Today we’d like to introduce you to Octavio Rodriguez.
Hi Octavio, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
A lot has happened since we last spoke. I had some serious, eye-opening health scares, I opened a new business (because of my ailments), I booked a new tv show, and I’ve had great success with my construction company.
I guess I can start where we left off. I was super excited about pizza and super excited about my future, which I still am, but I’ve learned a lot and I’ve been forced to grow. I never took my health very seriously. I went to the gym because I wanted to look good and I ate what I thought, and most think, is healthy. I was in visibly great shape and stayed very active. I ate fast food every now and then and indulged in some good eatin’. I should preface this story with telling you about my two heart attacks I had when I was 17, just before moving to LA. I had acute kidney failure and rhabdomyolysis which caused two heart attacks in the same night. I was drinking too any supplements and not enough water. I was told to see a specialist and to get everything checked out and in order. I never did. I was scared of what medications I would get put on and didn’t want to go up that slippery slope. I decided to clean up my diet, stop the supplements, and keep on. I didn’t have any issues other than the occasional heart palpitation. I felt fine and was working out and everything seemed great. Summer of 2019, I started to notice serious hair loss that just came out of nowhere. I freaked out a little bit, naturally, me being an actor and all. I tried everything under the sun to slow down the process or ideally prevent my balding. Nothing worked. I tried topicals, injections, infrared caps, I even bought some sketchy black market, experimental stuff with bitcoin. It didn’t feel normal as I had tenderness and swelling under the scalp. I knew I wasn’t just losing my hair, if that were the case then so be it. So I went to doctors, dermatologists, nutritionists, tried changing my diet – Nothing. I was desperate. it had gotten to a point where every time I’d run my hands through my hair id get clumps upon clumps of hair falling out. I had given up. I was almost slick towards the back of my head and my hairline was sad. Then, beginning of 2021 my chest pains came back very suddenly. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t breathe correctly, all within a few days. I didn’t think I’d survive a third heart attack. It frightened me terribly. My friend put me into contact with a holistic doctor, I immediately purchased a ticket and went to visit her. To my surprise, my diet was trash. Everything I had been doing was wrong. everything I was eating was killing me. All seemingly healthy foods, at least according to the standard American diet, were killing me! I looked healthy and lean, aside from my hair, and I was working out a ton. I didn’t tell her any of my symptoms and had a hat on. She ran some tests and immediately asked if I had any hair loss. I was taken aback – Yes, I answered. Are you having any chest pains? Yes.
You’re about to have a heart attack.
I told her about my previous two and she warned, “if you don’t listen and do exactly as I say, you’ll be dead within the month.”
My arteries were clogged and there was a buildup of oil/mucus around my heart. My body was moving it to my head to prevent the heart attack. I was scared. All my work and business efforts faded away. This was now my priority. She put me on a whole foods, high carb, VERY low fat, plant-based diet which included A LOT of juicing. I was to eat 10 bananas a day for calories, a liter of carrot juice a day, and a massive salad. I was also forbidden to do any sorts of physical activity as it could trigger a heart attack. My job was to sit around, eat good clean food and get some daily sun. And I did. For 3 months. I sat around at home and did nothing but cook and eat. I couldn’t even eat nuts or avocados as they were too high in fat. It all WORKED. At month one my chest pains went away. Month two my hair stopped falling out. Month 6 it started growing back in. Month 8 I opened up an organic cold-pressed juice shop in my hometown and started spreading the good news.
This diet, The Mucus-less diet, has been healing people of all kinds of ailments and it’s something that isn’t taught or used a preventative treatment. My father was severely diabetic and through diet is off all 7 of his medications and is starting to reintroduce fruit sugars into his diet. It’s only been 7 months for him.
So uh, yeah. it’s been a lot.
Definitely, it hasn’t been a smooth road. Can you talk to us a bit more about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way?
It’s been difficult. very. Both with the health growing pains and learning to operate a new business. something I had never done. Construction is its own beast. I love it. Slangin juice isn’t as easy, to me anyway. But it’s been great, and we’ve been blessed over here at Just Juice.
We’ve been impressed with Just Juice, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m both a creative and a business owner. I’m still heavily in commercial construction and now I sell juice. I kind of touched on what we do and why. We’ve seen people healing themselves of very serious, ‘untreatable’ illnesses all through diet and fasting.
I’m proud of the product we’ve created and the branding and the build-out of my shop. It’s taken a lot of work but it’s all effective and doing its job. Everything is organic and clean, including our coffee. Our shop is tailored around the Mucus-less diet and is all about ridding our bodies of mucus, which causes inflammation, which is the source of 95% of all ailments. Everything we have is very accessible in LA or bigger cities, but my little-big town doesn’t have a single plant-based, clean restaurant at all.
As far as acting. It’s going great. I’m still getting great auditions and booking. My most recent job was a patient in Grey’s Anatomy. I’m still just as excited and even more motivated.
Seed oils are killing you. If that’s the only thing you take away from this interview – MASSIVE W
I know Just Juice isn’t in LA yet. But idk maybe? (;
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My agent and my manager are the best. Fran Blain and Todd Maginn. I absolutely adore both of them.
My father. He’s supported me and my endeavors since the beginning.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @justgivememyjuice @Octavio
- Facebook: @justgivememyjuice
Image Credits
@eder_abogabir
