Hello friends!
When I was 18 years old and headed to the Big City, I was on a direct path to change the world. I had a CLEAR vision of what I wanted to do with my life. I KNEW that my future was in health and wellness and I assumed that meant becoming a doctor. It made complete sense. I loved science, especially biology, and I got good grades. I wanted to help people get healthy and knew that the medicine offered an opportunity to have an amazing impact.
Yet, by senior year of college I wasn’t so sure anymore. Suddenly I had this enormous task of tackling the medical school monster I would have to conquer to finally have a positive impact on the health and wellness of others. Now faced with at least a decade of education and hard work (and DEBT), the idea of a career as a doctor did not provoke the same passion or fire in me anymore.
So I took a gap year and did a lot of self-exploration. And that exploration helped me come to the conclusion that the reason my heart wasn’t in medical school is that I truly did not want to study a system that was as broken and corrupt as the American healthcare system. I knew that I could not get behind a system that values profits over people. I was still passionate about health but there had to be a better way.
Well that year I had an awakening. I learned so much about this new idea that revolutionized my world. I never considered it before: Plant-based eating. Simple right? I consumed everything that I could on the subject. I learned so much about the “nutritional cure for disease” and I couldn’t believe more people didn’t know! Roughly 70% of disease is caused by lifestyle choices!
When I went back to my plan for med school, I couldn’t see myself ever going down that path. I didn’t want to prescribe pills and surgeries. There was a simpler, more sustainable solution. And I planned to devote my life to the idea that a whole food plant-based diet was the “miracle drug” the world was looking for. It’s what inspired me to become a Health Coach!
One of the most transformative parts of my research during my gap year was the collection of documentaries that really changed my life. Seeing the narratives, seeing the evidence, seeing the positive changes people experienced; these films inspired me to seek another path. They inspired me to find new purpose. They helped shape the message I want to share with the world. And over the years that fire for wellness led me to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and health coaching. Like I said, life changing!
So here is a little bit about some of my favorite plant-based documentaries. My wish is that you watch them with an open mind and consider implementing some simple changes that can really go a long way!
1. Forks over Knives
Forks over Knives is the first plant-based documentary I saw on my quest for knowledge about this new lifestyle I was embarking on. I guess I’ve always known what was considered healthy when it came to eating, but seeing this film helped me see the WHY.
The film centers on the idea that the Standard American Diet is the main cause of a multitude of “lifestyle diseases” that are becoming so prevalent in modern populations. Their solution? A whole foods plant-based diet void of all meat and dairy products or processed foods.
Forks over Knives focuses on the findings of physician Caldwell Esselstyn M.D. and professor of nutritional biochemist T. Colin Campbell PhD. Both studied modern disease but from two different angles: one followed the data trends and the other results of a clinical approach. It was great to see the data trends of the China study alongside one on one stories of how this lifestyle effected lives. And the science of it really set my inner bio nerd on fire!
I loved that they interviewed so many people and were able to show evidence that this way of eating works wonders. There were so many examples of people who were able to reverse life-threatening diseases by switching to a whole food plant-based diet. It was also great to see the people the met at the beginning of filming change over the course of the creation of the film. That made the evidence so compelling.
Overall I really love this film, it really put it in perspective for me and if you’re just starting out its a great one to start with.
2. Food Matters
Food Matters is a great film that talks about the surge of the pharmaceutical industry in modern healthcare. Most of us have a specific idea of what everyday interaction with the medical system: you see a doctor about symptoms and he prescribes you medication. This is why there is a pill for every ailment. There is big money in disease care.
Our modern healthcare system has become a giant band aid for these lifestyle diseases that affect a rapidly growing number of people. The premise of Food Matters is that poor health is due to the lack of vitamins, minerals, and important nutrients in the body. The best way to counteract that is a raw (or close to raw) food diet and very high dosages of vitamins.
This was the first film that introduced me to the reality of what healthcare is and the reality of modern medicine. I was so sure I wanted to be a doctor before I saw this film. After seeing the documentary I knew I wanted no part in the pharmaceutical drug craze. I knew there had to be a better way for me to have an impact on people’s and their health without having to rely on pills.
This film showed the possibilities of a natural approach to medicine. It discussed ideas like using high doses of vitamins to treat diseases. It showed the power of the pharmaceutical industry in controlling the health system and the fact that natural remedies are not taught or recognized by the healthcare profession. It stresses the importance of education, because more people would do better for their health if they knew better.
