Many of you have seen or heard about this documentary, which includes interviews with one of my nutrition heroes, T. Colin Campbell.
It’s definitely worth watching (if you have Netflix, you can stream it live), as it provides solid research for many things that we’ve been saying for a long time: mainly, that fruits, veggies, nuts, and grains won’t just make you healthier – they can actually save your life. A well-done, compelling film, it also includes interviews with famed cardiac surgeon Caldwell Esselstyn, who discusses decades worth of clinical experience curing and reversing heart disease! Dr. Esselstyn’s son Rip Esselstyn is the Texas firefighter who promotes a “Plant Strong” diet, and who has turned many big, meat-lovin’ men into plant-based, whole-food-lovin’ hot bodies!
I’d also like to recommend the Forks Over Knives companion book, which is a great place to start for those who are transitioning to a plant-based, whole-food lifestyle. The book spends about 60 pages discussing what’s so great about a plant-based diet (both for humans and for the rest of the planet), and the rest of the book is devoted to recipes. While some of these are very basic, I think that’s perfect: the best food often only has a handful of ingredients, and should be easy to prepare. Other recipes are more involved, and there’s a wide variety of cuisines to sample here.
What I like best about the recipes in this book, however, is that none of them call for added oils or fats. The only fats you’ll find are those that are part of the whole-food ingredients, such as nuts and avocadoes. Don’t let that fool you into thinking that these will be bland or unsatisfying, however: there are many delicious, nutrient-dense recipes worth checking out!