• Nerve Building Diet
• Blood Building Diet

    Edgar Cayce often recommended specific diets for persons requiring nervous system regeneration.  He typically referred to such diets as "nerve and body building" or "nerve and blood building."  Here are some examples of nerve building diets recommended in the readings:

Q.  Outline proper diet for body.
A.  That as will give to the nerve system more of the ENERGY as is necessary.  That is, those of the vegetables that are nerve building.  Those that do not carry too much of the value of just weight, but [that] carry more WITH same that as is ASSIMILATED in system. As may be illustrated in this:  In potatoes of any character, better were the body to eat the peel than for the other portion.  In those of the green vegetables, those of the radish, onion, the lettuce - HEAD, especially - for were the other character taken much by the body it would produce too much drowsiness - and those of celery; these do not carry so much dross, but are MOSTLY all assimilated, see?       (5475-2)

    Keep a well balanced diet, body and nerve-building foods. Have raw vegetables as much as possible.       (5048-2)

    First, let the diet be vegetables, fish and game.  Never hog meats or too much fats of any kind.  Very lean may be taken at times, provided well cooked, but rather those nerve building vegetables as are found in all that grow above ground; spinach, celery, peas and such, with cabbage properly prepared with milk and such, and other cereals and fruits ... (4771-1)

    The diet - not meats, vegetable matter; all those that lend energy to nerve building forces and those that give to the blood force the eliminating properties - berries and fruits, see; vegetables, those that are green.  Meats, very little. When used, only game or fish or the sinew of any other force.      (4730-1)

Q.  Please suggest foods to stress and foods to avoid in the diet.
A.  In the diet there should be the stressing of those that are nerve building; such as beef, liver, fish, especially sea food - not fresh water fish.  Vegetables that are raw, especially such as water cress, celery, lettuce, carrots should be prepared quite often - in fact, have some of these every day, but prepare most often with gelatin because of the activities that cause the better nerve forces.      (4033-1)

Q.  Do I need any concentrated vitamins and minerals?
A.  Not until there are those corrections made that will cause proper reflexes through the system, both to the nerve and blood supply of upper and lower portion of body.
Q.  Is there any combination of foods that could be truthfully called Brain Foods, Nerve Foods, Muscle Foods?
A.  Those that are body-building; those that are nerve building and those that supply certain elements.  For, as indicated, those foods suggested are to be taken by the body. Fish, fowl and lamb are those that supply elements needed for brain, muscle and nerve building.  Vegetables that carry certain chemicals, as carrots, celery and lettuce are especially nerve building and supply the vitamins called the B and B complex, or B combinations.  Those foods that grow under the ground of certain characters, as well as lentils, beans and cabbage supply certain sulphurs as well as other elements that are needed in the body for better chemical balance.       (4008-1)

    The diets will be along those lines that make for nerve BUILDING.  Plenty of the green foods - as celery, salsify - not too much of the asparagus, but only those of the fresh or the green - cabbage, lentils, peas, beans, and such - these may be taken.  Little or no meats, to be sure - though those that will add for nerve forces, as tripe, brains, kidneys, liver, spleen, or such, these will be beneficial to the body in small quantities.  (3747-1)

    Note that a nerve building diet is essentially the basic diet recommended by Cayce for everyone.  The diet is more alkaline than acid.  There is a heavy emphasis on fresh vegetables that grow above the ground.  Meat in small quantities is allowed with a preference for fish, fowl or lamb.  In certain cases, organ meat (brains, kidneys, liver, etc.) were recommended in small quantities.

    This type of diet will tend to improve and maintain eliminations due to the high raw vegetable content.  Also note that the readings emphasized the importance of the B vitamins contained in certain vegetables.  Cayce generally preferred that vitamins be assimilated from food rather than supplements.  However, he did prescribe supplements in some cases.

