Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead

Earlier this week, my husband and I watched "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." Have you seen it? Even heard of it?

The documentary tells the story of Joe Cross, an Australian businessman who was fed up (literally) with being overweight and out of shape. He was in his early 40s, 325 pounds, and on medication for an autoimmune disorder. Finally, he decided to do something about it.

Joe's plan was to do a 60-day juice fast, in which he would only consume fresh fruit, vegetables, and leafy greens - all in liquid form. No solid foods were allowed. He flew to New York, taking a small camera crew with him to record his journey.

As he traveled across the United States by car, with a juicing machine in the trunk, Joe shared his story with people from all walks of life. It's interesting to hear the dialogue as he questioned people about their eating habits and tried to explain what he was doing and why. Joe even gave out free samples of his juice. Many people were surprised how tasty it was! Others couldn't get past the green color.

As you witness Joe's physical transformation, you can't help but be inspired. At the end of the 60 days, Joe was 90 pounds lighter, which was an average loss of 1 1/2 pounds per day. He was also off all medication, and there wasn't any evidence of his disease. The best part about Joe's fast, though, was not what he lost. It was what he gained. Joe got his life back.

What's even more fascinating about this story is Joe's encounter with Phil, a truck driver from the Midwest. Like Joe, Phil was in his early 40s and extremely obese (Phil weighed 429 pounds). Plus, Phil suffered from the same rare autoimmune disorder that had plagued Joe, which made their connection even deeper. Although Phil was intrigued by the idea of a juice fast, he didn't commit right away. However, some time after Joe returned to Australia, he got a call from Phil, who was desperate for help and ready to begin his own journey.

The final part of the documentary is Phil's transformation. Here was a man who couldn't even walk five minutes without being totally exhausted. When he sat in the cab of his truck, his belly was extended up and out so far that it touched the steering wheel. No doubt Phil had given up all hope. I'm sure he thought he would die in that condition - fat, sick, and completely miserable. But, then, along came Joe, who believed in Phil, challenged him, and pushed him to do more than he thought he could do. The result? To date, Phil has lost more than 200 pounds! He is truly a new man inside and out.

This movie is a must-see. It's a powerful example of what can happen when you feed your body the nutrients it needs to function properly. After watching "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," I was so motivated to start juicing that I wanted to run out and buy a juicer...and I already own one!

My husband and I started juicing this week, not a fast yet, but we have been having at least one juice each day. Usually, it's at breakfast, and I make one big batch for all four of us. Our daughters still give me a hard time when I pour a green juice into their glasses, but once they taste it, there usually isn't a drop left! Justin commented yesterday that he had more energy than usual at work that morning. Could it have been the flood of nutrients his body received from the juice? I believe so.

I would encourage you to see this movie if you can (I downloaded it from Netflix, taking advantage of the free trial they're promoting right now). After you watch it, prayerfully seek the Lord's guidance as to what you need to do to make positive changes in this area of your life.

Stay tuned. More to come on this topic of juicing... :) Oh, and you can find a few juicing recipes in my book, The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast, and here on my blog.

Let me know what you think and how you are challenged by the idea of juice fasting!