Did Navjot Kaur Sidhu ‘cure’ cancer by eating neem leaves? What experts say

Navjot Singh Sidhu has racked up a new controversy.

Sidhu, on Thursday, shared with the media the story of his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu who survived Stage IV cancer.

This, despite being given just a three per cent chance of survival.

However, it is Sidhu’s claims that a strict diet including consuming neem leaves daily helped her to a great extent raised eyebrows.

But what has Sidhu claimed? And what do experts say?

Let’s take a closer look:

What has Sidhu claimed?

As per The Tribune, Navjot Kaur was diagnosed with Stage IV invasive cancer.

She then underwent surgery for “rarest of rare metastasis”.

“Around 1.5-2 years ago, Noni (Navjot Kaur Sidhu) was detected with cancer. She struggled, ran from pillar to post, and she and I and everyone believed that we were wrong. I, however, got to know about it only after the operation was conducted. Today, I am glad to announce that Noni has been declared clinically cancer free,” Sidhu was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

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Sidhu said the doctors gave his wife little chance of surviving.

“Her cancer came back after our son’s marriage, which she insisted on because she doubted her survival. But she never lost hope and faced cancer bravely,” Sidhu was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

Sidhu said his wife adhered to a strict diet – which, to a large extent, helped her.

He said she had lemon water, raw turmeric, apple cider vinegar, neem leaves, and tulsi every day.

She also made citrus fruits and juices with pumpkin, pomegranate, amla, beetroot, and walnuts a part of her daily diet.

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Navjot’s day mostly began with spiced tea comprising cinnamon, cloves, jaggery, and cardamom.

Sidhu said she had her dinner by 6.30 pm and had her first meal of the day at 10 am.

Her cooked meals comprised anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer foods and were prepared using coconut oil, cold-pressed oils, or almond oil.

“If you give a gap in eating, cut off sugar, cut out carbohydrates cancer cells die,” Sidhu claimed as per Times Now.

In May, Navjot underwent a second surgery for breast cancer.

“The diet helped reduce cancer’s lifeline. After 45 days, she underwent a surgery, and in the PET scan, cancer was not detected,” Sidhu was quoted as saying by The Tribune.

“She defeated cancer not because we had money but because she was disciplined and followed a strict routine. Cancer can be treated effectively even at government hospitals,” Sidhu concluded.

Sidhu’s statement led many on social media to ask him to share her diet plan.

What do experts say?

But experts have expressed skepticism of such claims.

Dr Prashant Mehta, medical oncologist at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, told Indian Express such claims are “misinformation that is based on no evidence.”

“These are curious things that people try because they are easily accessible at home,” he added. “Science is difficult and not as easy to absorb as this.”

Dr Srinath, Senior OrthoOncologist and Founder at Asha Hospitals and Research Centre, added, “Laboratory studies, such as one published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2018), indicate that neem extracts can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which are linked to cancer progression. However, clinical studies on its direct effect on human cancer recovery are limited.”

Dr Sushama Sumeet, BAMS, MD, Ayurveda Physician and Senior Research Fellow at ICTRC Pune Integrated Cancer Treatment & Research Centre, told Times Now, “This could form part of the supportive treatment in managing stage IV cancer. However, there is no large-scale study that suggests herbal medicine and diet alone can control metastatic cancer. Any findings in this area are typically based on his subjective results, such as those from individual experiences.”

She said different people react differently to anti-inflammatory foods.

“Furthermore, the specific diet and anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory foods recommended in such cases may not necessarily be effective for other patients, as each patient differs in disease stage, body constitution, physical and mental strength, and other factors,” she added.

With inputs from agencies