Forks Over Knives

There is no doubt that this documentary, like so many others is bias, in this case bias towards a vegan diet, and they do seem to leave out facts for that very same reason. However watching documentaries you should know that this is often the case, and you should do your own research and form your own opinion based on other sources than just the film. That said, a documentary is supposed to make you think, and this certainly did that for me. It moved my perception of and curiosity about diet more than any other film or article has. Perhaps it was the astounding facts it presented me with, perhaps it is because I am already looking more at what I eat than I used to. At any rate I highly recommend watching this and forming your own opinion. It does not lecture you about morals of eating meat or tries to make you a vegan to protect the environment. While it does briefly touch on the subject of energy footprint in food production, its most important and dominant message is your health, plane and simple. Do you think meat is vital for you health and survival? The answer this film gives might surprise you.

I decided to watch this documentary a few days ago because I've recently watched "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" and "Foodmatters" and I loved them both. They were both inspiring on some level, but more than inspiring they were eye opening. It can't come as a surprise to anyone living in the west that we are clearly doing something wrong. We may not want to hear about it, or agree on what "it" is but I can tell you after you watch "Forks Over Knives" you will hear a convincing case against the consumption of meat and dairy. The documentary illustrates the findings of two different scientists who have spent more than 50 years each researching the link between nutrition and disease. Their findings are compelling to say the least. Not only does this documentary show tons of scientific evidence but it mixes in some personal stories for variety and entertainment. I eat tons of meat and tons of dairy so some of the science presented in "Forks over Knives" wasn't exactly music to my ears, but the evidence is hard to deny. Even if it's not what you want to hear, and you have no inclination to become vegan you will still find this documentary highly entertaining and memorable.

There is no quibbling about it; this movie does have a certain agenda that some people will find objectionable. Okay. But, there is enough supportive information to at least consider altering our heavy meat and dairy eating habits.

As a middle aged male with questionable eating habits, I have been concerned about my blood pressure, cholesterol, general overweight condition, and the numerous medicines that were necessary to keep them in check. When I watched this documentary, I went to check out some of the information presented. While there are some distortions, the bulk of the facts did vet out. Shortly after scrutinizing the documentary's information, I made the decision to try a plant-based diet, excluding all the meat and dairy that I never thought twice about eating for three months. The end of the three month "test" was to include a medical exam and corresponding blood work. Why not? What is there to lose?

I did decide to include a couple of servings of fish a week in my "vegan" diet. This was a tip of the hat to the Norwegian study that saw a dramatic drop in cardiovascular related deaths when meat and dairy were restricted sharply during WWII. What they specifically left out of the film was the fact that the Norwegians stepped up their fish eating greatly during that time. Other than the inclusion of fish, I went with a plant based diet.

In a nutshell, the blood work and physical changes after three months did see significantly better results. My weight was down. The cholesterol was down 25%. My HDL and LDL ratio improved. Blood pressure still remains an issue and, sorry to say, it didn't help with male performance, but the other results were impressive. When I told my doctor to look at the last year results against this year's, he took a double-take and asked, "What's going on?" He okay'd a cutting of my cholesterol and one of my blood pressure meds. A checkup on the changes are due soon.

While there is plenty to criticize about the film's bias, there is room for all of us to take stock and ask, why not take a step toward improving our eating habits? Is there anyone that really believes eating animal based foods is good for you in large quantities? Yes, probably a hamburger now and then isn't going to kill you, but eating a larger portion of fruits and vegetables is a better step for us in the long run. I'm at about the six-month mark now. I can't see going back to a diet similar to what I had before. I like the way I feel now and I like the numbers on my blood report. It is enough to keep me on a vegan diet.

This is an extraordinary documentary movie, which clarifies the truth about the relationship of the food we eat and our health. Everything is correct and precisely documented. As a physician and surgeon, who is "not" vegetarian, and with 30 years of experience in one of the most reputable institution in my specialty I can testify that the food and activity that we have WILL affects our health without a doubt.

As much as our eating habits and dietary intakes are in most part, or at least 30 to 50% is based on animal-based products this information opens the viewer's mind to other options, which in some cases have proved to be a lifesaver, according to presented documents and angiograms. In all fairness, the producer shows the opposite opinion and their views and leaves the decision to the viewer to decide. This movie certainly did not show a one-sided view of vegan life style. It presented the views of other people who in fact are proponents of "balanced" diet too. In short, I recommended it extremely highly. Physicians should watch this movie, so do their patients and relatives.

By now, there have been a number of documentaries about the health disaster that is the all-American diet. Lee Fulkerson's "Forks Over Knives" makes the case that simply switching from an animal-based diet to a plant-based one is the best thing that one can do not only for himself but also for the planet. Much of the documentary focuses on the work of Drs. Caldwell Esselstyn and Colin Campbell, who have researched the health effects of different foods over the years. It should come as no surprise that the increased processing of foods after WWII led to more heart disease and cancer.

The documentary doesn't simply preach. It even has a disclaimer at the beginning noting that it should not be interpreted as a substitute for a doctor's recommendation. It's just a warning about the deleterious effects of the western diet, especially with all the chemicals and antibiotics pumped into the food nowadays. As Bill Maher says in some footage, "The answer is not another pill. The answer is spinach." I recommend the documentary.

PS: Rush Limbaugh recently said that Michelle Obama's proposed diet doesn't sound like something healthy. Well, who knows more about unhealthy diets than El Rushbo?