Monday, February 14, 2011

The Inspirational Story of Ellen O'Brien's Life Turnaround


Ellen O'Brien came into my life approximately two months ago and has become one of the most inspirational people I have ever met.

We met when we were both guest speakers on a radio program. She is a professional singer and has the most stunning voice. The problem was that she was struggling terribly with a weight problem, which for her, is particularly painful because she is constantly performing on stage.

A self-declared "sugar, caffeine queen," her diet consisted highly of low calorie, fortified foods. The problem with these foods is that, despite the high mineral and vitamin count, our bodies simply do not absorb most of these "fake" nutrients so we are left undernourished. As a result, we're starving.

Ellen experienced a difficult childhood where her value was diminished. Not feeling worthy, she turned to the comfort of food. Like so many people, she yo-yo dieted throughout her life, which left her feeling frustrated and depleted.

Many people with weight issues believe they will be happy once they lose the weight. The problem is that when they lose the desired pounds, they're still stuck with themselves and their problems. As a result, they turn back again to the comfort of food and the cycle continues. Losing weight is the band-aide and, we all know, band-aides only cover the wound, but they don't heal it.

Ellen realized that she had to love herself first, where she was in her life at that very moment, with all the excess pounds. The first difficult step she took was to minimize communication with people in her life that had a negative influence. As harsh as this sounds, for many of us, this can mean cutting off contact with a parent, at least temporarily, if the parent is causing us so much pain.

Next, she looked around her and realized that she was surrounded by so much love and support. Even more crucial is that she saw that the more she showed love for others, the more love came into her life - and, little by little, the more she started to love herself.

The second step to healing herself was to nourish herself with the highest quality, nutrient rich foods. When I brought JOOS with me to the radio show, like many people on a highly processed food, acidic diet, Ellen gasped when she had her first sip. She knew, though, that she would have to make a radical change in her diet in order to lose the weight permanently.

Ellen did her first, 3 week JOOS cleanse at the beginning of January 2011 and was coached by JOOS Lifestyle Counselor Executive, Marissa Dana. Within the first three days of starting her JOOS Cleanse, she called me and said, "I'm addicted," and lost her craving for sugar and caffeine.

When I spoke with her this past week, approximately one month after completing her JOOS cleanse, she told me she already lost 30 lbs. More importantly, she learned that she has sensitivities, like many of us, to dairy and wheat. She also informed me that it was "the best thing that ever happened to me and my body."

Ellen is leading her first JOOS Cleanse in Winthrop. We are having an introductory meeting on Thursday, February 17th, at 7:30pm at Webtekk and Epidermis, at 260 Revere Street, Winthrop. The JOOS Cleanse will officially start on February 21st. I encourage you to join her for this incredibly inspirational experience.