This is a powerful documentary, written and directed by Lee Fulkerson.
The introduction starts with 2 disclaimers :
‘The statements expressed in this film are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice’
‘Viewers should seek their own professional counsel for any medical condition or before starting or altering any exercise or dietary plan’.
There then follow a series of statements by various commentators regarding the health of the American nation – growing levels of obesity, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes etc
In fact, around 40% of Americans are obese and 50% are taking some form of prescription drug.
The statin, Lipitor (prescribed to reduce cholesterol levels) is now the most prescribed drug in the world.
The US now spends 2.2 TRILLION (2,200,000,000,000) dollars per year on healthcare, which is 5 x the defence budget.
However, Coronary Heart Disease and cancer kill over 1 million people per year and Diabetes is rocketing – especially in young people.
It is pointed out that there is no money (for the HUGE pharmaceutical companies) in healthy people or in dead people – the money is in chronic health conditions!
Many are now beginning to suggest that much, if not all, of this is down to diet and the answer is simple :
MOVE TO A WHOLE FOOD PLANT BASED DIET!
Following the introduction, Lee Fulkerson is expressing some concerns about his own health and is visiting husband and wife Doctors, Matt Lederman and Alona Pulde, at their surgery named ‘Transition to Health’. He discovers that he does have issues with regard to high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, inflammation of arteries etc and it is put to him that all of these can be improved and even reversed by going on to a Whole Food Plant Based diet (WFPB).
Evidence for benefits of this is put forward by a number of people – notably T Colin Campbell (author of The China Study), Caldwell B Esselstyn and John McDougall.
T Colin Campbell and his collaborator, Dr Junshi Chen explain the conclusions reached in The China Study and how clearly their results demonstrated the link between ill health and the consumption of animal products.
Caldwell B Esselstyn discusses his realisation that surgery does NOT remove the original cause of cancer or heart disease – and how he spent much time comparing rates of cancer and heart disease in different parts of the world. He also reached the conclusion that it all comes down to the amount of animal products included in the diet.
He cites evidence from Norway, when occupied by the Germans during World War 2
This is an incredible correlation!
In addition, he is assigned a number of patients with a variety of chronic conditions and treats them all with a WFPB diet – with amazing results!
John McDougall describes his time as a doctor in Hawaii when he realised that the health of his patients seemed to depend almost entirely on whether they had been raised in Asia and moved to Hawaii or whether they had been born there. Those who had emigrated to Hawaii were much more likely to maintain their original diets – and remain healthy – whilst those born in Hawaii were more likely to adopt a typical US diet and develop the diseases of affluence.
Other incredible figures regarding the American diet compare consumptions (per head, per year) around 100 years ago with today :
Much of this is down to the massive increase in processed, convenience and fast foods.
Equally, we have all been told how important it is to have protein as the central part of our diet and that protein has become synonymous with meat!
Again in the US, this has all led to there now being over 500,000 coronary bypass operations per year – each costing 100,000 dollars – so a total of 50 billion dollars! All totally avoidable!
The documentary also looks at Mac Danzig, a plant based Ultimate Fighter Champion and Ruth Heindrich, a Canadian runner and triathlete.
If you are wanting to remain healthy and free of disease then a Whole Food Plant Based Diet is something you MUST consider – watch ‘Forks over Knives’!
It can be downloaded at www.forksoverknives.com/
