Elle Macpherson’s junk 'cures' for cancer are only likely to cause women more agony | Gaby Hinsliff

How many are now second-guessing their own treatment after the model's dangerous intervention?

Elle Macpherson believes, for some reason, that disease thrives in an acidic body. The Australian ex-supermodel swears by the benefits of limiting red meat, wheat, dairy, sugar and processed food, and by something she calls alkalising greens" (no, me neither). Through her glossy wellness brand, WelleCo, she tirelessly promotes her Super Elixir - a blend of vitamins and minerals apparently devised by her naturopath when she was feeling rundown and menopausal - to women who want to look as incredible as she does at 60, and are willing to believe that has something to do with kale.

So far, so relatively benign, though admittedly things took a darker turn when Macpherson dated Andrew Wakefield between 2017 and 2019, the former doctor behind the now thoroughly debunked junk science linking the MMR jab to autism. But mostly Macpherson has occupied the safer side of the line between crunchy moms" - devotees of organic food, herbal remedies and tech detoxes - and cranks. Or she had, until she started talking about saying no to standard medical solutions" for cancer.

Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist

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