![]() Sounds great, right? Rapid weight loss, improved blood pressure, less medication usage, improved lab values, and improved health (no more migraines or chronic urticaria). Mid-way through his juice fast his blood pressure had gone from 160/84 to 136/70, and his triglycerides dropped from 216 to 161. ![]() Phil actually fasted for a total of 60 days and lost 90 pounds total (and has lost over 200 pounds, currently). Joe Cross taught Phil about juicing and suggested Phil try the juice fast for 10 days. When Phil’s parents asked if they could cremate him instead of bury him (because it is too expensive to bury a heavy person), he knew he had to do something and take control of his health. Phil had found himself at 429.6 pounds at 6’1″ (a BMI of 58), due to slowly isolating himself after experiencing a 2nd divorce. Amazingly, months after Joe ended his 60-day juice fast, Phil called Joe and asked for help. The second half of the movie focuses on Phil Staples, an overweight truck driver from Iowa, who Joe ran into in Winslow, Arizona. Joe shared his juicing story with Phil, and offered him his card and said to call if Phil ever needed anything. ![]() And, two months after ending the juice fast, he no longer had to take any prednisone for his chronic urticaria, which had disappeared altogether! Finally, on day 61 he had lost 82 pounds total and was down to 2.5 mg prednisone. Doctors found all his electrolytes were normal and his lab results were perfect. His total cholesterol had decreased from 204 mg/dL to 135 mg/dL, and his LDL-cholesterol decreased from 132 mg/dL to 86 mg/dL. On day 49, he had lost 67 pounds, and was now on 3.5mg prednisone a day. On day 14 he was already down 26 pounds and was down to 10mg of prednisone a day. The first half of the movie focuses on Joe’s 60-day journey, which had impressive results. Joe Cross spent 30 days in New York, drove across America, and spent the next 30 days in San Diego, all the while interviewing different Americans, sharing his story, and giving his card out to over 400 people he met along the way. Finally he decided to take drastic measures, and for the next 60 days vowed to eat nothing but fresh juice made from vegetables and fruits. He had tried massage therapy, herbal supplements, mud baths, and acupuncture, but nothing seemed to cure his chronic urticaria. He had tried nearly everything 6 different doctors, pills, tests, and hospital stays. Joe took 15mg of prednisone daily to control his symptoms, and was fed up with taking pills. So thanks to the walking time bomb I had turned my body into, I felt as if I were NEARLY DEAD. Normal things like carrying a shopping bag, holding a baby, and walking long distances– all could have a huge impact. Anything and all pressure cause red blotches and swelling in the joints with untold pain, and even gravity was my enemy. I would swell up and break out into hives on any part of my body that was subject to pressure, from a hand shake or sitting on a chair to lying in a bed. “The condition wasn’t something you wish on your worst enemy. He also suffered from chronic urticaria, an auto-immune phenomenon which causes a red hive-like rash to break out anywhere on the body, basically at any time. After 5 years Joe went into his own business and at 23 years old he was making lots of money, which meant lots of food, lots of nights out, and lots of drinking! All this lead to significant weight gain, and at 40 years old, he found himself wearing size 44 jeans and weighing in at 309 pounds. After graduating high school, he got a job at a brokerage firm on the trading floor. This documentary is about Joe Cross, a 40-year old Australian who finds himself in a tough place. I took liberal notes while I was watching and thought I’d blog my synopsis and review of the film. “ Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” is a documentary that was released in 2010, and after hearing bits and pieces about this film for a couple of years now, I decided to watch it and see what all the fuss is about.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |