"Farah and I Have
Something in Common!"
Jill Hargis from Boca Raton, Florida

In early September 2008 I found out I had colon cancer after I had my first “baseline” colonoscopy at 52 years old. So much for routine procedures! Actually, the tumor was in the anal canal and fits in the ‘colorectal cancer’ group, so I usually only tell people the location of the tumor on a ‘need to know’ basis - I guess whoever is reading this needs to know! Farah Fawcett and I have something in common after all! So here is my story.

After telling me the tumor was a stage-2 malignant squamous cell carcinoma, the doctor told me the treatment would be chemotherapy and radiation. I asked if surgery would be better and he said that I would have to have a complete (and irreversible) colostomy. A little red flag went up in my brain that said, “No thank you to doors number 1, 2 and 3” (chemo, radiation & radical surgery)! The next thing that came to my mind was, “I guess it’s time to go on the Hallelujah diet!”  I had heard about the diet several years earlier while watching a Christian television program with Rev. George Malkmus as a guest. I was intrigued at that time and ordered the seminar video “You Don’t Have to be Sick.” I watched it and shared it with others that had illnesses themselves or friends & relatives with health issues. Then I dabbled with juicing and ordered a few Barley Max products over the next few years but did not make any major changes to my diet or lifestyle. Then came the diagnosis. I believe God was telling me, “Stop telling other people to change their diet! You do it!” That night my husband and I went to dinner with friends (she also had some major health issues) and we toasted to our diseases as I had my last dinner as I knew it… chicken marsala! The next morning, I dusted off my centrifugal juicer, started juicing and called Hallelujah Acres to order a juicing kit with a better juicer and starter kit of products and supplements to begin my journey to better health. I’ve been on the Hallelujah Diet ever since and haven’t looked back. It was like God turned a page in my life to a brand new chapter! Bonus #1 – I lost 25 pounds in the first month!!!

One month into the diet while I was getting my 2nd opinions, I was getting weary of salad for lunch and salad for dinner so I called to inquire about going to the Hallelujah Acres Lifestyle Center in Plant City, FL and spoke with Sherry Orcutt – what a sweetheart! After that conversation I convinced my husband we needed to attend so I could fully implement this lifestyle without getting frustrated at my lack of knowledge about preparing food in a different way. That week changed my life. I found out you CAN teach an old dog (well, not that old!) new tricks. My husband (playing the good sport by going with me) came away with so much new information that he agreed we had to make a change! We loved the hands on food preparation and I discovered a whole new way to prepare food and incorporate so many more fruits and vegetables into my diet. I also learned about alternative ingredients to use to convert favorite recipes, how to read labels better, how to menu plan and grocery shop! We exercised daily, prayed, prepared food and educated ourselves about our self-healing bodies, health and disease.

After returning home I heard from my second round of doctors that the “standard treatment” is chemo & radiation for my kind of cancer. Then I was told the list of side effects from both treatments like burning skin – inside & out, pain that would require pain meds, secondary cancers like leukemia, hip bones that would no longer produce red blood cells, and the list went on. Talk about discouraging! I told them about MY plans to treat with diet change and nutrition – and they just stared back at me. Finally one of them said, “Why don’t you want treatment?” I answered, “Because I don’t really want poison injected in me or my insides burned.” They just didn’t get it! My husband was nervous after those visits! Then we went home and watched a video that I ordered from Hallelujah Acres that had just arrived called “Healing Cancer from Inside Out.” That video convinced me I was on to something.  I then contacted Dr. Ernest Cohn in Wilkesboro, NC – a holistic doctor that writes articles for the Hallelujah Acres newsletters – and began exploring alternative treatments in addition to my diet. He did some extensive testing (heavy metals test, live blood cell analysis, blood work, stool test, and more tests I hadn’t heard of before) to help determine the root cause so I could address the cancer pro-actively. He also sought out a local surgeon for me that, after examination said he could just remove the tumor and leave my plumbing in tact! Hallelujah! My next step was to relocate to the area for a few months – I live in Boca Raton, FL and fortunately have a friend that lives within an hour of Wilkesboro - so I packed my bags, kissed my husband good-bye and drove myself north for the winter (not the usual for Floridians). I began intravenous “Vitamin Therapy” to build UP my immune system (the opposite of chemotherapy & radiation that tears DOWN your immune system). There are other patients undergoing similar I.V. therapies and we sit, talk, read and share everything we are learning with each other. We fondly call ourselves the I.V. League. What great new friends!