    Edgar Cayce often recommended specific diets for persons suffering from debilitation and anemia. He typically referred to such diets as "blood building."  Here are some examples of blood building diets recommended in the readings:

(Q)  Please give in full a blood building diet for my body.
(A)  Those as indicated that have a quantity or an excess of the calcium, and those that will make for a balance in the iodines with the potassiums of the system itself.
    Or in the use of Atomidine, or - more preferably - occasionally Calcidin added as the medicant or medicinal properties that make for addition of elements to the system.  Not taken haphazardly, yet not in such a manner that they become routine.  But those manners in which they are adding to the system the necessary elements and influences for corrective measures throughout the body itself.
    Quantities, then, of the orange, the lime, the lemon, the grapefruit.  These should form a portion of the diet at most ALL times.  DO NOT combine cereals or starches of a great nature with the citrus fruit juices.
    Liver, tripe, pig knuckle.  Such are those that will be body and blood building.
    Salsify, turnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and such natures are those that carry the vitamins necessary for body-building with THIS body.
    Seafoods in moderation, but sufficient to keep a balance.  Beef juices.  Wine taken as a FOOD, not as a drink.  An ounce and a half to two ounces of red wine in the afternoon, after the body has WORN itself out; that is, two, three, four o'clock in the afternoon - or cocktail time.  Take it as a food, with brown bread.  Not beer or ale, nor any of the hard drinks - but RED WINE!
    These, as we find, taken in combination with the regular foods - and have three leafy vegetables to two of the pod nature, or that ratio.   (578-5)

    Mornings - either cocoa as a drink, or a MALTED drink; followed with - a little bit later, half to three-quarters of an hour - citrous fruits, with rice cakes, whole wheat muffins, or a little honey (in the honeycomb) with same at times.
    Noon meals - preferably meat JUICES (this doesn't mean broths, altogether), the JUICES of meats, occasionally mixed with the juices of FRESH green vegetables.
    Evenings - a well BALANCED diet, occasionally using the diet that is more blood building in its nature.  Plenty of oysters that carry the greater part of iron, and as little of copper or manganese as possible.  Also all those foods carrying the BLOOD building properties, as of calves' liver - especially; pig knuckle and tripe.  These should be a portion of the diet at most periods, though altered occasionally.  Beware of too much sweets.   (4164-1)

    Then bind about the body that of a band, or support, that will hold (for three to six weeks) the stomach and thediaphragm in its proper position, using throughout this time those properties as the diet that will give the more vitality to blood building, red blood building in the system - taking then those in the diet, using little meat but at specified times, but much meat juices, see?  and a vegetable diet that rebuilds blood, such as green vegetable forces:  Carrots, beets, lettuce, celery, peas, beans, and those of that nature, see?   (4325-1)

    Occasionally we would add those of the blood building, once or twice a week.  The pig knuckles, tripe and calves' liver, or those of BRAINS and the like.  See?  Ready for questions.   (275-24)

    When the bowels have been flushed, than begin with a well-balanced diet that will make for nerve and bloodbuilding forces for the body.  This would be as an outline,through it may be altered somewhat to suit the tastes; but be mindful that - for at least three to four weeks - no candies, cakes or pies are taken:
    Mornings - citrus fruit juices; corn cakes or buckwheat cakes that are well buttered, and if a syrup is to be used on same use honey - but at least half of those eaten at a meal should be without it.  Or, this may be altered to stewed fruits,mixed fruits, figs, prunes, or rhubarb may be made as one meal - that is, the morning meal, see?
    Noons - a sandwich of chicken or mutton, or lamb, or veal; or there may be included in this the whole wheat toast with milk that has been brought not to a boil but ALMOST, or makeinto milk toast.  Or, there may be taken at this meal the juices of meats or the juices of vegetables; but, preferably WITHOUT the meats or the vegetables, see?
    Evenings - at least three of the evening meals each week should be of calves' liver with eggs (and only the egg yolks used); with grits and gravy, or rice and gravy - or othercereals of the same nature.  And cooked vegetables, as anyof the LEAFY vegetables that are palatable for the body, or cooked in such a manner as to BE palatable; that carry iron,  and silicon, and sulphur, and the like, for the developing body.  Fish and sea foods, or the shell foods may be used at the same meal.
    At all times the body should drink PLENTY of MILK!  For this particular body, the dried milk or malted milks will be better than cows' milk; for they will balance better witha developing system and supply more of the vitamins necessary for the replenishing of those forces within the system, through the glandular activities of the body that have been depleted by the activity of this parasite - or this FORM of parasite in the system.   (308-1)

