Four health claims Belle Gibson made during her influencer era (beyond fake cancer)
As a new Netflix dramatisation, Apple Cider Vinegar, focuses on the case of Belle Gibson, we explore the false health claims made by the influencer
Shortly after the birth of Instagram, in 2013, a new kind of lifestyle influencer arrived on the scene. Australian blogger Belle Gibson garnered some 200,000 fans online after sharing how she had beaten a terminal "malignant brain cancer."
Off the back of her inspirational story, she not only launched a new wellness app called The Whole Pantry, she also released a cookbook of the same name the following year, in 2014, detailing how the diet was about "empowering myself to save my own life." She encouraged others to follow suit.
Only, in 2015 – after receiving the Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless Female award and being dubbed "the most inspiring woman you've met this year" by Elle Australia – Gibson was found to be lying about her diagnosis.
Speaking to Women’s Weekly at the time, she confessed: "No, none of it’s true. It’s just very scary, to be honest. Because you start to doubt the crux of things that make up who you are. You know, I’m blonde and I’m tall, and I’ve got hazel eyes and I’ve got cancer. And all of a sudden, you take away some of those high-level things and it’s really daunting."
The shocking revelation came after journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano investigated claims that Gibson was a fraud. She was then fined $410,000 in 2017 by the Australian government – not all of which she could pay – and at the centre of widespread media coverage.
In a particularly notable interview with 60 Minutes, Gibson even stated that she had been "duped" by a doctor named "Mark Johns," which she later changed to "Dr Phil."
But beyond her fabricated illness, Gibson made a number of false health claims over the years she was active. Here, we debunk them.
1. Apple cider vinegar
Gibson purported that she treated her ringworm by drinking apple cider vinegar to get rid of tapeworms from her mouth.
Ringworm is a contagious fungal infection which can affect the scalp, groin and skin. The rash caused by the infection is ring-shaped and red, but may vary in appearance depending on skin tone and location. In some instances, the rash can be raised.
Tapeworms, however, are small parasites that can live and feed in the human intestines and can cause abdominal pain, an upset stomach and loss of appetite. They have nothing to do with ringworm.
What’s more, while studies have shown home remedies, such as soaking a cotton pad with apple cider vinegar and applying it to the rash, can help alleviate the symptoms of ringworm – there is no medical proof that the substance can treat tapeworm.
2. Ayurvedic treatments
A system of traditional medicines native to India, Ayurvedic treatments include yoga, massage, herbal medicines, acupuncture and panchakarma, or body cleanse.
As part of her lifestyle brand and claims of how she overcame terminal cancer, Gibson attributed a portion of her miraculous recovery to these practices.
Currently, while there are various cancer treatments and advances in medical research, there is no “cure” for cancer.
Although yoga, massage and acupuncture can all help alleviate symptoms and boost overall wellbeing, they are not treatments for the cancer itself.
According to Cancer Research UK, yoga “creates harmony between your mind, body and spirit to help you feel calmer.” It can also stimulate the nervous system, relax the body and mind, and improve strength and flexibility, creating more flexible, supple joints and muscles.
Likewise, while there is some evidence to suggest acupuncture can help manage the side-effects of cancer, more research is needed. Cancer Research UK says that the procedure, which releases serotonin, or the “feel good hormone”, can help combat fatigue, aches and pains, a dry mouth or you experience hot flashes caused by anti-cancer treatments.
3. Craniosacral therapy
Also referred to as CST, craniosacral therapy is where gentle pressure is applied to the head, neck and back to alleviate pain and any tension in the muscles and joints.
A 2010 study of 92 patients with fibromyalgia examined the randomised use of CST over a 20-week period. It found that those who received the treatment experienced improvements in medium-term pain.
However, there is no medical evidence that, beyond easing aches and pains, it has any benefit to cancer patients.
4. A diet excluding dairy
While there is evidence that a healthy, balanced diet can help reduce the risk of cancer, there is no scientific proof that diet can help treat or cure cancer.
As per Cancer Research UK, a healthy diet can help you maintain a healthy weight; eating more wholegrains encourages regular bowel movement, which reduces cell damage; eating less processed and red meat can also reduce cell damage in the bowel; and cutting down on alcohol can also reduce cell damage.
As for dairy foods, eating and drinking milk and other products can actually help reduce the risk of bowel cancer. There is no strong evidence to suggest that dairy increases the risk of cancer.
Read more about cancer
Four people on what it's really like living with cancer (Yahoo Life UK, 12-min read)
Five lifestyle changes to cut your risk of cancer (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)
Eight cancer-fighting foods you can start eating now (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
