The Gangrene Wakeup Call That Led to a Green Juice Rebirth

After Emergency Gallbladder Surgery, My Meat-and-Potatoes Dad Adopted a Green Juice Habit That Changed His Life

My father likes to day, “He has effed up taste buds.” Though I think this is just an excuse to eat what he wants.

Growing up, I watched my dad indulge in a diet that could be summed up with the cliche of “meat and potatoes.” His favorite dish at our local Vietnamese restaurant was literally Beef and Potatoes — a traditional delicacy of stir-fried beef and thinly sliced potatoes. It was basically beef jerky and potato chips. Zero vegetables in sight.

For sixty years, my father’s “effed up taste buds” dictated his eating habits leading him to punish his insides with a lack of nutritious, whole foods. Little did he know, his body would eventually sound the alarm bells, demanding a change. After sixty years of punishment to his insides, the alarm bells rang.

Losing His Gallbladder Privileges

My dad had a stomach ache, so bad he had to go to the hospital. Did I mention my dad avoided the doctor as much as any food that grew from the ground?

The doctor said it was his gallbladder. He needed to remove it right away to avoid infection or further risk. So within a few hours of arriving, Cholecystectomy surgery was scheduled, performed, and a success.

And then I’ll never forget what my mom told me afterward: It was gangrene. Without knowing the medical definition, I could picture it. A sickly and green organ that’s literally dying.

The doctor said he’ll need to change his lifestyle. He no longer had his body’s meat-and-potatoes filter anymore. He could eat like he used to, but food like that would now “go right through him.”

A Recipe Request from Mr. Effed Up Taste Buds

My dad spent his first sixty years treating his body like a dumpster. The only vegetable he liked was ketchup. But with a growing brood of grandchildren, he knew he needed to make a change.

Mr. Effed Up Taste Buds was not about to start eating kale salads. Nor was he about to eat any fruit besides perfectly ripe, ice-cold Granny Smith apples. So he called blending-as-a-career son on the day he got home from the hospital for a recipe. Something with the nutrients he needed. Something he could chug.

I told him to make our Everyday Green Juice.

4 cups water
1 apple, cored
1 banana, peeled
1 orange, peeled
a hearty handful of greens (kale or spinach or collard greens or all)
¼ inch piece ginger root (thumb-sized piece)
½ lemon peeled
1 Tbsp. seeds (chia or flax or hemp or all both)
3 cups ice

Still, my father was resistant to making the green juice. Just the idea of eating anything healthy made him feel uneasy. So he made mom do the blending for him. She started slowly by using romaine for greens. She went easy on the ginger and heart-healthy seeds so we didn’t overload his taste buds or digestive tract. Starting slow helped build momentum for the days ahead.

He also didn’t want to taste it. The strategy that he still uses today is to chug it as fast as he can. And then he washes it down with water so there’s no bit of healthy-tasting residue in his mouth.

He reframed his mindset to help overcome resistance. To him it’s like medicine. He knows his body needs it and we all benefit from him taking it.

Still Drinking the Juice Every Day

My dad has not changed all that much. He feels like the best choice for a meal is one with meat. He would never order a burrito with just beans and rice.

But he drinks 32 ounces of blended green juice every day. He likes drinking his green juice in the afternoon, around 3pm. He says it gives him an immediate and lasting boost for the rest of his day. “It’s like a 5-hour energy, but not quite as long or strong.”

He’s had to learn to make the juice on his own. Sometimes my mom will be away and he wants to keep his daily green juice streak alive. He has the recipe and had to practice a little with scary things like fresh ginger. The biggest challenge, however, is overcoming his resistance to doing anything a healthy person would do.

Not sure he’d ever have adopted a green juice habit without a major scare like gallbladder surgery. I cannot imagine being told this would become a part of his normal routine.

We’re grateful he’s made this one small change. He looks better than ever and for someone in his 60s who’s had a challenging life, he’s active and involved and sharp like a guy who’s decades younger.

It’s been inspiring for our family and now we’re making healthier choices alongside him. We know that life is about balance — one can order the beef and potatoes on a special occasion. It’s being alive to have that opportunity that guides the healthy lifestyle habits we choose most often.