(1867-1939)

He was an innovative Swiss physician and a trailblazing nutritionist, widely recognized for popularizing muesli and being one of the earliest advocates of a raw food diet.

Born in Aarau, Switzerland, he pursued his medical studies in Vienna, Berlin, and Zürich, culminating in his graduation in 1891 from the University of Zurich. Following his graduation, he embarked on a journey of knowledge, immersing himself in the water-cure methods of Rev. Fr. Sebastian Kneipp in Berlin. He then sought wisdom at Dr. Heinrich Lahmann’s clinic near Dresden, delving into dietetic therapy. To further enrich his understanding, he traveled to Vienna to absorb the enlightening lectures on hydrotherapy delivered by Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Winternitz.

He established a clinic called “Lebendige Kraft” (Vital Force) with a revolutionary approach. Believing in preserving vital nutrition from “solar light energy,” he championed raw foods over cooked ones. In his view, meat was the least effective in retaining this essential energy. However, when he presented his groundbreaking medical ideas to the Medical Association in 1900, he was swiftly dismissed as a quack.

Despite initial skepticism, his revolutionary concepts began to captivate the masses. He crafted a transformative diet to combat his liver disease, centered around a medley of nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole-grain products, all while carefully moderating the consumption of fresh fruit.

He developed an eating and living regime called the Ordnungstherapie, or order therapy. The daily schedule involved waking up at 6 am, taking a walk before breakfast, spending most of the day outside working or walking, going to bed at 9 pm, and falling asleep by 9:30. The regimen also included activities like dance, music, massages, sun baths, and cold showers.

He promoted his ideas through a monthly journal called “der Wendepunkt,” printed and sold brochures, and published several books.

• Fruit Dishes & Raw Vegetables (1926)
• Food Science for All – (and a New Sunlight Theory of Nutrition: lectures to teachers of domestic economy) (1928). 
• Health-Giving Dishes (1934)
• The Essential Nature and Organization of Food Energy (and the application of the second principle of thermodynamics to food value and its active force). (1939)
• Children’s Diet (based on the conclusions of modern nutritional research) – (1946)
• The Prevention of Incurable Disease (1959)
• The Bircher-Benner Raw Fruits and Vegetables book (1977) Bircher, Max Edwin; Bircher-Benner, Max Oskar

The NHA wishes to remind the readers that nothing in this or other publications is intended to constitute medical treatment or advice. Readers should be aware that some previous publications do not reflect the NHA’s current health teachings or approach to health in several areas.

Our Mission

The mission of the National Health Association is to educate and empower individuals to understand that health results from healthy living. We recognize the integration of all aspects of health: personal, environmental, and social.

We communicate the benefits of a plant-based diet, exercise and rest, a healthy environment, psychological well-being, and when indicated, the use of fasting.