I love a good, food documentary and my clients do too. For some reason, a film seems to stick with you longer or make more of an impression than an article or even a food-related book.
And so, when client after client asked if I’d seen What the Health, I had to check it out. I located the movie on Netflix and watched it.
The movie is presented as one man’s journey to find what to eat to minimize his risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. These are diseases in his family history but also conditions many of us are concerned about. The mission was interesting, the methods questionable. The best way I can explain it is to think of going shopping. You go to a store and try on an outfit. The salesperson works for the store. When you ask, “what do you think of this outfit?” tell me the chances of getting an objective response.
Attention- SPOILERS coming. The conclusion of this film is that veganism is the answer.
They assemble a slew of vegan doctors and dietitians who promote a plant-based diet. They refer to advocates/experts of the paleo diet as “paleo folks” but it would be interesting to hear from an expert with a differing viewpoint. Now, I know who these experts in the film are and what they endorse. For viewers, not in health-related fields, it might appear every reputable, integrate wellness professional concurs.
Some things the film gets right: