Once I was released from the hospital in Denver, and through my first round of chemotherapy, I received a flood of alternative treatment suggestions. Friends and family members all searched the
book shelves and internet to find and deliver the miracle treatment. On a daily basis I was receiving books on nutrition, plant diets, wheatgrass, meditation, DVDs regarding other success stories, balance bracelets. My mom was bringing water that she had “infused
with love, health, etc....” She had also been reading about juicing (not the use of illegal steroids, but juicing fruits and vegetables), she came to my house with a plan.
“Your cells need chlorophyll,”
she exclaimed, bustling through my house with eco-bags full of produce.
“My cells need chlorophyll?” This was obviously an idea that had been discussed among the family, since my father had just surprised
me with a very expensive juicer.
“Yes!” She was already unloading her groceries onto my counter. She then proceeded to produce 30 ounces of juice using several stalks of celery, a bulb of fennel,
a handful of bean sprouts, a handful of spinach, a handful of kale, and sugar snap peas. She poured the very green liquid into the tallest glass she could find and sat the pitcher with the remainder in front of me. Then she told me I had 15 minutes to drink
it before the nutritional properties started to diminish.
At first she watched me intensely as I drank that strange juice, which wasn't all that bad actually. It tasted like watered down lawn, with a sweet aftertaste.
Once she saw that I was on my way of completing my task she started to clean the juicer and save any vegetables she could use tomorrow. As soon as I finished the juice she would take my glass, tell me I did a good job, kiss me on the nose, and start on lunch.
My lunch usually consisted of homemade lentil soup and a hearty piece of bread. This was our routine everyday for several weeks.
One day she came to prepare my daily juice and lunch and she had a renewed sense
of purpose. She had yet another green drink recipe to add into my nutritional regimen.
“Okay,” she started, “This drink is going to be your meat and potatoes.” She made me my juice as
usual, then she began on the new shake. The contents of which was an entire apple (minus the core), an entire avocado (minus the pit, of course), three stalks of celery, the meat of a Thai coconut, a ¼ cup coconut water, a handful of spinach, and a
handful of sprouts. Every ingredient she had researched and studied why it was beneficial to the healing process. Whether it was the antioxidants, or electrolytes, or vitamins A, B, C..., she had a reason for everything. She blended it in my blender and poured
it into a beautiful glass and layered it with finely shredded coconut to give it a parfait effect. It was so thick I had to eat it with a spoon. It tasted primarily of avocado and apple, so again it wasn't that bad, but now I had one more thing to add to my
daily menu.
Everyday she would journey to the Whole Foods store to find a Thai coconut, and have someone cut the coconut and extract the water, etc... And, everyday I drank my juice and ate my shake with a smile.
Some of my friends had even heard of 'the green drink' and would come over at lunch time just to watch me go through my nutritional healing.
I bet if you asked my mom today what the secret of my health success
was she would probably tell you it was due to my attitude and the power of prayer, but secretly I bet she thought my cells got the chlorophyll they needed.