Felkekur: Healthy in a Natural Way

In recent years the practice of Holistic medicine as a complement to traditional medicine, has become of increasing interest to the general public. The reason may be that a medicine based only on symptom treatment may miss the diverse and complex interactions between health, life style, nutrition and environment. Moreover, it is wiser and cheaper to support the health mechanisms of the human body and therefore prevent illnesses instead of just curing them. Almost 100 years ago the great natural healer and "clay pastor", Emmanuel Felke, rediscovered the four elements earth, water, air and fire (the basic building blocks of life for the ancient Greeks) as important methods of treatment.

• mud bath or mudpack (earth)
• Sitzreibebad and other cold water applications (water)
• Airand sunbathing combined with gymnastics (air)
• Liver packs, mudpacks, medicinal baths and sauna (heat)

Closely combined with these methods is a natural high fibre diet as well as a special exercise therapy designed to improve physical condition. In order to document the effects of the Felke-cure, Doctor Heidrun Breden (author of the book "Healthy in a Natural Way") carried out a study on 128 patients taking the Felke-cure. Within a space of three weeks, the patients showed a significant reduction in cholesterol and uric acid as well as in their liver indicators and blood pressure. The reduction started within the first week. At the same time, their vitality and physical condition increased. The results of the Felke-cure were not only a reduction of important risk factors for arteriosclerosis, (there was better protection for the heart and circulatory system) but generally improved health was combined with an increased physical fitness. The illustration above shows the lobby of the Kurhaus am Maasberg. If you look closely, you might make out the picture of the great doctor himself in the painting hanging in the background.

Lowering of Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is a building block for cell walls and important hormones. Too much cholesterol, though, especially LDL, is harmful. It builds up on pre-damaged arterial walls and the cells cannot be adequately removed. Less cholesterol in the blood

• reduces the risk of arteriosclerosis,
• circulatory problems, heart attacks, and strokes.

Patients with a count of over 240mg/dl at the beginning of the treatment were studied. After 3 weeks of Felke-cure, the total amount of cholesterol was reduced

• by 100mg/dl with fasting
• by 30 mg/dl with well balanced diet

Lowering of Uric Acid Levels

Uric acid is created during the process of breaking down certain proteins (purine). Less uric acid in the body means:

• protection for the joints from attacks of gout
• protection from kidney stones (deposits of uric acid crystals)
• reduction of the risks of vascular diseases, high blood pressure and diabetes

Three weeks of Felke-cure with its deacidifying mud baths and mudpacks, combined with a vegetarian and raw food diet high in fibre and low in purine, lowered the uric acid level by 0.8 mg/di on average. The subjects of this study were men with 7 mg/dl and women with 5.7 mg/dl levels of uric acid at the beginning of treatment.

Reduction of Blood Pressure Levels

Blood pressure is used to measure the elasticity of the vascular system. As the vascular walls stiffen, the pressure increases. The WHO has created the following norms: normal up to 140/90 mmHg; borderline up to 160/95 mmHg; high above 160/95 mmHg. Lowering blood pressure means:

• reduction of the primary risk factor arteriosclerosis; and consequently fewer heart attacks, strokes, and circulatory problems.
• secondary illnesses of the joints, heart muscle, kidneys and the brain are also avoided.

Studies were carried out on subjects with blood pressure above 160/95 mm Hg at the beginning of treatment. By use of the Felke-cure, blood pressure was quickly brought down to normal levels (under 140/90 mmHg).

Lowering of Liver Indicators

The liver is the central organ in our bodies for metabolism and for cleaning our blood. Due to the increased burdens created by external factors as well as medicines, the liver is often overtaxed. The results are:

• waste substances produced by the body such as bilirubin (made up of old red blood cells) cannot be broken down quickly enough
• enzymes, such as γ -GT (Gammma-Glutamyl-Transpeptidase) are released more often into the blood
• and the body's immune system becomes damaged, leaving it more prone to allergies

Patients with appropriately high bilirubin and γ-GT- indicators at the beginning of the treatment were investigated. After 4 weeks of Felke-cure, the livers of all the subjects had recovered, and the indicators were again within the normal range. This is attributed to the detoxifying effects of the mud baths and mudpacks on the liver in combination with fasting or the natural high fibre diet, and a reduced consumption of medications.

Vitality and Fitness Increase

The less the pulse-rate increases on exertion, the better the body's fitness. It is not maximum strength that is important, but endurance. Healthy endurance is considered to be achieved if, under normal physical strain, the pulse remains below 180 minus one's age. The study demonstrated that endurance improves significantly during the Felke-cure. Subjects felt strengthened, fresher, healthier and more vigorous.