Fat, Sick, Nearly Dead

I used to hate spinach, especially if it creeped into a supposedly normal salad, hiding like an invasive specie under crisp, delicious hearts of romain.

But after watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead this weekend, I have a newfound appreciation for spinach, as well as the other vegetables I used to avoid.

At the beginning of the documentary, Aussie Joe Cross was 100 pounds overweight, taking medication for chronic hives and battling high blood pressure, as well as high cholesterol. After given the go-ahead from his doctor, he set out for a 60-day, cross-country US trip, only consuming juiced fruits and vegetables.

By the end of his trip, he lost nearly 100 pounds, was weaned off steroids and had blood pressure and cholesterol under control. Astounding results, to say the least.

Equally impressive is Iowa trucker Phil Staples' transformation. Cross meets Staples at a truck stop in Arizona, and discovers he is suffering from the same rare autoimmune disease. At 429 pounds, Staples is morbidly obese, depressed and has hit rock bottom.

Following a diet purely of juiced fruits and vegetables, Staples eventually drops 202 pounds, curing his chronic hives, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and depression. He quits his trucking job and starts his own juice bar, serving up freshly-squeezed produce and lending out juicers to the community.

While juice fasting is extreme and should not be done without first consulting a doctor, having a glass or two a day can provide not only beneficial nutrients but increased energy. Research done by the Mayo Clinic indicates juicing can reduce risk of cancer, boost the immune system, help remove toxins, aid digestion and promote weight loss or maintenance of a healthy weight.

Juicing can be pricey, but think of it this way: one meal for two at a sit-down restaurant costs between $25-30. A bag of celery, two bunches of spinach, two bunches of kale, six apples, nine kiwi, four mangoes and six apples will only set you back about $20-25 and provide enough produce to juice once or twice a day for a week.

The CDC has a handy tool on their website that allows you to input your age, gender and activity level and calculate how many fruits and vegetables to eat in a day.

Based on my statistics, I am supposed to have two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables, which translates to one small apple, one small banana, one cup of lettuce, a half cup of broccoli, six baby carrots, half a large sweet potato, a half cup of green beans and 16 grapes---a big mouthful to swallow.

But with juicing, you can hit or exceed your daily target easily, and discover the fruits and vegetables really aren't that bad after all.