Jules’ Success Story

For many years, I’ve been quiet about my personal health journey because next to Jo’s life-altering accident and recovery I didn’t think it was worth talking about…until today.

You see there was a part of me (what I call the small ‘s’ self) that didn’t think my story was significant enough to really have an impact. In my head I thought, “I wasn’t in debilitating pain. I didn’t have a huge physical transformation. What do I have to share that can really help people?”

Over the years though, I’ve realized the fault in my thinking based on my belief that in the Universe there is no hierarchy of suffering. Suffering is suffering. And when we are in a state of suffering, like so many are, we’re consumed by pain (be it physical, mental, emotional) and therefore not able to bring forth our biggest, baddest, best Self (with a capital ‘S’)!

And let me tell you, I’m waaaaaaaay more interested in all of us realizing the Truth of who we are then I am in suffering, so I hope that my story serves you in some way to become your most Vibrant Self.


Looking back 14 years ago (when the picture on the left was taken) I thought this is as good as it gets in regards to my health. I was a vegetarian. I drank a ton of water. I practiced yoga every day. I had what most would consider, a very healthy (others might say ‘extreme’) diet.

Back then I wouldn’t have even categorized my health concerns as “problems.” They were just nagging annoying “complaints.” Issues that I just had to deal with! I also remember thinking  “this is just part of getting older.”

In reality though I was consumed most days by bloating and drop-you-to-the-floor stomach pains. I worked hard to maintain a healthy weight (I was 20 pounds heavier back then). I had regular skin breakouts. I also had really horrid gas. Seriously – we’re talking about clear-a-room-of-innocent-people bad gas!

I remember feeling really frustrated because I thought I was doing everything “right” to be healthy, and yet I still was struggling.

You know the saying you don’t know what you don’t know? Well, that sums up my biggest epiphany!

When Jo and I first were experimenting with what would become the Conscious Cleanse, I was 100% certain that I did NOT have food allergies (red flag!). Food sensitivities were on my radar but that didn’t apply to me.

The reality was that even though I was eating a boatload of “health foods,” these foods did not work in my body. This discovery has made the biggest impact on me improving my health long term!

Side note: I wasn’t always a health nut. I mean I was inside my brain, but I smoked a pack of cigarettes a day, drank Mountain Dew like it was water, and lived on bagels and carrot cake. Once I got older and wiser, I finally started to align my actions with my brain. So I quit smoking, began practicing yoga, and started to hone in on how the food I was putting in my body made me feel.

My big aha’s came in yoga when I realized that I was either more hot, bothered, fidgety, nauseous, etc in class…or I was calm, focused, more flexible and open. My wandering mind started connecting the dots between how I felt in class to what I was eating–the former a result of the egg and cheese bagel for breakfast or late night ice cream treat.

Not long thereafter, I woke up to the realization that soy, dairy, and gluten were not my friends.

Foods like tofu, whey protein, yogurt, and cheese, which once had a regular appearance in my diet got swapped out with raw and living foods–things like green smoothies, kale salads, zucchini hummus (recipe in our book) and raw blueberry pie for dessert.

I went down a road of eating 100% raw and living foods for about six months straight and the result was that I felt amazing! My physical form began to change. I started to stand up taller. I felt strong in my core. My eyes were wider. And the best part? The gas, bloating, and acne all went away!

The empowerment that I felt having reached a level of my own well-being that I’d never thought possible was pure joy!

Jo and I have very different stories, but where they are the same is that we both believed wholeheartedly that we could heal and become our most Vibrant Self.

My inspiration came from reading nutrition books on raw and living foods (if you’re interested, one of my favorites is called Living on Live Food by Alissa Cohen) where hundreds of brave people were trading in their McDonald’s meals for veggies veggies and more veggies! These real life stories are what always kept me believing that vibrant health was possible for me too.

Today I continue to experiment with my body, to try different foods to see how they make me feel. I’m not 100% without health complaints but I believe more than ever that it is our birthright to feel good in our body!

Okay friends, now I want to hear from you! Pllleeeeaaase leave me a comment below and let me know if this was helpful to you. Any epiphanies or aha’s? Please share them with me below!

And remember, there is no end to how good you can feel. We can all keep going together and continue to get better and better (even as we age!). Who’s up for that?

All love,

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Showing 20 comments
  • Christine

    Wow Jules! I love knowing the dark side of your health history- makes you so much more accessible when I know you have not always been a kale-munching vegan :) You are an inspiration and so delighted to be on this journey with someone who has been there (suffering- small or capital S). #goyou

    xo X-tine

    • Jules Peláez

      Haha!!! Thanks for reading and for allowing me to be a part of your healing journey! So much love, Jules xoxo

  • Stefanie

    Hi, Jules, that was a helpful insight! I found it encouraging as you show that literally, anybody can achieve that. I’m wondering how to simplify nutrition. Do you shop with a weekly plan that shows which recipe you’re going to do which day?

    • Jules Peláez

      Hi Stefanie, thanks for reading! You’re saying our magic words – “simplify nutrition.” Love that. Jo and I both eat quite simply. One of the ways I do this is by eating the same recipes or dishes for several weeks or months at a time, then I memorize the ingredients and the recipe so both shopping and prep go faster. Some may consider it boring but I like that if I find something I know works and I like it, I just stick with it for a bit until I get bored. I hope that’s helpful. :) xo Jules

  • Paula vanatta

    Thanks so much Jules for writing back and for sharing ur story. I did the Cleanse with the book for a few weeks. Then stopped. Need to sign up and do it. HesitTion is the “hassle” of getting the foods even though I understand what to do now. And being restricted. But like u say, the bloat, has, bad bathroom issues, glazed over eyes etc etc woukd be soooooo much improved. Talking myself back into it!!!!! ThNk u!

