Health secrets from Europe

by Paavo Airola

Hardcover published by Parker Publishing Co., Inc., 1970.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Paavo Airola (1918-1983), Ph.D., N.D., was a Finnish-American nutritionist, naturopathic physician, educator and award-winning author.

Reviews

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite an old book but I was delighted to see it contained similar natural health principles that the hygienists and Seventh Day Adventists follow. It emphasizes that in the U.S., Americans are only looking for cures, but in Europe and Russia they focus more on prevention. Or at least they did in the early 1970's when this book first came out. It covers extended water fasting, juice fasting, the importance of getting enzymes from raw fruits and vegetables, hydrotherapy, psamototherapy (burying most of the body in sand and salt), sulfur baths, a low animal protein diet, juicing therapeutically, and working with fever instead of against it via saunas, steam baths and adequate hydration. There are chapters just on curing arthritis, heart disease, hypertension, MS, balding, various international therapies for keeping young, and the curative properties of honey and royal jelly. There are also recipes at the end of the book.

There was a chapter on the Are Waerland Health System. His name is new to me but his principles are very familiar. He stated, "We do not deal with disease-- only with mistakes in our way of living; eliminate the mistakes and the diseases will disappear of their own accord. ... Man's health is his birthright. Man brought disease upon himself by disobeying the God-given laws of nature. Eliminate the mistakes in your way of living and attune yourself with the laws of health and all diseases will disappear." His health system included (1) natural, health-giving foods, (2) plenty of fresh air day and night, (2) sufficient exposure to the sun, (3) sufficient physical work and exercise, (4) a clean body through baths and dry brushing, (5) efficient bowel elimination through a lacto-vegetarian diet and plenty of raw fruits and vegetables, and (6) positive mental attitude based on belief in man's divinely designed calling as a human being.

I might add that when Dr. Richard Schulze was looking for cures for his congenital heart deformity as a very young man, Dr. Paavo Airola was his first mentor.

Overall, this was a great find.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun compendium of health practices. The book is from 1970 so not everything is unheard of anymore but there are still a number of things that make you wonder why they haven't become mainstream practice.

The book is organized into clearly defined chapters so you can just hit the topics you're interested in if that's your style.

There is a collection of recipes at the back. I used the vegetable broth recipe while I was fasting and I plan on making my own sauerkraut tomorrow. The real, fermented kind, not the vinegar brined type that is still sold in the US.