O’neal Parris didn’t get it right the first time. So he tried again.
It took several more attempts and some spoiled mixtures before the certified personal trainer and nutritionist found the “perfect recipe” for the 365 Detox by O’neal juice. “
The product, which was inspired by some of his clients’ negative experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been on the tongues of many Barbadians for months.
“I had an average of 38 to 40 clients, and they were at home gaining weight because the gyms weren’t open. So I sat at my desktop and I started researching,” Parris said.
“I saw all the detox teas and everything else that was on the market, but most of those products were chemical-based products and I asked ‘was it possible to flush your body of toxins when you are consuming more toxins’?”.
After determining that he wanted the product to be 100 per cent natural, Parris said it took more than a year to find the right mixture of ingredients.
“It took me a year to get off the ground. I had to be mixing and taking out ingredients. I found out certain vegetables made it expire fast. Then eventually I came up with the right combination, I tested it out and it worked,” he said.
Parris, a former Christ Church Foundation student, is an overall fitness and wellness enthusiast and over the years has participated in martial arts and athletics. He has modelled at various regional and some international events, as well for local brands.
He also tried his hand at a landscaping business and has certifications in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), reflexology and recovery for athletes.
Parris remained tight-lipped about all of the juice’s ingredients, but guaranteed healthy weight-loss, especially when used with its meal plan.
“There are people who have been training for months but they can’t drop pounds and the reason their body can’t drop weight is because the liver is filled with toxins. Once it is filled with toxins it can’t create bile . . . which breaks down fat.
“In ten days one of my clients went from a 42-inch waist to a 36-waist and he dropped from 229 pounds to 190. I had one lady who used this for 15 days straight and she dropped 43 pounds and these were people who were on teas previously.”
Parris said the all-vegetable product isn’t the easiest on the palate, so he also made a modified version specifically for children.
“So many children in Barbados are overweight and obese. I wouldn’t say it’s the parents’ fault because children spent most of their time [using] ‘snacks’ that are filled with dyes and colours and that’s not good, so that’s why I developed this product for children,” he added.
Since Parris’ juice was officially released late last year, it has attracted some corporate interest.
“There have been some health companies asking me if I would sell them the product but I prefer to keep my business small so the family can use my product. If the big company buys the product, they will upscale the price and then certain people may not be able to afford it,” he added. (TG)