Parents need to know that Forks over Knives is a 2011 documentary about a pair of doctors' research into the direct relationship between diet and health and how adopting what is, in essence, a vegan diet (although the word "vegan" is never used) produces profoundly positive benefits for the health of both individuals and the planet as a whole. For the more squeamish of any age, there are many close-up scenes of heart surgery, in which a chest is shown opened up and cholesterol is being removed from an artery. There also is a scene in which an older man discusses how he gets more erections since adopting the "whole foods, plant-based" diet. On the whole, this documentary manages to convey a great deal of complicated information in a simple way, shows the benefits of the diet being espoused without being negative, and manages to refute counterarguments and popularly held beliefs about food without being preachy or self-righteous. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
This documentary effectively raises questions about what we're eating and how it's affecting the health of individuals and our planet. What separates Forks over Knives from so many other documentaries that encourage the adoption of what amounts to a vegan diet is that the arguments are framed positively instead of employing strident tones of guilt, shame, and self-righteousness. This movie shows the tremendous benefits for individuals who have adopted this diet for even a brief amount of time and discusses the positive impacts the diet can have on the planet as a whole if more people ate this way. This aspect of this documentary makes it something that even the most die-hard carnivore can watch without feeling alienated or harshly judged.
The world is becoming increasingly health-conscious. And the importance of a healthy, well-balanced diet is more apparent than ever. One documentary that has gained attention for its thought-provoking message is "Forks Over Knives." The groundbreaking film came out over a decade ago and its impact on the plant-based movement and our health awareness lives on.
Third, the documentary features testimonials from several individuals. These folks adopted a plant-based diet and saw significant health improvements as a result. Rip Esselstyn, a former firefighter and triathlete, discusses how he lowered his cholesterol levels and improved his overall health. He says, "I went from being a firefighter to a triathlete, and I attribute that to my plant-based diet."
Another individual featured in the documentary is Lee Fulkerson, the film's director. Fulkerson discusses his own experience with a plant-based diet and how it helped him lose weight and improve his overall health. He says, "I've never felt better in my life. My energy is through the roof, and I just feel so much better."
Today, I wanted to do a thorough review on the documentary and hopefully convince you to check it out for yourself! Forks Over Knives is essentially a documentary that is centered around the research done on the connection between animal protein and cancer growth. Dr. Campbell began this research during The China Study. Lots of research has been done over the years on this topic, and FOK puts it all into a very easy to follow documentary. Along with presenting the research in easy to understand words, pictures, and interviews the documentary follows several individuals who are suffering with chronic diseases.
In my pescatarian declaration I breezed by the fact that I recently watched Forks Over Knives. For those not familiar with the documentary, it clearly outlines the dramatic health benefits of a plant-based, whole foods diet over one that is high is animal products and processed foods. It also presents a strong argument for letting food be thy medicine (thanks Hippocrates). Thus, Forks (using what one eats) over knives (relying on modern medicine, pills and surgery- knives).
The documentary ends (almost as a footnote) by discussing the politics of the USDA in their food recommendations over the last several decades, and how food choices have environmental effects on energy consumption and the rainforest.
I came across this looking for critical reviews and commentary concerning the science in FOK, and after reading what I did, I feel compelled to at least post this: Please people, verify the research. Do not just accept and pass along because it fits your viewpoint or agenda.
I would just encourge the reviewer and commenters to read this alternate review:
-over-knives-is-the-science-legit-a-review-and-critique/
That isnt me- thats just what I ended up finding, and thank god (or whoever) for people like this that take the time to verify questionable conclusions. The science is BAD in this film. If you liked the dcience in this film then you probably love the political propaganda emails that are sent and circulated these days.
This documentary outlines the ways in which British policies during the First World War have contributed to the instability of the Middle East region today. Through never/before/seen documents and photos, we look at the secret agenda of the British government in WWI and its unfortunate aftermath.
The documentary examines the consequences of the demise of our food system through the context of government policy, corporate influence, environmental degradation, human injustice, and animal compassion.
The statistical methods of The China Study have been challenged. In a blog article by writer Denise Minger. Rebuttals of her criticisms may be found by other authors, including T. Colin Campbell. The issue of dietary choice and health is controversial and complex, making a neutral presentation of this documentary film difficult.
So many good food-related films are available that you may be tempted to pull up a TV tray. For a look at food's cultural aspects, check out Pressure Cooker (bit.ly/pressure_cooker), a 2008 documentary about inner-city high schoolers working their way into top culinary programs. Tackling a serious theme, 2011 documentary Forks Over Knives (forksoverknives.com) links degenerative illnesses to processed food. The seven short films at lunchlovecommunity.org offer an inspiring look at the burgeoning healthy-school-lunch movement. For more ideas, read "20 Must-See Food Documentaries You Can Watch Right Now" (bit.ly/20fooddocs).
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