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Monday, December 10, 2012

Home grown vegetables helping to save a life

Speak to anyone who grows their own vegetables and they’ll usually talk about the satisfaction they get from growing their own vegies, the convenience of being able to pick it fresh whenever they want to, and some of the cost benefits they may have experienced.

But this past week and a half I have come to appreciate more than ever before the amazing health benefits of growing your own fresh vegies, particularly silver beet and beetroot which are both high in iron.



A friend of mine “Joe” has been in hospital fighting for his life after a virus which had attacked his heart left one of his heart valves practically destroyed and needing replacement. He’d been told by the doctors if they didn’t operate within the next 2 weeks he could die.

Unfortunately his haemoglobin level had dropped significantly and as he’s one of Jehovah’s Witnesses he couldn’t accept a blood transfusion which is what they normally give in that situation. And they can’t operate until they get his red blood cell count up to around 100. So suddenly my garden with a good crop of iron-producing fresh vegetables came to the rescue.

We filled a flask of freshly squeezed silver beet and beetroot juice (using the root and the leaves), mixed with 2 green apples, a whole lemon (without the zest) 2 carrots, a leaf of cabbage and a handful of parsley, then rushed it over to the hospital.


His wife and family got their own juicer and started giving him regular doses of freshly squeezed juice, high in iron, which has been steadily building up his red blood cell count.

We wish him well and are hoping for the best. 

Hang in there Joe!

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UPDATE (as at Jan 21, 2013)

After a rigorous routine of freshly squeezed juices, Joe's Haemoglobin level was built up from 56 to 113. It was a slow process but Joe was finally able to get the heart surgery he needed and is now on the road to recovery. He’s convinced the juices helped and is now a fresh juice convert.

Thank you to all for your thoughts and prayers.






3 comments:

  1. Wow I never knew high iron veggies could raise blood cell level. Get well soon Joe. We have a Joe in our congregation. He's 98 years old & still going strong. He still maintains his own veggie garden & is never missing from a meeting. He's an inspiration to everyone

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  2. There's definitely something good about eating fresh vegetables. Juicing them's even better if you want a concentrated dose of nutrition. Perhaps that's the secret to living a long and healthy life.

    Joe's an Australian aborigine, but not from your neck of the woods, he's from further north. They got his blood up to 81 the other day and they've lowered their target to 90 so hopefully they can operate on him soon.

    I'll pass on your 'well wishes' – every little bit helps.

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  3. Glad to hear the good new about our brother Joe.

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