Jess Ainscough was Australias first alternative medicine influencer. Her story ended tragically. – Mamamia

"I decided thatI would do everything in my power to thrive in life, in spite of the looming expiration date I'd been given. I learned how to treat myself with absolute kindness & self-respect. I radicalised my diet. I systematically detoxifiedmy body - and mind."

Jess was a devotee of Gerson therapy, a food-based protocol that claims to cure all kinds of serious ailments, most famously cancer, with an all vegetariandiet and a strict regime of fruit and vegetable juices and coffee enemas.

Sydney GP and author of the book 'Fake Medicine', Dr Brad McKay, says during her treatment, Jess Ainscough built a profile while promoting her belief that food was medicine.

In Mamamia's Extraordinary Storiespodcast on MPlus, McKay spoke to host Emma Gillespie about what Gerson therapy entails.

"Gerson therapy has been a therapy that's been around for many, many years - even from the 60s and 70s. It's a treatment that involves doing lots and lots of juices - so fresh vegetables and fruit, putting them into a big juicer. And it's quite onerous,because you have to have the juice on the hour, every hour, every day for a long time," he said.

"It also involves using enemas, that usually either contain coffee or castor oil. And again, you need to be doing these enemas a couple of times a day at least with the whole principle that you're trying to rid your body of toxins that could be sittingin your lower intestine and evacuating them.

"It hasn't been proven to work, and there are practitioners around the world that still do it. But certainly it's not recommended in Australia."

Despite there being no scientific evidence that Gerson therapy cures cancer, Jess persisted.

She started a website, wrote books, appeared on television and attracted tens of thousands of social media followers, influencing many, many people throughout her journey.

Over seven years, Jess became a media figure in Australia, and a major proponent of "natural health". She was young, likable and media-savvy.

It started out as a personal journal online and attracted a worldwide family craving this information, she told Fairfax of her blog following.

Jess had built a wellness empire.

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Jess Ainscough was Australias first alternative medicine influencer. Her story ended tragically. - Mamamia