    As to the diet:  Take plenty of those things that are body and blood building.  Plenty of citrus fruit juices,especially orange juice.  If a pint is taken EVERY day it will be MOST beneficial for the body; though the same amount might be taken morning and evening and still not be too much.  However, do not take cereals within several hours of any citrus fruit juices.  Leave off white breads and white potatoes, unless just the skins of the potatoes are eaten.
    Have plenty of vegetables cooked in their OWN salts, preferably; rather than with meats or fats - and not in openwater but in their own juices (as in Patapar Paper).   (459-9)

    In the matter of the diet, keep those things that are BLOOD building, as in this:  Tripe, liver, codliver oil, olive oil - these should be taken with most of the foods.  Not sweets, nor vinegars or of the acids that make for same.  Let the SYSTEM create that as for the body.  Beware of too much meats of any kind, save as those given.  Pig knuckle, or those that     carry that that makes FOR the characterization of that glucose in the blood, that may aid in aiding and abetting, with that solvent force created by the use of the salts, rubs, and massage, and that will work WITH the GLANDS of the system, as will aid - or be aided by the Soda and Gold in its assimilation in system.   (484-1)

    The foods, then, would be rather of the alkalin reacting nature; but with the fats that would make for the body and blood building.  Hence a portion of the diet, as well as the enzymes found in the Ventriculin, at least two or three mealseach week, should consist of broiled liver or pigs' feet [fresh, not pickled] or pig knuckle, or those forces that carry that which is building for the body, with the elements in same that will assist in bringing a normal equilibrium - or build the resistances to meet those inroads that have been made by the non-activity of the gland secretions in the body.  (726-1)

    In the diet, keep those things that are body and blood building as much as possible.  Liver, tripe, and things of such nature should be a portion of the diet at least twoor three times each week.  Cereals, citrus fruit and such;though do not eat cereals and citrus fruits at the same meal.  Meats of every nature may be taken except HOG meat.  No fried       meats or fried foods of any kind.  Two of the bulbular vegetables should be eaten to one of the leafy vegetables.  This is the character of the diet, as we find.   (1087-1)

    Greater precautions needs to be taken in the diet that there are blood building foods; as the whole wheat, beef juices, boiled liver, pigs' feet and the like.  These carry the hormones and the gluten that supplies in the assimilatingsystem the better body-building.   (1519-4)

    In the matter of the diet:
    Keep to those things that are more blood building, that supply especially the vitamins for blood coagulation, andblood and body building.  Include oft in the diet such as broiled liver, fish, lamb - these all broiled or stewed.  No fried foods.
    Take plenty of carrots, yellow peaches, yellow corn.  All of these, and foods that are yellow in color, should be a part of the diet - especially for the next three months.   (1796-1)

    Let the diet be that as is nerve and blood building.  Let it be composed of - at least once each week - tripe, liver, codliver, fish liver, hog liver, pig liver, calf liver - any of those - at least once or twice each week, see?  and vegetables and fruits, as plenty of celery and the leafy vegetables.  If cabbage is taken let it be raw, rather than cooked.  Lentils, beans, peas, spinach, celery, lettuce, and the like.  Fruits - pears; no apples; cherries, BERRIES - provided they grow off of ground, not ON the ground - these would be the better.  Ready for questions.   (3842-1)