Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Forks Over Knives


Have you watched this movie?

If not, I highly recommend it.   It was great watching it with Isaac (age 14) and Abby (almost 13).   Isaac hasn't stopped talking about it - about how eating a plant based diet can actually reverse some types of diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.    Of course he like to share the more graphic open heart surgery scenes.  Abby made a list of the vegetables and fruits she likes.

The studies didn't seem to say that having a pasture raised burger once a month or even a glass of raw milk each day is harmful, but what is harmful is the quantity of meat, sugar, and corn syrup the average American consumes and of course this is now relevant to people all over the world as more and more adopt that American diet.

It amazes me that more doctors don't work with their patients to change their diets before prescribing drugs, or maybe it really doesn't.    Are doctors not aware that diet is key, or are they really getting large kick-backs from pharmaceutical companies, or has the health care system made it so that they cannot spend a decent amount of time with each patient to even consider nutrition counseling.   

I do believe that ultimately it is the responsibility of each of us to take the time to learn what works best for our bodies and most of it is truly common sense.  

Did you see this movie?  What did you think?

9 comments:

  1. Hi Tonya,
    I haven't seen this but will see if available on Netflix. I have gone vegan since reading Dr. Fuhrman's book Eat to Live. All the studies he cites point to a plant based diet being much better to fight disease or avoid it. He did a PBS special I believe you could watch on the computer if you go to pbs.org.
    Blessings,
    Suzanne

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  2. I haven't seen the movie. It's since about three weeks now that I turned to making green smoothies for breakfast and I feel fine; it's a fantastic way to make a healthy start to each new day.
    I am in my third year after having been diagnosed with and treated for colorectal cancer, and since that treatment I am dealing with problems with my heart rhytm, taking Sintrom as well.
    I hope the green smoothies can help me, besides enjoying a healthy diet and enough fysical excercise everyday, to live an as healthy as possible life as I can make for myself.

    Love from Dokkum, The Netherlands.

    Jeanneke.

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  3. I'm a nurse, and honestly, most people are given a chance to alter their diets before being placed on medication (at least in my area in NY). People often don't follow the diets prescribed as it requires a HUGE change in lifestyle that they aren't willing (or able psychologically) to embrace. I eat vegetarian and never thought much about it, but I guess the only time I use a knife is to prepare my meals, not to actually sit down and eat them. Sounds like an interesting documentary.

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  4. doctors are not even trained in nutrition at all! all ev er gotten is blank looks and confusion if i ask about something to try for health issues other than meds

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  5. I haven't seen this movie, I would like to.
    I agree with you, throwing drugs at the problem isn't always the best solution. I used to work for an internist and I never understood why some people didn't just make lifestyle changes that would benefit their health. Sadly, the dr. I worked for would give information and help when he could but to be honest most people know what needs to be done but just don't want to take the necessary steps to make it happen.
    We received a call from a man who was recovering from gastric bypass surgery, he was at the hospital and wanted the doctor to give him the okay for larger meal portions. The doctor said okay. I was shocked! But what could he do? It was the man's choice.

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  6. I loved this movie and believe it to the fullest. I've watched nearly every video I can find on You Tube of talks given by the various physicians and experts in Forks Over Knives. It's amazing what you can find to view. I like to be very well informed before I try something new, and everything I've heard so far comes off as very valid. In Nashville, it seems only a handful of physicians associate diet with disease. Of course, not all diseases can be treated with diet, but my husband's GI doctor (for Crohn's disease) won't even discuss helping to treat his disease or symptoms with dietary measures--seems strange since Crohn's disease is a DIGESTIVE/GI problem. The nutritionist my husband saw (on his own) didn't recommend abstaining from meat or dairy, but I assume not many nutritionists are trained to teach a 100% plant based diet. I think more will learn of the benefits as this wonderful movement gains momentum. Very thankful for Forks Over Knives. My OB/GYN recommended it to me. Hugs, Kelli from Nashville

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  7. I haven't seen the movie either, but I disagree that meat is dangerous for you and especially in large amounts. The issue with meat nowadays is the "quality". Herbivores are meant to eat greens, not grains or ground up other herbivores in feed pellets. That's why meat isn't so beneficial to ones health in large amounts today.

    Find a supply of meat which respects God's natural order though, and you can eat it until your hearts content. Generally you won't eat too much anyway, because when animals are farmed with "care of the earth", in mind, they are very nutrient dense and we are satiated quicker.

    I would agree if the point of the movie was to go berserk on eating more veg though. The health benefits are incredible!

    RE: Doctors - many have become specialists in their chosen field. If their chosen field treats patients through medications, they will always recommend that first. They really only consider diet important for treatment if you are obese, then they will refer you to a dietitian. So the reason doctors don't focus on food as medicine, is because it's generally not their area of expertise.

    If you're lucky, you will find a doctor with a personal interest in food and exercise (ie: they follow a healthy program themselves and have seen the benefits) otherwise its textbook medications and referrals to dietitians, who generally follow the food guidelines which (I hate to say) are terribly outdated.

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  8. I have not seen the move but it sounds like it would be interesting. We have seen some that might be in the same catagory over the years. I think it is hard for people to change their ways unless they are truly motivated. The best we can hope for is that by modeling good eating habits and teaching our kids how to cook and why we cook the things we do then they will have the tools to decide how to eat. My teens have made one meal a week for the whole family for years now -- I have one that goes for comfort food that is easy to make and his recipes use few pans, and one that is interested in the exotic foods where he has me searching for ingredients we don't have in the home (but boy are they good).

    Our doctors here have talked about possible diet changes -- nothing brought down high blood pressure or cholesterol levels or the diabetes we have in the family. Some things, as you pointed out, are genetic. Yet it is good that we try because who wants to take unnecessary drugs?
    CathyT

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  9. I have not seen the movie yet, but I have been wanting to ever since I first heard of it a while back. I always wonder why doctors don't pay more attention to what their patients' diets look like. It seems like there is more and more evidence supporting the fact that many of the diseases that kill people today can be prevented with a plant based diet. I honestly think that doctors don't have enough time to spend with each patient to talk about diet, so they just prescribe pills to treat the symptoms but they don't fix the underlying cause of the problem, so it keeps coming back. It is a broken system.

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