People think celery juice can protect you from COVID-19. Here's why that's categorically false.

Right now, thousands of people are posting selfies of themselves with huge bunches of celery on Instagram.

It’s called the Global Celery Juice Movement and its followers believe drinking the juice of an entire bunch of celery every morning can cure cancer and chronic disease.

The movement has been around for a few years, but in news that’s truly worrying, the supposed ‘virus inhibiting’ benefits of drinking celery juice have resurfaced amid the coronavirus pandemic.

WATCH: All you COVID-19 questions, answered. Post continues after video.

In March, Aussie model and entrepreneur Miranda Kerr promoted a resource called ‘Virus Protection’ by Medical Medium Anthony William in a since-deleted Instagram post.

The 33-page pdf claims we can protect ourselves from viruses by not eating the foods “viruses love to eat” (they include eggs, dairy, gluten, peanut butter, soy, chicken and pork, apparently) and keeping our immune system strong by consuming celery juice, cucumber juice, raw garlic, and elderberry syrup. Finally, on page 31, he also explains some ‘antiviral practices’ like washing your hands regularly, and avoiding touching your face.

The man behind the pseudoscience celery juice movement is Medical Medium – Anthony William, the number one New York Times best-selling author who “was born with the unique ability to converse with Spirit of Compassion who provides him with extraordinarily accurate health information that’s often far ahead of its time.”

 

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A post shared by Medical Medium® (@medicalmedium) on Apr 8, 2020 at 8:33am PDT

Through “reading’ people’s conditions and telling them how to recover their health,” Medical Medium has earned a 1.1 million strong Instagram following, and endorsements from celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Campbell, Robert De Niro and Rashida Jones.

According to William, drinking a glass of celery juice every morning on an empty stomach is “truly the saviour when it comes to chronic illness.” Such illnesses include but aren’t limited to cancer, auto immune diseases, chronic fatigue, post traumatic stress syndrome and bipolar disorder. And now, viruses.

The alleged health benefits of drinking celery juice are vast, and as stated on William’s website, are based on “revolutionary insight, much of which science has yet to discover.” Recently, Williams spoken about how his Medical Medium healing protocols can help protect us from “all kinds of viruses we’re up against on this planet.”

“No matter what virus you want protection from, all of the Medical Medium healing information can help protect you and your loved ones,” he says.

 

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A post shared by Medical Medium® (@medicalmedium) on Mar 24, 2020 at 4:23pm PDT

As the disclaimer on the Medical Medium website found in a link in small print at the bottom of the page states, William “is not a licensed medical doctor, chiropractor, osteopathic physician, naturopathic doctor, nutritionist, pharmacist, psychologist, psychotherapist, or other formally licensed healthcare professional, practitioner or provider of any kind.”

The information provided by Medical Medium “is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be healthcare advice or medical diagnosis, treatment or prescribing.”

To categorically debunk the claim drinking celery juice can heal you and protect you from viruses like COVID-19, we spoke to a medical professional and Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD).

What is celery juice?

As described by Medical Medium, celery juice is the juice of one large bunch of celery, rinsed and run through a juicer.

This should make approximately 16 ounces or 500ml of juice, which is to be drunk every morning on an empty stomach.

For best results, the Medical Medium blog advises increasing your intake up to 24-32 oz a day (700-900ml).

What does the Medical Medium say are the benefits of celery juice?

Medical Medium advertises celery juice, when consumed correctly, as restoring health to those suffering from:

“Viruses, hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), Lyme disease, migraines, vertigo, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diabetes, psoriasis, eczema, acne, lupus, Guillain-Barré syndrome, sarcoidosis, Raynaud’s syndrome, Ménière’s disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gout, bursitis, bloating, intestinal cramping, distention, acid reflux, vertigo, constipation, restless leg syndrome, tingles, numbness, POTS, fatty liver, bipolar disorder, and countless others.”

Repost from @dani.in.the.raw ???????????????????????????? I‘m on my period right now and it still is a miracle to me. I got it back at the beginning of this year, after seven years of suffering from amenorrhea (absence of menstruation). Even though I‘ve been eating an extremely clean ✧ vegan ✧ mostly raw ✧ fruit based ✧ low to no overt fats ✧ no nuts and seeds ✧ oil and salt free ✧ diet for many years, I couldn’t heal this and other issues. 〰️ Then, in 2017, I committed wholeheartedly to Medical Medium information, which means I ✧ kept on eating an abundance of fruits ✧ started drinking fresh plain celery juice every morning on an empty stomach ✧ made the heavy metal detox smoothie a daily staple ✧ incorporated far more greens, herbs and wild foods into my diet ✧ started snacking and grazing at least every two hours ✧ lovingly talked to my body and my reproductive system in particular ✧ let go of both my fear to eat clean steamed vegetables occasionally and related feelings of guilt ✧ dropped my prejudices against supplements and started taking beautiful herbs, vitamins and minerals 〰️ And what should I say, my whole world changed, and I started to heal. Ever since I‘ve been on this healing journey, and nope, it’s not always easy, it doesn’t always feel good. Deep healing is no joke. But it’s also beautiful and rewarding and wonderful and life-changing. Whenever it gets a bit bumpy on my road, I remind myself that I got my period back, that I feel like a woman again, and that’s a HUGE sign of progress and healing. Additionally, Medical Medium has deepened my connection to the divine, to myself and to my purpose, and this alone is a blessing beyond measure. So grateful ???????????????????????????????? @medicalmedium #medicalmedium #celeryjuice #amenorrhea

A post shared by Medical Medium® (@medicalmedium) on Nov 26, 2018 at 6:10am PST

Are there celery juice benefits?

