Bridget Angus

HLTH 1020

Day

Nutrition Prospectives

I chose to watch “Sick, fat and nearly dead” I decided to watch this because I fid the hu-

man body very interesting. I believe in the placebo effect fully and this documented takes it to

the extreme. The documentary about a man names Joe Cross who wants to cure his chronic

skin condition by fasting and only drinking juice made from vegetables and fruits for 60days. In

the beginning he stops his medication that is treating the symptoms in hopes his juice diet will

help his body heal itself. He is from Australia and come to the United States to help face his

“Demons” as he called them. With the assistance of a Dr. He was able to make his goal of cur-

ing himself fo the autoimmune disease.

Through his journey he inspires people on the way hi first willing participant is a lady in

Iowa who surfers from migraines and I’d hoping that the fast will help he as well. By the end of

her journey she had a great experience she only did a ten day fast and was a bold to get her mi-

graines under control. When the film was release she had not suffered any migraines and feel

like she is young again.

The turning point is when he meets some one with the same disease as him, Joe was

able to bond and help others on his journey to control his life. The men’s name in Phil, he met

him in Arizona while filming, after Joe returned to Australia Phil called him asking for help. Joe

returned to the United States to help him out with a ten day fast, Phil was given a check up to

make sure he is ok to to do this. He does suffer from depression from what I can tell but the
things he says. There was a point where they are filming him sleeping and you can tell he has

sleep apnea.

During hills journey Joe took him away from temptation and put him up in a home by

the lake. While there he learned recipes and how to really control his life. At the end of his ten

days he decided to go for thirty days, by the end of his thirty days he dropped 60 pounds. Phil

fasted for a total of sixty days he felt better and even stared his own juice bar to help others. As

for his medication he was able to get off most of his medication during the course of filming.

Phil also ended up helping his older brother make changes to his lifestyle after he suffered

heart attack. I really enjoyed watching the this film, while it is not for everyone it is worth a

shot at changing.

Joe Cross has no background in nutrition, he is an entrepreneur and film maker, the film

was made in 2010. I feel that the theme of the film are relevant today only because what he did

is a lifestyle change that others have done. I worked with someone who did this and at that

time I thought “is not one I would do”, but after watching this documentary I might considered.

In the film it talks a lot about micronutrients and from what we have been reading in this book

it holds true. The one difference from the book is the serving size it is 100% fruits and veggies.

During the film he interviews people that are obese and when he questions them about

what they can change all of them state their diet. I learned that I too could benefit from mak-

ing a change in my diet I might not follow the juice diet for as long as they did, but I would like

to make changes myself. I feel that we as a nation need to have better access to fresh food not

fast food. I feel that the food that is the fastest is the cheapest and when you struggle to put
healthy food in the home you go for what you can afford. I learned that we are in control of our

health and if we want to change we are the ones who need to do so.

I work in a clinic and day after day I hear people complaining about how the doctor is

not fixing this or that and not taking responsibility for things they have done to their health.

We live in a society of people who want there’s to fix their mistake and the film explores this to

the fullest. I for one would like to try the ten day fast and I would hope my husband joins me.

When you diet it is I important to surround yourself with people that will support and not ena-

ble you. I have been overweight my whole life and I need a change I want to be around or my

kids. My hope in taking this class was to help better my lifestyle and I plan to make changes

needed to do so.

Reference:

“Press Photos & Media | Fat Sick & Nearly Dead.” Fat Sick and Nearly
Dead | a Joe Cross Film, www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/about.html.

Cross, Joe and Kurt Engfher, directors. Sick Fat and Nearly Dead.
United States, Netherlands , 16 Apr. 2010.