Is The Hirsch Institute From 'Apple Cider Vinegar' Real?
Viewers of Netflix's latest limited series Apple Cider Vinegar, which follows the rise (and fall) of Australian wellness influencer Belle Gibson who lied about having cancer, will be well-versed in the notion of 'Hirsch therapy'.
The six-episode series also tells the parallel story of fellow influencer Milla Blake, who shunned traditional medicine when diagnosed with epithelioid sarcoma in favour of holistic remedies, many of which were peddled by the Hirsch clinic in Mexico, which proffered that living on a juice-based diet, undergoing regular coffee enemas and drinking juices could naturally cure cancer. In the series, Milla, whose story is inspired by the experiences of wellness influencer Jessica Ainscough, even goes on to create her own line of juices, which she then tours the country trying to sell – despite the sad reality that her cancer is unfortunately metastasizing.
FIND OUT MORE ON ELLE COLLECTIVE
Apple Cider Vinegar though, while based on a true story, marries elements of truth with fiction, making it hard to decipher what's real and what's not. Is Hirsch therapy real? Can juicing help to cure cancer? Here are a few answers to those all-too pressing questions.
Is Hirsch therapy real?
No, the Hirsch Institute – where Milla gets her holistic treatment plan from in the show – is not real. However, it seems that the team behind Apple Cider Vinegar based Hirsch therapy on the alternative 'Gerson therapy' plan that Jessica followed in real life.
'I was diagnosed with a rare, "incurable" cancer at 22. At 26, I am healing myself naturally,' Ainscough wrote on her blog years ago, per Women’s Weekly. 'I am ecstatic to report that it has worked for me.'
What is Gerson therapy?
In reality, Ainscough followed the Gerson regimen, which was developed by Dr Max Gerson in the 1940s as a treatment for a type of tuberculosis, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
According to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre (MSKCC), the Gerson programme involves eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetable juice, along with a diet high in carbohydrates and potassium, avoiding sodium and fat, and low in animal protein. It also involves, which is depicted in Apple Cider Vinegar, taking a range of supplements and doing daily coffee enemas.
This is an exact breakdown of what Gerson therapy involves, according to the NCI:
Drinking 13 glasses of juice a day made from organic fruits and vegetables, consumed once every hour.
Eating vegetarian meals of organically grown fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Taking a range of supplements.
Taking coffee or chamomile enemas regularly to remove toxins from the body.
Preparing food without salt, spices, or oils, and without using aluminum cookware or utensils.
The idea is that following the programme will detoxify and cleanse the body of cancerous cells. The reality is quite different, however — this has not been proven to work, according to multiple cancer institutes and scientific papers.
Can Gerson therapy cure cancer naturally?
Both the the MSKCC and the NCI are clear that the Gerson regimen has not been proven to treat or prevent cancer.
'The data that are available are not sufficient to warrant claims that the Gerson therapy is effective as an adjuvant to other cancer therapies or as a cure,' the National Cancer Institute's website reads. 'At this time, the use of the Gerson therapy in the treatment of cancer patients cannot be recommended outside the context of well-designed clinical trials.'
ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
You Might Also Like
