Fat Sick & Nearly Dead

I was browsing the Netflix streaming site last night looking for a good flick and I can't lie, the streaming options are pretty weak. Too broke to add the DVD portion, I just use what I get for $7 a month. As you know I am kind of a health freak so any movie or show that involves exercise or diet issues will catch my eye. Fat Sick & Nearly Dead was what I settled on.

This is a documentary that follows an Australian dude named Joe who is on a mission to drop some big pounds, get off of his medication that treats his autoimmune disease and get his life back in check. What's his plan? To drive across the USA with a juicer in tow only drinking fresh juice for 60 days.

On his trip Joe stops in small towns, big cities, truck stops and restaurants and speaks with American's about what he is doing. He also talks to people about the importance of eating micros nutrients; basically real food, food that is not processed and makes up only 5% of the American Diet..REALLY!!!! Processed food is 70%. BARF.
The one thing that continues to blow my mind is how selfish and how big of babies American's can be! A majority of the people he interviews (majority being obese or morbidly obese) immediately dismiss what he is doing saying " I could or would never do that!" or "I will eat what I want as long as I die happy." Statements like this being said by a man sitting next to his teenage son. Does he not want to watch the kid grow up, go to college, maybe get married and start a family? Or the people who have suffered a heart attack or have Type 2 Diabetes caused by their lifestyle who admit that neither of those will change the way they eat or exercise...this is SO selfish and drives me insane. "We're all going to die one day, so why not die happy!" If happy is eating terrible food that brings on high medical bills and an inconvenient life then go for it..

Sometimes I compare this to my life and say, "ya know I have CF and I will die young so I'm not going to do meds or take care of myself. This is a selfish and pretty soft way of going about life and my family and friends would be pissed." It's the same thing people!

The most amazing part of this film is when Joe is at a truck stop and discovers Phil, a truck driver who is morbidly obese but shares the same autoimmune disease with Joe. Joe gets him to try some juice and talks to him about the importance of micro nutrients and tells Phil that he is there to help him if he ever needs it. They part ways and we don't hear from Phil until Joe is back in Australia. He gets a distressing call from Phil saying he needs Joe's help. After meeting with is doc Phil starts with a 10 day juice fast. In just those 10 days he loses 30 lbs, his heart is functioning better and his flare ups are reduced. He decides to go with a 30 day and then right into the 60 day juice fast. Phil loses an absolutely insane amount of weight, gets off his meds and looks and feels great. My favorite is Phil's transition from a very depressed and quiet guy who is hiding behind something. By the end of the film he is running, swimming, going to the gym and teaching others about nutrition! So amazing!

So I say check this film out! I'm not interesting in juice fasting but I am hoping to add a shit ton of fresh juice into my already healthy diet! B-day is next month...juicer juicer juicer..hint hint!