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According to the Nation Cancer Institute, it is estimated that in 2020 alone, 1.8 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in just the United States alone. Cancer is a complex disease that is caused when cells begin to divide uncontrollably. The complex disease has stumped scientists all over the world. Even though cancer has been around for millions of years, there is still no definitive cure for the disease, that is, until now. Jillian Epperly, a 44-year-old woman from Canton, Ohio, claims to have found the cure for cancer, but it doesn’t stop there. She also claims to have found cures for chronic illnesses, autism, aging, and how to regrow limbs. Now, the cure for all of these complex issues, according to Epperly, is her magical Jilly Juice, which has gained a cult following in the last 3 years. Sadly, Jilly Juice does not actually work; In fact, it does quite the opposite. Medical experts say the juice is more likely to cause strokes than it is to help. There is no real benefit to drinking the juice; It is a scam targeted toward the emotionally vulnerable, and Jillian Epperly needs to be stopped.

Who is Jillian Epperly?

According to Buzzfeed News, Jillian Epperly is a 44-year-old woman from Canton, Ohio, who has had no medical training at all. She states that she got all of her information from the internet. This is incredibly concerning, as a woman who has no medical training should not be giving medical advice. Not only is she is giving false medical advice, but she is also charging $70 an hour for said advice. She is preying on the emotionally vulnerable and scamming them out of their money. Dr. Adrienne Youdim, who served as a medical director at the Cedar-Sinial Weight Loss Center and holds positions as associate medical professor at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, says Jilly Juice has more issues than benefits. Dr. Youdim states, “The claims, obviously outrageous, but the harms are even more concerning” in regards to Jilly Juice when questioned by Dr. Phil on his show. Dr. Youdim is not the only medical expert to express concerns about Jilly Juice. David Seres, the director of medical nutrition at Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center, said to Buzzfeed that Epperly’s claims are “absolutely dangerous nonsense.” Jillian Epperly is not trustworthy in any way. She is a deranged woman who is tricking people into giving her money.

“There are no side effects to taking Jilly Juice” (0:58)

Jillian Epperly makes quite a few outrageous claims about Jilly Juice, but one of the most concerning claims is that Jilly Juice has no side effects. This statement is inherently false, as the amount of sodium in just one cup of her juice is two to three times more than the recommended daily intake of salt. Epperly is recommended people drink up to a gallon of Jilly Juice a day. This obsessive amount of sodium intake increases the risk of having a stroke, and if the individual has other underlying health issues, there is an even greater risk. According to Queensland Health, consuming too much salt raises many concerning health risks, such as “high blood pressure, which is linked to conditions like heart failure and heart attack, kidney problems, fluid retention, stroke, and osteoporosis.” On her website, Epperly even has the audacity to claim that salt does not cause dehydration or high blood pressure. This blatant lie should not be allowed on an official website that is selling medical advice.

Another concerning claim by Jillian Epperly is that “it is healthy to eat salt, but it has to be the right kind of salt” (0.48). In her recipe, Epperly uses Himalayan pink salt. There is a common misconception that Himalayan salt is healthier than normal salt because it contains special minerals. The consumer advocacy group CHOICE says that people “should be wary of these kinds of health claims, as the minerals found in salts like Himalayan Sea Salt are often present only in very small amounts.” It does not matter what type of salt is used, as all salt has the same effect on the human body. The amount of salt Epperly is having her followers consume is not healthy in any way, and if Jillian Epperly continues to lie, she will eventually kill someone.

“They can reverse their cancer disease” (1:28)  

One of Epperly’s most outrageous claims is that Jilly Juice can help people “reverse their cancer disease” (1:28). Shockingly enough, cabbage can not help cure or reverse cancer. Although cabbage is packed with vitamin C, which has been proven by studies to help protect the body from heart disease, cervical cancer, and vision loss, it can only help prevent these issues. According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer occurs when “some of the body’s cells begin to divide without stopping and spread into surrounding tissues.” There is currently no known cure for cancer, and it would be very shocking if a woman with no medical background found a cure before actual scientists. Salty cabbage juice does not cure cancer and should never be considered a cure.

Of course, with these types of outrageous claims, the best way to prove them wrong is evidence. Bruce Wilmot was a 55-year-old father living alone in Columbus, Georgia when he learned that his pancreatic cancer was coming back. Wilmot had been treated with chemotherapy before and wanted to try something different. In an interview with Buzzfeed News Wilmot’s daughter, Taylor shares how desperate her dad was. Taylor talks about how her father “didn’t want to die” and was very depressed. Wilmot ended up stumbling across Jilly Juice while on Facebook, and in a moment of desperation, began adding Jilly Juice to his daily diet. Quickly Wilmot started drinking Jilly Juice obsessively, Taylor recalls him being “totally emaciated” and “basically starving himself.” In the end, Jilly Juice was not able to cure his pancreatic cancer. Wilmot sadly passed away on July 20th, just a month after he was diagnosed with cancer. When Epperly was confronted with Wilmot’s death by Buzzfeed, she stated, “I told him, cut back a little bit if the symptoms get too much — but he really shouldn’t have. He really should have kept going.” Jillian Epperly does not care who she hurts with her false claims, she is only concerned with her own agenda. She did not even appear to be guilty that her false claims caused a man to die.