    • Jules Peláez

      Hi Paula, We would love for you to join us for the July 12 Cleanse. Doing the cleanse multiple times is always a good idea b/c it gets easier the more you practice eating this way. Plus you’ll have the support of our team and our rocking community. Either way, keep up the great work and know that you can feel amazing in your body! Believe it. Visualize it. xo Jules

  • Joanne Viola

    Thank you, Jules, for your motivating success story! Most of us know we CAN feel better, we just don’t tune in to what is keeping us from vibrant health. At 51, there are still so many things I want to do and accomplish. I need the best of my body to support me in my efforts. I love your statement: ‘It is our birthright to feel good in our body”. Amen! It’s time for me to get back and stay with clean eating.

    • Jules Peláez

      Hi Joanne, yes! That’s the spirit. It’s a daily practice and commitment, that is for sure. But so worth it. Come join us for the next cleanse. We’d love to have you part of the conversation! Much love, Jules

  • April Rollins

    Hi friend!
    I never knew your story, I’m glad I read it! Mine is similar in a way. 15 years ago I was in the service industry. I ate restaurant food everyday, at weird hours and drank frequently after work. I thought I was healthy because I was into sports. But my gut was not healthy. I had a lot of depression and low self esteem. My hormones were crazy. I broke out all the time, which did not help my self esteem! My awful moment was when I started working at a natural veterinary clinic and saw that these animals I was helping care for were eating better than me, ha ha! The people I work with also ate very healthy. So I slowly started eating more often small meals, healthier choices, but still not quite there yet. I started getting into yoga, I rode my bike very far distances. It wasn’t until I went to hear a psychologist give a talk on the mood and food connection that it all clicked. I cut out gluten, chips, dairy and ate clean. It was about that time that I became pregnant with my first child, and I ate so healthy for the pregnancy. And then when she was born I noticed that she had a very strong reaction to dairy and gluten so I stayed off of it once again. My depression has gone away, my self-esteem is higher than it has ever been, and they live joyfully to eat all these wonderful foods that the universe provides.
    April

    • Jules Peláez

      Thank you for sharing your story, April! Our stories are even more similar than that with the part about our firstborns waking us up even more. Enzo was the same way! Happy to be on this parenting and personal health journey with you mama. Love you, Jules xoxo

  • Paulett graziani

    Thanks jules . I can really relate to what you are saying. I find it hard sometimes to stay away from the foods that I know don’t make me feel well. I exercise regularly and try and eat well but it is definitely my downfall. You are a true inspiration!

    • Jules Peláez

      Hi Paulett, Thank you for reading and commenting! I hear you about the back and forth and knowing better but deciding anyway. The key principle about the Conscious Cleanse is to first stop beating yourself up about less than great choices. It’s all a learning experience and I truly believe that the most profound and lasting change happens this way…slowly, over time, with lots of blunders and bad choices along the way. The second key is to really believe in yourself and your ability to have the most epic health that you can imagine. See that person in your mind and you will make more consistent healthful choices as the person you are becoming! Much love, Jules

  • Laura Biela

    I, too, am a health nut… in my head. And I am also dealing with the everyday complaints that are just a part of aging… except I know in the back of my mind that this isn’t completely true. I did the cleanse some years back, and felt great. Now my functional medicine doc wants me to repeat an elimination diet, so I’ll be revisiting the cleanse again and I’m actually looking forward to it!

    • Jules Peláez

      Awesome Laura! We’d love to help you through your elimination diet. You can of course, customize the Cleanse so that it works for you and we’ll be here to help you thru it! Keep us posted and thanks so much for reading! Keeping believing in the health nut in you and you will walk towards her and before you know, you will become her fully! xo Jules

  • Tyler Otto

    You’re an inspiration Jules!! And it’s no surprise at all. This was a great read. Still do any capoeira along with the yoga?

    Lots of love,
    Tyler
    Wrong house on Wright Avenue

    • Jules Peláez

      Thanks for reading Ottoman! It’s good to hear from you. I’m trying to get my boys into capoeira camp, if you can believe that! I was on a wheatgrass shot a day kick not long ago and was thinking of you. Still drinking your wheatgrass? xo Jules

  • Kristine

    I LOVE and appreciate this story beyond measure and (of course) it is perfect timing!!!! Thank you for the reminder that the comparison of ourselves to others not only creates pain but blocks to our own truth… who we are, how we feel, what we desire. It is when we choose to pause and check in on our own body, making our story the most important story of all, that we can start telling a bigger truth about what we want… As a woman about to turn 50, who eats well and takes care of her body… I’ve been in a bit of denial about what my body needs as it’s changing…, I can feel it needing something different but I haven’t been listening… I am now… Thanks Jules!!

    • Jules Peláez

      Wow, Miss Kris, I have the chills. As always your words inspire me! Thank you for reading and reflecting the Light and Truth always! xo Jules

  • Tony Merlo

    I like your observation about no hierarchies in suffering – “suffering is suffering.” Your journey is inspirational.

    • Jules Peláez

      Hi Tony, I miss seeing you! Thank you for reading and for getting the suffering part…it’s very Bikram yoga of me. :) Much love, Jules

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