Why I Started Toya's Hydration Station

From survival to service — my journey to health and healing.

 

I started Toya’s Hydration Station because I wanted to become healthier — and help others do the same.

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In 2006, I was diagnosed with lupus in my early 20s. I was in denial — who wants to be diagnosed with a lifelong illness at that age? I spent eight months in and out of the hospital. Steroids caused my weight to jump from a size 12 to a 24 in less than a year. My flare-ups were so intense that even a baby crying could trigger one. And the only thing doctors did was prescribe more pills — eventually, 27 pills a day.That alone can break your spirit.

 

But I refused to stay broken. I held on to my faith — what I call my crazy faith — passed down to me from my grandmother, Pastor Elsie Pruitt. She always told us, “God is with us, even when no one else is.” That faith carried me.

 

I wish my grandparents could see my transformation. I tried to help them while they were here — I even visited the "Vitamin Lady" on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta Ga to find alternative cancer treatments for my grandmother. Her tumor shrank, but during COVID, she was neglected in care — nurses were “too busy”to give her water which caused severe dehydration. In 2020, I lost both grandparents within six months of each other. My grandfather McKinley Pruitt in January, my grandmother in June.

 

That grief pulled me into a dark place. I stopped working. Depression hit hard. But life doesn’t stop —even when we do. And that’s what I want people to know: don’t stop moving when you’re grieving or depressed.

 

Then in June 2022, I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure — not because of a weak heart, but from severe fluid retention. I lost 5 pounds in 30 minutes from an IV diuretic. It shook me to my core. I knew I had to change everything.

 

I changed my diet. Cut dairy (hardest thing I’ve ever done — I love cheese!). Started intermittent fasting. I experimented with sea moss, but eventually started making it myself. I began researching juicing and the power of fruits and vegetables.

 

At my heaviest, I weighed 347 pounds. I now weigh 200. I tried Ozempic but couldn’t handle the side effects. I was already hitting the gym 4–5 days a week, so my trainer encouraged me to do it naturally. I stopped the shots, committed to walking 3–5 miles almost daily, and kept going — no matter how hard.

 

In March 2024, I started juicing for other people. I made personalized juices, even for a friend with cancer. That was when I knew this was more than a health journey — this was a calling. Helping others heal through food became my mission. That’s how Toya’s Hydration Station was born.

 

Now, I’m proud to say Toya’s Hydration Station is in two stores — an herb shop and a wellness center —and I plan to be in 3–5 more by the end of 2025. My nieces and nephews helped name and brand the business. I told them: “Think big — I want these juices in Walmart one day.” And that vision is closer than ever.

 

Your health matters. Too often, we spend money on everyone else but hesitate to invest in ourselves.We say, “That’s too expensive” — but we’ll spend the same on something that doesn’t feed or heal us.

 

In March 2024, I also lost my brother, Tavares LaScott (TL). He passed away from complications related to diabetes, stress, and heartbreak. His blood sugar was nearly 1200. At 2 years old, he was already eating adult fast food meals. Food was a lifelong struggle for him. I’m so grateful that we talked just 30minutes before he passed — that moment fuels me every single day.

 

When I feel like giving up, I look at my brother’s hat. I remember why I started. I get up and keep going.

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