Vitamin C deficiency.
- Strong stone formation. → Pantothenic acid deficiency.
- Capillary weakness. → Vitamin E deficiency, Vitamin C deficiency.
- Delayed wound healing, scarring. → Vitamin C deficiency.
According to Moerman, these minor symptoms give insight into the therapy to be set for a particular cancer patient. He also suggested that such symptoms often occur in future cancer patients before a malignant tumor is demonstrable. In this context, he stressed the great value of these diagnostics for the prevention of cancer. Moerman assumed that when these symptoms of the primary stage of cancer are present, one should intervene immediately, because according to him the "deraillement " is usually still reversible.
The Diet
Originally recommended by Moerman:[9][10]
- No meat or fish
- No water, no coffee and Tea
- No sugar
- moderate salt
- Half a litre to a litre buttermilk a day
- Juice of oranges and especially lemons
- Two egg yolks (no egg white)
- Wheat Bread with Butter and Cheese
- No potato but rice with cream butter and green vegetables, especially salad with Cucumbers and tomatoes
- Also other vegetables such as Carrots are allowed
- Brown Rice
- Pea soup (of whole peas) without meat or bacon, Onions, Carrots and vegetables
- Honey
- olive oil
- Lots of fruit, especially Grapes
See also
References
- ^ "Alternative cancer treatment". National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
- ^ a b c d e Stephen Barrett, M.D. (11 December 2001). "The Moerman Diet". Quackwatch. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
- ^ Dutch Quackbuster chooses biggest quacks of the 20th century. NCRHI Newsletter November 2000: 2.
- ^ Moerman, Cornelis; Breuß, Rudolf (2000). Krebs. J. Kamphausen Verlag. ISBN 978-3591083102.
- ^ Pruyn, J. F. A. (1985). "Cancer Patients' Personality Characteristics, Physician-Patient Communication and Adoption of the Moerman Diet". SW. Sri. Med. 20 (8). Pergamon Press Ltd: 841–847. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(85)90313-0.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Ten Kroode, H. (1989). "Three conflicts as a result of causal attributions". Social Science & Medicine. 28 (1): 93–97. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(89)90314-0.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Moerman, Cornelis; Breuß, Rudolf (2000). Krebs. J. Kamphausen Verlag. ISBN 978-3591083102.
- ^ Moerman, Cornelis; Breuß, Rudolf (2000). Krebs. J. Kamphausen Verlag. ISBN 978-3591083102.
- ^ Moerman, Cornelis; Breuß, Rudolf (2000). Krebs. J. Kamphausen Verlag. ISBN 978-3591083102.
- ^ Pruyn, J. F. A. (1985). "Cancer Patients' Personality Characteristics, Physician-Patient Communication and Adoption of the Moerman Diet". SW. Sri. Med. 20 (8). Pergamon Press Ltd: 841–847. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(85)90313-0.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)
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