I don’t drink Milk. In fact, I never have. I have drank orange juice since the beginning, though. There has never been a time in my life that I have not loved the sweet tang of orange juice. I was never big on Orange flavored products but the juice itself was always a favorite. I was allergic to every form of milk when I was born back in 78 and back then there were not as many options. My mom did not make milk for me so they were at a loss of what to do. I just would not take formula right out of the milk carton milk. However, I would lick the sweet vanilla ice cream off of whatever they put up in my mouth with it on it. LOL from birth I marched to my own tune. However, this brick wall of not drinking milk was killing me. Just drinking watered-down orange juice, apple juice, juicing peas, peaches, and other vegetables that could be turned into a watery substance after being strained and juiced were my only nutrients. We know now juicing done incorrectly takes away all the nutrients, but we did not know then. By age two I barely weighed what a one-year-old would.
Fast forward to surviving to be a 13-year-old who was now overweight. How time changes things. Actually, due to the fact I was such a picky eater, and how I was so thin, it made me the child who, for the most part, got to eat whatever she asked for! Years later, at 13 I was taken to a new pediatrician and he said to my face, “you are too fat do you want to die”? He put me on an 800 cal. a day plan. He gave my mom a diet meant for adults, you know the one: Tuna, boiled eggs, and water being the main staples. Well, thank God for my grandpa, being anti tuna, because he at least stepped in and said that we had to adapt the diet to things I liked at least. So, I remember for breakfast I’d get one fried egg instead of boiled, and instead of coffee or water I got OJ. If I was willing to give up bread, I could have a full glass of OJ. I always gave up the bread. I ate a baked fish patty on lettuce (a lot) . It was my tuna replacement. I know there were other meals but frankly I have blacked that part of my life out. I do remember going back that second week and showing the doctor the food journal my mom was keeping. He told me I could not have orange juice anymore because I only lost 10 lbs. in 7 days. So, my mom took it away. I was so desperate to have orange juice. That week when I went back, I had lost 21 lbs. This went on for about five weeks. Two weeks I reached the 20lb mark but the others were a 10 or a 15. After that fifth week, we stopped doing the diet. I had lost around 75 lbs. I went into the mental hospital for two weeks then therapy for a few weeks after that. By the time I was done with the group therapy I had gained all the weight back.
During my time in the mental hospital I felt like my world was so turned upside down. They denied me food – like everyone had access to a break room but me. When everyone was eating pie or cake I was not allowed. I got in trouble for having cheese. They would take away my shower privileges if they caught me with food. I remember I hated the taste of the water there and I solely drank orange juice the entire time I was there. I guess they did not get the memo OJ had a lot of calories. Orange juices have been there for me in the good and in the bad. When I was married, my husband would swear to me that sleep and orange juice was all you needed to get rid of a cold or flu. I somewhat feel that. I still drink orange juice at least once a day.
We don’t often think about the things in our lives we take for granted. I drink orange juice every day and never stop to think about our history together. Then I am given the opportunity to write about a national day such as Orange Juice Day… It just gives one a different perspective of the importance of the place that an item, person, etc. had in your life. What is your favorite drink? XOXO, Evie
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Finding Evie 