My sister recently recommended that I watch Forks Over Knives, a documentary available on Netflix and elsewhere on the internet. The film makes a convincing case for adhering to a plant-based diet, especially in relation to the prevention and treatment of disease but also as a means of reducing our impact on the environment. Of course, it also highlights the political ramifications, including the reluctance of the Federal Government to loosen its bonds with the Meat and Dairy Industries.
I suspect most physicians would agree with the basic points made in the documentary, especially as it relates to the importance of nutrition, weight control and exercise. Of course, some controversy still exists within the healthcare industry and the implication that diet alone will negate the need for medications will not be well received by those in the pharmaceutical realm. Nevertheless, impressive evidence links cultural dietary habits and the incidence of both cardiovascular disease and malignancies. Surely, a combination of diet and drug management might often be in order and, in some cases, a plant-based diet may prove to be sufficient.
Those of us who are already quasi-vegans may be pushed toward a pure plant-based diet by this fine documentary and those of us who already avoid meat, fish and dairy products for humanitarian and/or ecologic reasons will have more ammunition for that choice. On the other hand, Forks Over Knives is more than a documentary; a quick check of the internet reveals that it has morphed into a mini-industry. Whether that impacts one's response to the film will be a personal matter but I still highly recommend watching it.
