With all these documentary reviews I written lately, it feels like I've switched my focus on the blog. It isn't so. The films I've been watching lately just seem to get better. I think it's because my realization of what they are saying is hitting home.
Much of the time, watching this, I found myself just nodding to myself...not because I know this already, but I'm really glad to see the whole foods, plant-based diet being promoted in a big way. They present it in a "just see this to believe it" sort of way. Following some people who changed their eating habits on the path to better health, doctor monitored and all, you find out their results.
Featured are Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a nutritional biochemist from Cornell University, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a former top surgeon at Cleveland Clinic. Two men of near the same age and both raised on farms, finally meet after decades of work in their respective fields of research. They put their knowledge to use to help those "least likely to succeed" in their personal health journey. They practice what they preach and still maintain active lives using a whole foods, plant-based approach.
You see everyday people, changing what they eat, with wonderful results. I want to emphasize whole foods here. Being vegetarian and now vegan for a number of years, I can honestly say that my journey has not always been whole foods.
Of course, pre-veggie days, it might have been slightly better that most standard American diets out there, but not "whole" in any sense. Just the processing alone of the foods we Americans eat is just plain crazy. Some foods don't even resemble their plant based "roots". Did you know that some children don't know what many vegetables are, let alone know that they grow out of the ground?
Seriously, we are so far from our farmer "forefathers" that we just buy it in a package, take it home, freeze it, then "nuke" it in the microwave, in its own bag, nonetheless. Then we eat it on disposable plates with paper napkins on the side. And throw the whole disposable mess away when we are done. It's like fast food, only "homemade" instead.
Did you know there are actual cooking shows on television that you can watch that feature someone putting cans of this and boxes of that, a little artificial this and, throw in some decor for your next party, and "your done" kind of stuff?
Granted some people actually do this. It's a modern trend happening because people don't know how to cook and prepare food that tastes homemade. What people know is pre-made food, mass produced for the grocery shelves, that is warmed up at home.
And yes, you can gain weight and not be in the best health as a vegetarian, even vegan....ask me how I know. I would also venture to say though, that most people everywhere eating whatever they eat, also gain weight and are not in the best health. That being said, we all could use some pep talk now and again to make us aware that we all must plan to thrive by doing better and not just do it "good enough."
"Good enough" just isn't...You must make it a goal to eat well and avoid the "knife" that the title of this documentary alludes to. We must take back our health and show our children the way to pass it on to the next generation.
I believe the film claims correctly that a whole foods, plant based diet is the way to go.
Soapbox is put away now...Just want to make sure you know that this is a must see.
