Arnold Ehret was a German naturopath and alternative health educator, best known for developing the Mucusless Diet Healing System. He authored books and articles on dieting, detoxification, fruitarianism, fasting, food combining, health, longevity, naturopathy, physical culture and vitalism. He claimed that pus and mucus-forming foods were the cause of human disease, and that fasting and a diet of mainly fruits and vegetables were the key to human health. He also believed that white blood cells were not important components of the immune system, but rather waste materials that poisoned the blood.
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Early Life and Career
Ehret was born in 1866, in St. Georgen, Schwarzwald, Baden, near Freiburg, southern Germany. He was interested in physics, chemistry, drawing and painting. In 1887, at age 21, he graduated as a Professor of Drawing from a college in Baden. After studying in Frankfurt, he then taught there at a technical school for 15 years.
Ehret was discharged from the army after nine months because of a heart condition. During the 1890s, his health deteriorated and he took interest in naturopathy. He visited Sebastian Kneipp’s water cure sanatorium in Wörishofen. He embraced fasting and a diet that consisted primarily of fruit. He founded a Sanitarium in Switzerland and used his diet to treat people.
He moved to the United States in 1914 and attended the Panama–Pacific International Exposition of 1915. He opened an office in Los Angeles to promote his ideas. By age 31, he was diagnosed with Bright’s disease which he claimed was cured by his mucusless diet (Bright’s Disease is inflammation of the kidneys).
The Mucusless Diet Healing System
Ehret developed his Mucusless Diet Healing System through years of continuous experimentation on himself and others. He studied diets in Central and Southern Europe and the Middle East, and observed the effects of different foods on the body. He concluded that most foods consumed by modern humans were unnatural and harmful, and that they produced mucus and pus in the body. He classified foods into two categories: mucus-forming and mucusless.
Mucus-forming foods included all animal products (meat, eggs, dairy), grains (wheat, rice, corn), legumes (beans, peas), starches (potatoes), fats (oil, butter), salt, sugar, alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, spices, and cooked foods. Ehret claimed that these foods caused inflammation, congestion, acidity, toxicity, and disease in the body.
Mucusless foods included all fresh fruits (except bananas), green leafy vegetables (except cabbage), root vegetables (except potatoes), nuts (except peanuts), seeds (except sunflower seeds), and raw foods. Ehret claimed that these foods were alkaline, cleansing, healing, and natural for the body.
Ehret advocated a gradual transition from a mucus-forming diet to a mucusless diet. He recommended starting with short fasts of one or two days to eliminate toxins from the body. Then he advised to eat only fruits for breakfast, salads for lunch, and cooked vegetables for dinner. He also suggested to avoid drinking water or other liquids with meals to prevent diluting the digestive juices.
Ehret claimed that his Mucusless Diet Healing System could cure any disease by removing the accumulated mucus and pus from the body. He also claimed that it could increase energy, strength, vitality and longevity. He wrote several books on his system such as The Definite Cure of Chronic Constipation , Rational Fasting , Physical Fitness Thru A Superior Diet , The Mucusless Diet Healing System , and others.
Controversy and Criticism
Ehret’s ideas about diet and disease have no scientific basis and have been criticized by medical experts as dangerous. His theory that white blood cells are harmful is contradicted by medical science that asserts they are important components of the immune system that fight infections and diseases. His theory that mucus is the cause of disease is also unsupported by evidence. Mucus is a normal secretion of the mucous membranes that lubricates and protects them from irritation and infection.
Ehret’s diet is also deficient in many essential nutrients such as protein , calcium , iron , zinc , vitamin B12 , vitamin D , iodine , and others. These nutrients are vital for the proper functioning of the body’s organs and systems. A lack of these nutrients can lead to various health problems such as anemia , osteoporosis , scurvy , rickets , goiter , nerve damage , mental disorders , and others.
Ehret’s fasting regimen is also risky as it can cause dehydration , electrolyte imbalance , hypoglycemia , muscle loss , organ damage , and even death. Fasting should only be done under medical supervision and for a limited period of time. Fasting is not a cure for any disease, but rather a temporary relief of symptoms.
Ehret also developed and marketed the Innerclean Intestinal Laxative, a product that claimed to cleanse the colon of mucus and waste. In the 1930s, the product was investigated and found to be fraudulent. It contained senna , a powerful laxative that can cause diarrhea , cramps , dehydration , and dependency. It also contained aloes , which can irritate the colon and cause bleeding. The product was banned by the Food and Drug Administration in 1939.
Death and Legacy
Ehret died on October 10, 1922, at the age of 56. The official cause of death was a basal fracture of the skull, which he sustained after falling while walking down a street in Los Angeles. Some of his followers have doubts about the accident and suspect foul play, as Ehret was a controversial figure who challenged the medical and agricultural industries with his radical views.
Ehret’s books and teachings have influenced many people who seek alternative health methods. Some of his followers include Benedict Lust , Fred Hirsch , John Tobe , Robert Gray , John Rose , and others. Ehret’s legacy lives on through various organizations, websites, and publications that promote his Mucusless Diet Healing System.
However, Ehret’s system is not widely accepted or endorsed by the mainstream medical community or nutrition experts. His system is based on pseudoscience, anecdotal evidence, and personal opinion, rather than scientific research, clinical trials, and peer review. His system is potentially harmful and ineffective for treating or preventing any disease. His system should not be followed without consulting a qualified health professional.
