Jilly Juice
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Jilly Juice is a
Jilly Juice was conceived by Jillian Mai Thi Epperly, who has no medical or scientific background. She has garnered media scrutiny for her baseless claims that Jilly Juice can help treat medical conditions, and petitions and other efforts have been made to ban the product and its promotion from social media. Followers of Epperly have been dubbed members of a "poop cult", and by 2017, had formed a now-defunct Facebook group made up of over 58,000 members.[2] In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned Epperly that it is against the law to advertise a product's health benefits without proper scientific support.[3][7]
Overview
Jilly Juice consists solely of water, salt, and room temperature fermented cabbage or kale.
Proponents of Jilly Juice have claimed that a variety of illnesses and conditions are the result of
Along with supposedly expunging Candida and parasites from one's body, Jilly Juice has been claimed to be able to "cure"
Efficacy and toxicity
Drinking Jilly Juice is wholly ineffective in treating any ailment, and can cause extreme
In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned Epperly about claims made regarding Jilly Juice in a letter that stated: "It is against the law to make health claims, whether directly or indirectly, through advertising or other means, without adequate scientific support at the time the claims are made, or to exaggerate the benefits of products or services you are promoting".[7]
History
Origins
Jillian Mai Thi Epperly, the creator of Jilly Juice, was born in
In her online research of various diseases, Epperly allegedly discovered that Candida or other fungi were "always a factor", and concluded that Candida was responsible for a large number of diseases.[2] Epperly began trying recipes for kombucha and pickles before deciding on fermented cabbage with a significant salt content.[2] The result, a room temperature brew of water, salt, and fermented cabbage or kale which Epperly claims can treat a number of illnesses and conditions, was marketed as "Jilly Juice".[2]
Spread
Epperly began making Jilly Juice with cabbage and kale in October 2016, and by January 2017, she was posting videos related to the drink on her personal Facebook page.[2] The videos garnered a following, leading to the creation of a Facebook group known as "Exposing the Lies Candida: Weaponized Fungus Mainstreaming Mutancy".[2] Over the next few months, the group grew to include thousands of members.[2] In the Facebook group, members would often post images of their bowel movements, comments about supposed parasites visible in said bowel movements, and videos of themselves drinking Jilly Juice, preparing Jilly Juice as an enema, or giving Jilly Juice orally to young children and infants.[2]
In February 2017, after receiving backlash from groups opposed to the promotion and consumption of Jilly Juice, Epperly launched a website, Jillyjuice.com, and removed the Facebook group from public view.[2] At its peak, the Facebook group had amassed over 58,000 members.[2][8] Content on Jillyjuice.com, which includes private forums, can be accessed by paying $30 annually or $5 monthly.[2][6] Epperly has also provided private phone consultations for $70 an hour.[2][6]
In May 2018, Epperly appeared on the American talk show Dr. Phil.[12] The show's host, Phil McGraw, called Epperly's claims regarding Jilly Juice "outrageous."[3]
Death of Bruce Wilmot
In the summer of 2017, Bruce Wilmot, who was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer, began taking Jilly Juice.[8] Wilmot's daughter Taylor described him as "emaciated", and stated that he "was drinking so much of it, he was basically starving himself. It was all coming out as diarrhea."[2]
On July 20, 2017, about a month after he began drinking Jilly Juice, Bruce Wilmot died.
Backlash
After Epperly's Facebook group grew in popularity, several other Facebook groups were created which opposed her and her followers' claims regarding Jilly Juice. A movement of Jilly Juice opponents, which has been described as "anti-juice", "anti-Jillian", and "anti-Epperly", has itself accrued thousands of adherents.[2] Petitions on Change.org calling for Epperly and Jilly Juice to be banned from social media have also been created,[2] and anti-Epperly advocates have reported her false health claims to the FDA, the FTC, the State Medical Board of Ohio, and the Ohio Attorney General's Office.[7][6]
See also
- Detoxification (alternative medicine)
- Hypernatremia
- James Morison (physician), who promoted strong laxatives as a cure-all during the 1800s
- Rope worms
Notes
References
- ^ Lucchesi, Emilie Le Beau (February 1, 2020). "Cure or Con? Health products touted on social media are slipping by regulators". ABA Journal. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
- ^ Buzzfeed News. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Morris, Meagan (May 24, 2018). "Jilly Juice recipe creator claims her concoction can regrow limbs, cure homosexuality". Metro. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
- ^ a b "Jilly Juice - Business Details". Better Business Bureau. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
- ^ Montreal Gazette. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Gander, Kashmira (May 3, 2018). "Woman Who Claims Cabbage Juice 'Cures' Autism and Can Regrow Limbs to be Probed by Officials". Newsweek. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
- ^ Buzzfeed News. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Rahhal, Natalie (October 7, 2018). "'Poop cult' leader 'can't be held accountable' for followers death". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
- ^ a b c Epperly, Jillian Mai Thi (2017). Candida: Weaponized Fungus Mainstreaming Mutancy. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
- ^ "Leaky gut: What is it, and what does it mean for you?". Harvard Health Publishing. 2019-08-22. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
- ^ "Leaky Gut Syndrome: What Is It?". WebMD. 2013-08-14. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
- WWLP.com. May 22, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2019.