3. Hungry for Change
Hungry for Change digs into the real issues with the Standard American Diet and really paints a dark picture about the effects of this lifestyle. The film breaks downs some very important truths about the food industry and about how processed foods destroy the body.
Junk food was created to be addictive! All the taste and flavor is there but it lacks substance. Processed foods have little to no nutrients and the body is still hungry after consuming them. The objective of the food industry is to sell their products. Why wouldn’t it be like any other industry? They use the same tactics that keep the tobacco industry in business.
Hungry for Change also helps you see the fine print on some of your favorite “diet” foods. It talks about the dangers of sugar and the fact that sugar is in EVERYTHING. In fact, foods that are labeled “fat free” are actually packed with sugar. That’s because sugar is used to add favor back to these foods.
This documentary looks at the system as a whole and gives similar advice to all the other films: a whole food plant-based diet is the cure to many diseases that people face today.
4. Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead
Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead follows Australian businessman Joe Cross as he begins his own 60 day juice fast, the Reboot. He found himself sick with an autoimmune disease and completely out of shape. Though not medically encouraged, this juice fast was his idea to reverse all his diseases and hopefully get off all his medication.
During this fast he spent time in different parts of the U.S. talking to people of all walks of life about health and nutrition. It was great to see different perspectives and it was interesting to note that we all believe the same myths about the food we eat.
One of the great things about the film was seeing Joe take on some people along the way that joined him with a reboot of their own. Seeing their results made me decide to do my own juice!
5. Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead 2
In Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead 2 Joe Cross brings us on his tour around the world to spread his message of plant-based eating and juicing. It explores the wide response to the first film and the movement that Joe’s experience has sparked.
This film talks about maintenance and the fact that true success is a lifelong commitment. Joe put out a call for fans to send in videos of themselves talking about their health and fitness journeys and the struggles and triumphs they experienced. There was a greater focus for community and spreading the news about this great lifestyle.
The popularity of the Reboot and Joe’s movement for juicing and plant-based eating confirms there is a new wave of people exploring ways to eat and take better care of themselves. The push for community is really making such radical changes to diet sustainable for many people. There is this greater understanding that food is a big part of our social experience but there is a way to make it healthy and enjoyable.
6. PlantPure Nation
PlantPure Nation was made by Nelson Campbell, son of one of the leading scientists in nutritional science, T. Colin Campbell, PhD. The film follows Dr. Campbell’s struggle to get the idea of a nutritional treatment for disease recognized by the medical community. It follows results of the game changing China study that was gave concrete evidence of the direct relationship between diet and disease.
One of the ways that the makers of the film worked to show the value of the plant-based diet was to hold multiple “Jumpstarts” with different populations to see what effect a total change in diet would have on the community. It was great to see such positive results in every group and really showed the validity of this movement they were trying to spread.
The film also discusses the rise in popularity that local farming has been having around the country. There has been an increasing demand for local agriculture. It has sparked a grassroots movement that is creating positive change in many communities. There is also legislation being pushed by
T. Colin Campbell and his colleagues and slowly implemented to widen access to fresh produce.
The films shows the rising cost of healthcare and damage of the Standard American Diet has on health. It offers proof that this lifestyle works and shares hope through the movement that is changing agriculture.
7. What the Health
What the Health is yet another scientifically based film that explains the role of meat and dairy in health outcomes. It shows the toxic and carcinogenic problems with meat in the body. It also explores the devastating effects of animal agriculture on the environment.
The film also shows the role that big industry corporations have in the formation of laws around food. There is so much misinformation about the harmful effects of animal products because of the the marketing strategies of these industries. Million of dollars are spent on ads and lobbying to deceive the public about the reality of what is in their food. Members of our government are being PAID by corporations to keep unhealthy food on your plate.
What the Health does a great job of explaining the biology of what eating animal products does to the body. It is also helpful in understanding the big money interests at play in deciding on the nutritional health of our nation and the world.
These films really helped build the foundation of the passion I have for the plant-based lifestyle. It truly is the answer to most health problems we see today and I have made it my mission to spread this knowledge to my greater community. I am so excited for the possibilities of this lifestyle and these films really started it all.
Always remember, You are capable of amazing things and You are worthy of your wildest dreams!
Until next time friends!
XOXO
~~Valerie~~
