Is Hirsch therapy seen in Netflix’s apple cider vinegar real?

On February 12, 2025By Littum

Viewers of Netflix’s Apple cider vinegarBased loosely on the true story of the Australian Wellness blogger Belle Gibson, who lied about having (and then healing) brain cancer by changing his diet will be familiar with the idea of ’Hirsch Therapy’.

The series shows co-blogger and influencer Milla, who also has cancer, participating in the ‘natural cancer courses’ pushed by the Hirsch clinic, which includes living on a juice-based diet, undergoing regular bucket clamps and looking at mistletoe treatment. She even continues to create her own juice line, which she then tours in the country and tries to sell – despite the fact that her illness is unfortunately progressing.

During the series, in an attempt to eat only organic food, Milla is also seen snapping on a waitress after learning that her meal is not completely organic, which suggests that she can also fight with disturbed eating patterns after her stay in Hirsch Retreat.

Individual sitting in a water pool with a book

Netflix

While Apple cider vinegar Make it clear that it is an almost ‘real story based on a lie’, it can sometimes be difficult to tell which bit of the series is real and which are not – including certain characters and whether the Hirsch therapy is A real thing or not.

To learn more Cosmopolitan UK Talked to Dr. Liz O’Riordan, a breast surgeon, cancer patient and Author of The cancer schedule and Dr. Dionysios Papadatos-Pastos, a skilled oncologist of 20+ years working with DoctifyTo find out if the Hirsch therapy is legitimate if there are any natural or alternative cancer treatments recommended by leading experts and more.

Is Hirsch -therapy real?

Hirsch therapy as seen in Apple cider vinegarIsn’t real – but it seems that the show’s scriptmen may have drawn inspiration from a similar sounding setup known as Gerson therapy, also founded by a German doctor in the 1920s and developed in the 1930s.

Like the Hirsch clinic on the show, Gerson Therapy (according to Cancer Research UK) goes for an all “organic vegetarian diet, nutritional supplements and clusters to treat cancer” But there is no evidence of showing that Gerson therapy works -and it can have some extremely serious side effects.

What is Gerson therapy?

Dr. O’RIORDAN explains that Gerson therapy was first developed by Dr. Max Gerson in the 1920s for the purpose of treating tuberculosis “, but then he used it to treat cancer patients”.

As for the methodology, just as Milla’s character demonstrates in the show, it is pretty intense. “You drink 13 juices a day, made of 9 kg of organic fruits and vegetables. The juices must be freshly prepared and you drink one hour during the day, which severely limits your lifestyle,” the expert shares. “You also have to give yourself five coffee clues a day to get rid of liver toxins and also take a number of supplements.”

When it comes to Dr. Gerson’s reasoning shares Dr. O’RIORDAN that he “thought the human body has too much salty and too little potassium. (He claimed) the juices reset your metabolism, help your body destroy cancer cells and heal itself – but this is not true.

Dr. Papadatos-pastos agree that there is a clear lack of evidence to support Gerson therapy. “Lawyers claim that it charges the body and increases immunity, but no scientific evidence supports its effectiveness in healing cancer.” He shares concern that some patients who could originally choose untested alternative ‘treatments’ when facing cancer and could miss their chance of undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, surgery or other conventional treatments – like Milla in the show.

“Strict diets and other untested methods can be harmful if used instead of conventional treatments,” says Dr. Papadatos-pastos. “Some of the potential risks are malnutrition due to extreme dietary restrictions, serious infections (sepsis) from clusters, especially in patients undergoing chemotherapy and delayed medical treatment in patients who rely only on Gerson therapy and can miss the window for effective conventional therapies. ”

Netflix
Lucy in apple cider vinegar, a cancer patient who is curious about ‘natural courier’

Is there any evidence that a juice diet or eating organically can cure cancer?

While diet is always an important factor when it comes to our health (and when it comes to Reducing our risk of developing certain diseasesIncluding cancer) Unfortunately, there is no evidence that cancer is healed through a dietary change alone.

“There are no attempts to prove that juice can cure cancer and that you cannot get all the nutrients and fiber you need from from losing your life,” Dr. O’RIORDAN details and added that “the people who claim to have healed themselves with juice have almost always had mainstream healing treatments first, as surgery to remove cancer.”

She points out that it is the same for organic food. “The pesticides and chemicals used in agriculture do not cause cancer and to remove them from your diet will not cure it.”

The doctor points to High -profile case of former model Irena StoynovaIt almost died in 2023 after rejecting chemotherapy for her non-Hodgkins lymphoma and instead tried to heal it exclusively with juice. Over the course of two and a half years, Stoynova began a worrying amount of weight began to hallucate. “She was finally hospitalized just days away from death,” Dr. O’RIORDAN. “She eventually accepted having chemotherapy, and after 50 days in the hospital, Irena is now in remission.”

In one Interview published by The timesStoynova detailed how she was sucked in by the idea of natural treatments after googling to alternatives to chemotherapy. “If you have cancer, you need something much harder than organic carrot juice and celery,” she said. “(But) When you have Instagram, Facebook or even Google, there will be millions of people who will say that they healed cancer holistically with organic carrots and parsley and celery.

“What I want to say is that it’s great to have faith it is nice if they are backed by science, and please don’t cut off your consultants. I cut off consultants and all that is associated with standard medicine, and I almost lost my life. ”

When it comes to cancer and costs costs, Dr. O’RIORDAN, “Eating a healthy diet can help with sensible, controlled weight loss, which will reduce the risk of your cancer coming back (but it can’t treat it).” She notes that the diet’s guidelines for cancer patients encourage eating more healing and vegetables.

Dr. Papadatos-pastos emphasize that it is important to consult a doctor or specialist before making major dietary changes. also. “While a healthy diet is important for general well -being and can help support the immune system, cancer is a complex disease. Eating nutrient -rich foods, including fruits and vegetables, can help the body”

In terms of prevention, Cancer Research UK recommends Reducing your red meat intake as consumption can be linked to cell damage, eat lots of whole grains and fiber to help lower your risk of bowel cancer and generally eat as balanced a diet as possible to keep a healthy weight.

Photoalto/Laurence Mouton///Getty Images

Can the mistletoe therapy help with cancer?

There have been studies of whether Mistletoe may help cure cancer, but there is no medical proof that it is effective states Dr. O’RIORDAN.

“Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that grows on other trees. The plants and berries are toxic to humans,” she explains. “Mistletoe is intended to have two effects. The first is that it can increase your immune system by increasing the number of immune cells you have. The second is that it can cause cancer cells to kill themselves (called apoptosis).”

The theory of mistletoe treatment is that “healthy cells seem to be unharmed and protected from further damage from any toxins they may come across”.

Dr. O’RIORDAN says that mistletoe treatment is “mainly used in Europe as an alternative cancer treatment, usually an injection course under your skin or in a vein. It has never been approved as a cancer treatment”.

On note of plants used to treat cancer, Dr. Papadatos-pastos that while some are currently being investigated for potential benefits “have no food, herb or supplement shown to cure cancer on their own”.

He adds that “some studies suggest that mistletoe can help with symptom relief, such as reducing fatigue, improving appetite and improving the overall well -being of cancer patients. However, large cancer organizations including the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Cancer Society do not recommend Mistelten as a substitute for witnessed treatments such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

“If you are considering mistletoe treatment, it is important to discuss it with an oncologist to ensure that it does not interfere with standard cancer treatments. For example, some alternative therapies can affect some blood test results, making it challenging for the oncologist to understand if the effect is from Cancer medicine or alternative therapy that can lead to unnecessary drug breaks.

Can you cure cancer naturally?

According to both experts, unfortunately, with one word: no. “There are no known natural couriers for cancer that is scientifically proven,” concludes Dr. Papadatos-pastos.

While Dr. O’RIORDAN APPECES, “do you eat a Plant -based dietcut down on alcohol and Exercise five times a week (May) reduce the risk of a repetition, but there are no natural couriers. “

This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider with questions you may have about a medical condition.

If you or a loved one has received a cancer diagnosis if you await test results and feel anxious or have questions related to cancer is MacMillan Support Line Is there to offer you support. Contact the friendly, friendly and knowledgeable team there for free on 0808 239 9397. The line is open, 7 days a week, 08:00 to 20:00.

Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK’s Multiple Award-winning functional editor who was crowned the digital journalist of the year for his work to tackle the questions that are most important to young women. She regularly covers breaches of news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her recognized connections to access the best experts along the way. She has grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to celebrities on the A-List and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real stories. In addition, Jennifer is widely known for his own undercover surveys and campaign work, which successfully includes the petition of the government about change around topics such as abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also one Published AuthorDocumentary consultant (helps create BBCs Deepfake Porn: Could you be next?) and a patron for Yes (a charity for youth services). Next to Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written to The timesAt Women’s healthAt Elle and several other publications, appeared on Podcastsand talked about (and coughed) panels to Women of the World FestivalAt University of Manchester And more. In his spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over -ordering for dinner. Follow Jennifer on InstagramAt X or LinkedIn.

rsha3Esn