It is rare in life to meet a doctor who, by his own example, proved the effectiveness of his treatment program. Paul Bragg was such a rare person, who showed with his life the importance of a healthy diet and cleansing of the body. After his death (he died at the age of 96, surfing!) at the autopsy, the doctors were amazed that inside his body was like that of an 18-year-old boy.
Philosophy of life Paul Bragg (or grandfather Bragg, as he liked to call himself) devoted his life to the physical and spiritual healing of people. He believed that everyone who dares to fight for himself, guided by reason, can achieve health. Anyone can live long and stay young. Let’s take a look at his ideas.
Paul Bragg identifies the following nine factors that determine human health, which he calls “doctors”:
Doctor Sunshine
In short, the eulogy to the sun goes something like this: All life on earth depends on the sun. Many diseases arise only because people are too rarely and little in the sun. People also do not eat enough plant foods directly grown using solar energy.
Doctor Fresh Air
Human health is very dependent on air. It is important that the air that a person breathes is clean and fresh. Therefore, it is advisable to sleep with open windows and not wrap yourself up at night. It is also important to spend a lot of time outdoors: walking, running, swimming, dancing. As for breathing, he considers slow deep breathing to be the best.
Doctor Pure Water
Bragg considers different aspects of the impact of water on human health: water in the diet, sources of food water, water procedures, mineral waters, hot springs. He considers the role of water in removing waste from the body, circulating blood, maintaining the body’s temperature balance, and lubricating the joints.
Doctor Healthy Natural Nutrition
According to Bragg, a person does not die, but commits a slow suicide with his unnatural habits. Unnatural habits concern not only lifestyle, but also nutrition. All cells of the human body, even bone cells, are constantly renewed. In principle, this is the potential for eternal life. But this potential is not being realized, because, on the one hand, people suffer greatly from overeating and getting into the body completely alien and unnecessary chemicals, and on the other hand, from a lack of vitamins and microelements in their food as a result of the fact that an increasing number of products he receives not in kind, but in processed form, such as hot dogs, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, ice cream. Paul Bragg believed that 60% of the human diet should be fresh raw vegetables and fruits. Bragg also categorically advised against the use of any salt in food, whether it be table, stone or sea. Despite the fact that Paul Bragg was not a vegetarian, he argued that people simply would not want to eat such foods as meat, fish or eggs themselves – if, of course, they adhere to the principles of a healthy diet. As for milk and dairy products, he advised to exclude them from the diet of an adult completely, since milk by nature is intended for feeding babies. He also spoke out against the use of tea, coffee, chocolate, alcoholic beverages, since they contain stimulants. In short, here’s what to avoid in your diet: unnatural, refined, processed, hazardous chemicals, preservatives, stimulants, dyes, flavor enhancers, growth hormones, pesticides, and other unnatural synthetic additives.
Doctor Post (Fasting)
Paul Bragg points out that the word “fasting” has been known for a very long time. It is mentioned 74 times in the Bible. The prophets fasted. Jesus Christ fasted. It is described in the writings of ancient physicians. He points out that fasting does not heal any individual organ or part of the human body, but heals it as a whole, both physically and spiritually. The healing effect of fasting is explained by the fact that during fasting, when the digestive system gets a respite, a very ancient mechanism of self-purification and self-healing, inherent in every person, is turned on. At the same time, toxins are removed from the body, that is, substances that the body does not need, and autolysis becomes possible – decomposition into constituent parts and self-digestion of dysfunctional parts of the human body by the forces of the body itself. In his opinion, “fasting under reasonable supervision or provided with deep knowledge is the safest way to achieve health.”
Paul Bragg himself usually preferred short periodic fasts – 24-36 hours a week, one week per quarter. He paid special attention to the correct exit from the post. This is an extremely important aspect of the procedure, requiring solid theoretical knowledge and strict adherence to a certain diet for a certain time, depending on the duration of abstinence from food.
Doctor Physical Activity
Paul Bragg draws attention to the fact that physical activity, activity, movement, regular load on the muscles, exercises are the law of life, the law of maintaining good health. The muscles and organs of the human body atrophy if they do not receive sufficient and regular exercise. Physical exercise improves blood circulation, which leads to an acceleration of the supply of all cells of the human body with the necessary substances and accelerates the removal of excess substances. In this case, sweating is often observed, which is also a powerful mechanism for removing unnecessary substances from the body. They help to normalize blood pressure and prevent the formation of blood clots in the blood vessels. According to Bragg, a person who exercises may be less chaste in his diet, because in this case, part of his food replenishes the energy expended on exercise. As for the types of physical activity, Bragg praises gardening, outdoor work in general, dancing, various sports, including directly naming: running, cycling, and skiing, and also speaks highly of swimming, winter swimming, but most he has a better opinion of long walks.
Dr. Rest
Paul Bragg states that modern man lives in a crazy world, saturated with the spirit of fierce competition, in which he has to endure great tension and stress, because of which he is inclined to use all sorts of stimulants. However, in his opinion, rest is not compatible with the use of stimulants such as alcohol, tea, coffee, tobacco, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, or any pills, as they do not provide real relaxation or complete rest. He focuses on the fact that rest must be earned by physical and mental work. Bragg draws attention to the fact that the clogging of the human body with waste products serves as a constant factor in irritating the nervous system, depriving it of normal rest. Therefore, in order to enjoy a good rest, you need to cleanse the body of everything that is a burden for it. The means for this are the previously mentioned factors: the sun, air, water, nutrition, fasting and activity.
Doctor Posture
According to Paul Bragg, if a person eats right and takes care of his body, then good posture is not a problem. Otherwise, an incorrect posture is often formed. Then you have to resort to corrective measures, such as special exercises and constant attention to your posture. His advice on posture boils down to ensuring that the spine is always straight, the stomach is tucked up, the shoulders are apart, the head is up. When walking, the step should be measured and springy. In a sitting position, it is recommended not to put one foot on the other, as this interferes with blood circulation. When a person stands, walks and sits upright, correct posture develops by itself, and all vital organs return to their normal position and function normally.
Doctor Human Spirit (Mind)
According to the doctor, the soul is the first principle in a person, which determines his “I”, individuality and personality, and makes each of us unique and unrepeatable. Spirit (mind) is the second beginning, through which the soul, in fact, is expressed. The body (flesh) is the third principle of man; it is its physical, visible part, the means by which the human spirit (mind) is expressed. These three beginnings make up a single whole, called man. One of Paul Bragg’s favorite theses, repeated many times in his famous book The Miracle of Fasting, is that the flesh is stupid, and the mind must control it – only by the effort of the mind can a person overcome his bad habits, which the stupid body clings to. At the same time, in his opinion, malnutrition can largely determine the enslavement of a person by the flesh. The liberation of a person from this humiliating slavery can be facilitated by fasting and a constructive program of life.