What we eat

The foods we eat are the real deciding factors in our health. The decision between the fries or the salad can have a big impact on the way our bodies function later down the road. Nobody wants to have diabetes. Nobody wants to be so large that they are unable to walk. While many people try to combat these problems with pills or surgery, they don’t often work. This movie shows that there may be one way to stop and even reverse these issues that is so simple, yet so obvious, that it just might work.

This movie follows the studies of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Jr. and Dr. T. Colin Campbell, as well as two men who go to an alternative physician about their health problems. Both Esselstyn and Campbell grew up on dairy farms, producing what was considered “the perfect food,” also known as milk. Both men went to high-end colleges and began studying nutrition. Campbell did a study in China that showed that those people that did not consume meat or dairy products had a much lower risk of cancer than those that did consume meat or dairy products. Campbell promotes a whole-foods plant-based diet, and helps other people who are in need of a dietary change in their life. Esselstyn did a study with mice in feeding them a diet of 5% fat and 20% fat. The ones who had a diet of 20% fat had a drastically increased risk of heart disease. The ones with a 5% fat diet showed almost no signs of any heart problems or diseases. In another test, he switched mice from a 5% diet to a 20% diet and back again a few times. He observed that the mice not only stopped but also reversed the risk of heart disease when they were put on the 5% diet. Esselstyn also promotes a whole-foods plant-based diet and helps people get on the right dietary track. The film also follows a man who “lives to eat.” He has many prescription pills he has to take plus a shot. He is put on a vegan diet and all of his health problems are distinctly diminished. He loses weight and his risk for heart disease is dramatically lowered. All because of a whole-foods plant-based diet.

I think that this movie can really have an impact on somebody. Someone who may or may not be facing health issues and is open to alternative ways of staying healthy. I, on the other hand, am not necessarily opposed to alternative ways of staying healthy, but I am not concerned about the foods I eat affecting my health. I have grown up in a household that favors healthy food options so I do not feel like I have become addicted to the eating habits that can kill you. I do eat meat and I do not feel I am ready to stop eating meat, but I do think I will try to eat less of it and choose the healthier option. I already try to not drink too much soda and eat unhealthy snacks. My step-mom is doing a 30-day vegan challenge right now so it is interesting to eat things that are not prepared with any meat or dairy products. I am mostly happy with the way I live my life, but I think I can make a few better choices that could help me in the long run.