Yahoo Lifestyle 'Apple Cider Vinegar's Hirsch Institute Isn't Real—But It's Just Like This Unproven Cancer Treatment
The new Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar tells the haunting story of Belle Gibson, an Australian influencer who falsely claimed to cure her brain cancer with a healthy lifestyle. But it also puts attention on alternative cancer treatments—which one of the characters, Milla, uses in a misguided attempt to treat her disease.
In the series, Milla follows a holistic plan from a place called the Hirsch Institute. The regimen consists of a plant-based diet and daily coffee enemas, all while avoiding conventional treatments like chemotherapy or surgery. She builds up a devoted following online, becoming a bit of a celebrity in the cancer community.
Netflix points out that the story is “true-ish,” which is raising a lot of questions about what’s real and what’s made for TV in this fascinating series. So, is the Hirsch Institute real—or, at least, based on a real organization? Here’s the deal.
Is the Hirsch Institute from ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ real?
The Hirsch Institute from Apple Cider Vinegar is not real. However, it seems to be based on a holistic treatment plan followed by Australian influencer Jessica Ainscough, whose real-life story is eerily similar to Milla’s.
Jessica followed something called 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). Jessica died in 2015 at the age of 30 of her untreated cancer.
What does the Gerson regimen consist of?
The so-called "therapy" involves eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetable juice, along with a diet that’s high in carbohydrates and potassium, avoids sodium and fat, and is low in animal protein, per Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). The diet also involves taking a range of supplements and doing daily coffee enemas.
Here’s an exact breakdown of what it involves, according to the NCI:
Drinking 13 glasses of juice a day made from organic fruits and vegetables, taken 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 theory behind this, per MSKCC, is that it detoxifies the body and stimulates metabolism to help the body heal itself. But this has not been proven to work, according to multiple cancer institutes and scientific papers.
Does the Gerson regimen work?
No, the MSKCC stresses that the Gerson regimen has not been proven to treat or prevent cancer. The NCI has a similar sentiment, pointing out that no data proves this treatment plan has any benefit.
There are potential side effects of the Gerson regimen, including changes in normal blood chemistry from taking too many enemas of any kind, per the NCI. People have even died from taking coffee enemas, the NCI points out.
Being diagnosed with cancer is understandably terrifying, and the idea of curing it with a special diet is definitely alluring. But it’s crucial to discuss treatment options with your oncologist to ensure that you’re getting the best, scientifically-proven care.
That doesn’t mean that healthy eating can't play a role. It’s just very likely to be an adjunct therapy versus the main treatment plan to follow.
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