Drinking to My Health

You'd think that a person going to the screening of a documentary called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead would have the sense not to get buttered popcorn to scarf down while being educated and entertained. But not me and I didn't even feel too badly about it because I wasn't the only one.

Joe Cross' first moviemaking endeavor revolved around his quest to lose weight and get healthy after years of getting heavier and sicker. The Australian decided to challenge himself by accomplishing this in the land of plenty, namely NYC for a month followed a by a month-long cross-country trip. All in full view of a film crew so he couldn't cheat.

With the approval of his physician, he set out to do a two-month juice diet and see if he could go off the meds that were barely keeping his medical conditions in check.

Along the way he interviewed scores of Americans about their health and obesity (to a man/woman, they blamed only themselves), occasionally inspiring others to try what was working so well for him.

The film had plenty of humor, from one fat sibling nonchalantly judging his fat brother ("He needs to do something.") to a friend of Joe's stating that his "weight had fluctuated up and down like a broad's nightie." Said in a thick Australian accent, that was a big laugh-getter.

Australia was also nicely represented in the music choices, which included INXS and Men at Work, as well as the scenic locations where Cross jogged.

One of the people inspired by Joe's efforts was a truck driver from Iowa who weighed 429 pounds and had the same auto-immune disease that Joe had suffered from before his weight loss. He was willing to try a plant-based liquid diet out of fear he would soon die otherwise.

Phil's story became the emotional heart of the film and by the time he was finally able to jog and play ball with his son towards the end, the audience was cheering and clapping for him and his determination.

Whole Foods was sponsoring the screening at the Byrd and Joe Cross took questions afterwards from a seriously interested audience. Cross' Australian accent was thick at times, but the difference in how he'd first appeared in the movie at 310 pounds and now was dramatic. He'd looked much older fat and much younger these three years later after losing ninety pounds.

The film won't be released in the U.S. until next March, so tonight's preview was yet another example of RVA scoring an event that many cities won't get, definitely our gain.

The takeaway was that since 70% of the negative health and body effects we experience are caused by lifestyle issues, everyone has the ability to make better choices and live longer and healthier if they so choose.

I did take that message to heart, really I did, but I also stopped off for a drink at Rosie Connelly's on the way home to think about how I can possibly incorporate more micro-nutrients (fruits and veggies) into my diet. And I wasn't nearly as bad as I could have been.

As the bartender smilingly reminded me when she served me, "At least you don't have anyone trying to force tequilas on you tonight," a reference to one of my recent visits where a close-talking regular was determined to buy me drinks I didn't want.

Come to think of it, though, tequila is plant-based. But no, probably not what Joe had in mind.