Two weeks after beginning the I.V. vitamin therapy in November 2008, I had a 4 hour surgery that completely removed the tumor with clear margins. I bounced back within two days and only spent two nights in the hospital (to the surgeon’s amazement) feeling great and never needing any pain medication. I credit the diet and juicing (and my almighty God & Savior Jesus Christ) to my rapid recovery and high energy levels. CANCER FREE FEELS GREAT!!!

Since then I have continued with my I.V. vitamin therapy, supplement regime recommended by Dr. Cohn and the Hallelujah Diet. Regular check-ups continue to show my CANCER IS GONE and I FEEL GREAT! I feel the Lord has blessed me with good health again and I want to be able to share all the information I have learned on this journey with others. So, in March 2009 I became a trained Health Minister for Hallelujah Acres!

Here is a summary of some of the benefits I received since I began this diet:

• I have lost a total of 40 pounds – went from a size 14 to a size 10! I’ve watched the fat just melt away and can hardly believe my eyes. And I FEEL SO GOOD! I have more energy than I have had in years! I finally, actually ENJOY exercise! I LIKE walking UPHILL! I used to huff & puff, but now enjoy the challenge! I’m within a few pounds of the weight I was when we were married 31 years ago! WOO-HOO! My husband can’t believe it!
• My blood work is phenomenal. I had a physical back in June 2008 and for the first time had an elevated cholesterol level of 225. It is now down to 148!!! That’s a 77 point drop! All my other numbers are “excellent” according to Dr. Cohn. I have blood work done monthly and have seen a steady improvement! I don’t know if it can get any better at this point!
• My blood pressure is down. It was never too high, but it also has improved.
• My knees were getting very stiff especially walking upstairs. They are MUCH BETTER now.
• I have no body odor.
• Increased energy – I no longer have that dragging spell in the middle of the day.
• No more acid reflux (after having it for over 10 years) … and the list goes on!

Please be encouraged to ‘stay the course’ and embrace this new diet and LIFESTYLE! I love shopping in the produce department now and I love to experiment with new recipes. I’ve also joined an organic produce coop and have fresh vegetables delivered to my doorstep from a local farm. Best of all, I LOVE FEELING SO GOOD! I didn’t think it was possible to feel this good again… I thought that we should just expect those aches and pains and extra pounds as we get older!!! Don’t be deceived! Good health is our RIGHT as God’s children! But - we have to do our part! Make the change and enjoy the journey! You’ll be glad you did. I sure am!!!

Back to Eden Comment:

I recently watched a two hour special on TV about Farrah Fawcett’s journey with Anal Cancer.  My heart was broken at what this “Charlie’s Angel” has gone through.  Farrah trusted probably the best doctors in the world and their system – Jill thought that it did not make sense to do more harmful things to her body when cancer was already destroying her body.  Her “alternative thinking” has no doubt saved her life.  I want you to think about something:  What if Jill had never heard about the Hallelujah Diet?  What if she didn’t face this health crisis in her life with Courage to step out and not do what everyone told her to?  (the wide road) What if Jill thought with a poor me attitude and defeat, “well, I’m sick and miserable, but I can’t do THAT diet – its too hard?”  I believe God gave Jill the tenacity to step out in faith, trust Him and His Word and to go down the “narrow road”  (her part) and path to complete healing.  Jill, we are so proud of you and your stepping out in faith, as we did, to KNOW that God had a better plan for you.