Sounds impossible right? Yes, nearly impossible for even my husband who is married to a Natural Foods Chef, Functional Nutritionist, and Health Coach. There was NO CONVERTING going on this house. For years I have been juicing nearly every morning and blending shakes that look like garden sludge rather than food for breakfast. My husband has teased me saying my breathe smells like kale, gave me a pet name of ‘string bean’, and swore he would never, in a million years, DRINK his breakfast.
Having grown up on a farm, it was understood he would always start his day with toast or an English muffin, 2 eggs (over medium), and on special occasions, would enjoy crispy bacon and breakfast potatoes. All of this greasy and fiber less food was washed down with twenty to thirty ounces of diet coke. I honestly, had never seen him drink more than about ten ounces of water in a day.
Now to be fair, there was more to his diet than the aforementioned farm house start to the day. For lunch, he generally enjoyed a sandwich, snacks included chips and salsa, fresh berries, and raw vegetables, and dinner was a balanced meal of salad, meat or fish, cooked vegetables, and a grain such as rice or quinoa. He rarely snacked on junk food, has still to this day never had a sip of coffee, and has been dairy-free for eight years due to lactose intolerance. I’d say he had a pretty decent diet compared to most Americans, although, there were silent killers being consumed daily, like the diet coke, some processed foods, meat, and alcohol. Wine was his second love. White wine to be precise and he drank it every single night.
While I was away on business earlier this month, my egg-eating man phoned me to say that for two days he had been drinking nothing but fresh pressed fruit and vegetable juice. DEAD AIR!! I was stunned and so unbelieving that I didn’t say a word. He went on to tell me he had watch the film, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead and for some reason (watch it and you’ll know why), he was converted, literally on the spot.
Fast forward 14 days. My husband, whom I have always love dearly and who is my best buddy, is now almost too much to handle! He is grocery shopping, getting up earlier, more focused in his work, more communicative, cleans up after himself, is exercising more, and begins every day with fresh juice made by passing kale, spinach, beets, carrots, cucumber, celery, ginger, and apple through our Breville Juicer. It is the only meal he is now drinking, but it has changed his entire countenance and brain function. Not one glass of vino, nor a drop of diet coke has graced his lips in two weeks. He just simply, “doesn’t want it.” He’s even drinking water through out the day! These are mind blowing changes folks. People do not just stop drinking caffeine, soda, and alcohol without withdrawals. But he did. He feels and looks amazing! Down 12 pounds in two weeks, he is jumping for joy (and so am I). He’s back into his 32’s and is strutting around like a proud rooster and rightfully so.
Why do I share this story? It’s important to note that with diet change, anything is possible. That with patience, the ones you love may come around. And that living by example (and not forcing your beliefs) is often the best tool for encouraging change.
Perhaps get this life altering movie and just lay it out. You never know what might happen.