“You can reverse autism” (0:07)

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability and can cause social, communication, and behavioral issues. Scientists do not know all of the causes of Autism, but they have learned there are likely many causes. These causes include environmental, biological, and genetic factors. Although there is currently no cure, research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that early treatment can help improve child development. Which brings upon the question, how would cabbage juice help cure autism? Well, Jillian Epperly claims that all diseases, including autism and cancer, are caused by a fungus she calls Canadia; Which is a word she created for foam-like diarrhea caused by Jilly Juice. Epperly considers Canadia to be a parasite that lives in the gut and causes disease, cancer, and autism. This is blatantly false as autism is a behavioral disability, not a parasite or fungus, and can not be cured by cabbage with salt. Epperly is preying on young moms and she needs to be stopped. A lot of mothers will do anything for their children. Having mothers believe that this cabbage juice cured their child will lead to a lot more problematic issues, like the child not getting the proper care and help they need. Epperly has even admitted to using her followers as Guinea pigs according to Buzzfeed News; “The group actually was a research tool, a database tool, to share what they were passing.” This proves that she is not fully aware of what her juice will do to people. Jillian Epperly can not be allowed to continue to spread this dangerous misinformation to vulnerable people. 

“You can regrow limbs”(0:07) 

Another ridiculous claim is that Jillian’s Jilly Juice, which is made up of cabbage, water, and salt, can cause limbs to regrow. The regrowth of limbs has been a very popular scientific theory for years now. David Gardiner, a developmental and cell biology professor at the University of California, Irvine, believes it should technically be possible for humans to regrow limbs sometime soon. Human bodies regenerate fewer complex structures like our epidermis and stomach lining, really well. So, in theory, there should be no reason humans can’t regenerate limbs. But, the truth of the matter is  “[h]umans can only replace the superficial layer of skin, (which is, in fact, a continuous process referred to as homeostasis),” said Gardiner. To fully regenerate a limb, one would need bones, muscle, blood vessels, and nerves. Shockingly enough, fermented cabbage juice does not supply the necessary materials to regrow limbs. Although cabbage does have many health benefits, including a high level of vitamin C and antioxidants that help shield the body. But, cabbage does not have the requirements to grow bone. Jillian Epperly is once again praying on the emotionally vulnerable, which can not be allowed to continue.

Problems that Begin to Occur

What Jillian Epperly is doing should be illegal. She has harmed one too many people with her false claims and should not be allowed to have a social media presents. Her false claims about Jilly Juice are harming people. She is lying to the emotionally vulnerable and creating a fear of medical professionals. This distrust in the medical system is very concerning. People seem to trust anyone but medical professionals and will do anything to avoid seeing a doctor. Fermented cabbage is not the cure for cancer, and although it does have some health benefits, cabbage can not regrow limbs. The high concentration of salt in the Jilly Juice plus the amount she is recommending people drink will eventually cause a stroke or worse. Jillian Epperly is a scammer and she needs to be stopped. She can not be allowed to continue to spread false information. 

Works Cited

“Cancer Statistics” National Cancer Institute, 25 September 2020, https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics#:~:text=Statistics%20at%20a%20Glance%3A%20The,will%20die%20from%20the%20disease.

Emspak, Jesse. “Could Humans Ever Regenerate a Limb?” Live Science, https://www.livescience.com/59194-could-humans-ever-regenerate-limbs.html. 

Epperly, Jillian. “Official Website of Jilly Juice, LLC.” Jillyjuice, https://www.jillyjuice.com/. 

Gander, Kashmira. “Woman Who Claims Cabbage Juice ‘Cures’ Autism and Can Regrow Limbs to Be Probed by Officials.”  Newsweek, 3 May 2018, https://www.newsweek.com/jillian-mai-thi-epperly-claims-cabbage-juice-cures-autism-homosexuality-and-909737. 

Kubala, Jillian. “9 Impressive Health Benefits of Cabbage.” Health Line, 4 November 2017, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cabbage. 

“Medical Professional Explains Potential Dangers Of Controversial ‘Health Beverage'” Dr. Phil, 22 May 2018, https://youtu.be/YWGjSofgBnc.

Subbaraman, Nidhi. “Here’s How A ‘Poop Cult’ With 58,000 Followers Set Off A Facebook War” Buzzfeednews, 17 March 2018, https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nidhisubbaraman/facebook-jilly-juice-cabbage-epperly. 

“What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 March 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html. 

“What Is Cancer?” National Cancer Institute, 9 February 2015, https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer. 

“Woman Claims Her Fermented Cabbage Drink Has Potential To Regrow Limbs” Dr. Phil, 22 August 2018, https://youtu.be/YPTSPgxRJx4.

“6 things you thought you knew about salt that just aren’t true.” The State of Queensland (Queensland Health) 1996-2021, 19 November 2018, https://www.health.qld.gov.au/news-events/news/6-things-about-salt-that-arent-true#:~:text=Eating%20too%20much%20salt%20can,nutrient%20for%20the%20human%20body.