Contrary to the claims advertised on Medical Medium, APD Dietitian and Nutritionist Marika Day, who specialises in gut health and practices out of Sydney Pelvic Clinic, says there is no scientific evidence to suggest drinking any volume of celery juice would have the advertised health benefits.

“It’s supposedly meant to cure auto immune diseases, help you with cancer prevention, alkalise your body, the claims that I’ve seen are so broad, it’s meant to be a miracle cure for everything,” Day told Mamamia.

“There’s no scientific or research-based evidence to support this. There’s no scientific research behind [the movement], and no evidence to support that it does the things it claims to do. In my opinion, it’s making people believe that they need to or should be doing something, that their diseases are their fault and if they don’t do something about it (i.e. drink celery juice), then they’re failing.

“That’s the thing that concerns me… it’s quite a vulnerable population that’s being targeted, these are people who’ve got cancer or an auto immune disease, who are looking and are desperate for an answer.”

Day went on to explain celery eaten on its own has nutritional benefits. Those benefits are not enhanced – in some cases, they’re reduced – by juicing the celery.

“Celery is a great source of vitamin K, folate and fibre, if you eat it – if you juice it you’re getting rid of that. From a nutrient stand point, there are beneficial nutrients in celery, but there’s not been any studies into whether high doses of vitamin K could cure an auto immune disease,” she said.

“At the bottom of every single page [on the Medical Medium website], there are huge disclaimers stating he’s not a medical professional. Essentially, he’s saying, I’m just saying what I hear from ‘spirits’ and passing on the messages. Even he is not even saying there is any science behind it.”

What are the side effects of drinking celery juice?

Although Day said drinking 500ml of celery juice on an empty stomach everyday is harmless for a large number of people, there are some risks and side effects to be aware of.

“Celery juice is relatively harmless, I don’t have a problem with people drinking it, it does taste like crap though,” she said.

“However, there could be negative consequences for some people. For example, celery juice is quite high in vitamin K, and vitamin K is a blood clotting vitamin, so in the levels you’re consuming it in celery juice, it could be dangerous for somebody on anticoagulant drugs.”

Another group of people Day doesn’t recommend try drinking celery juice is anyone with IBS or on a low FODMAP diet prescribed by their health professional.

“Celery is quite high in FODMAPs, in those who have FODMAP sensitivities, what’s going to happen is that drinking celery juice is going to draw water into the bowel to essentially act as a diuretic in your bowel. It’ll flush everything through and give people bloating and diarrhoea potentially,” she said.

“The only harm in that is that extreme diarrhoea can cause dehydration and it’s uncomfortable, for someone who may already have IBS, it could contribute to pain, bloating and diarrhoea. Don’t mistake that for purging your body of any toxins. Everyone [trying this] would experience some effect on their bowel – that could be positive or negative.”

If you’re on any medication, Day also strongly advises you check in with your doctor first to make sure your medication won’t interact with the high levels of nutrients in celery juice.

Should you try drinking celery juice?

In Day’s opinion, there are no medical benefits to drinking 500ml of celery juice everyday. But, like many Instagram wellness trends, she understands there is some interest in the topic as we’re all searching for quick tips to live healthier.

Her advice when considering implementing a health practice you’ve seen on social media is to do your research first.

“My biggest tip is to always question why, and have that scientific reasoning. When you’re trying to explain something to a child, they’re always asking, but why? You can actually get to the bottom of anything essentially that you’re presented with, whether it be nutrition advice or something else, when you can start to question but why, but how?” she said.

“Question the source of information, rather than taking it for what it is. For example, with celery juice, I would want to see what is it in the celery juice that’s doing something in the body… [with Medical Medium], we don’t have that here.”

If you are keen to give celery juice a try, Day suggest trialling it for a short period of time to see if it’s something you a) enjoy doing and b) find beneficial for your health and wellbeing.

“If it is, great. If it’s not, don’t beat yourself up or think that you’re not being ‘healthy’ if you can’t do it or drinking celery juice is something that you don’t like or want to do. If you don’t want to do celery juice, that doesn’t mean you’re not doing the best thing for your health.”

Fun fact: Celery is 96.4 per cent water. The take home message?

Save yourself the hassle. Eat celery. Drink water. And if you think you might have COVID-19, speak to a medical professional.

Marika Day is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist, you can follow her on Instagram at @marikaday or visit her website MarikaDay.com.

This article was originally published in November, 2018 and has since been updated. Always seek the guidance of your GP, nutritionist, dietitian or health professional before undertaking a new eating regime. Feature image: Instagram/MedicalMedium.