Have you ever felt like a movie influenced certain moment in your life? Well, these 6 documentaries related to nutrition, sustainability, and the environment are going to make you feel the exact same! It’s quite a logical thing that nutrition and health are related, but we barely know how these two are linked to the environmental changes our world is facing. You may have noticed organic and vegan food trends are growing, so if you are wondering why, these documentaries will give you an idea about what is actually going on.
1. Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret
Follows the story behind an environmental activist trying to find the real solution to climate change. He realizes that the one which should be responsible of deforestation, water consumption, and pollution is not the transportation industry, but another industry that you have probably never thought about.
If you are concerned about sustainability and environmental changes, you may sometimes feel like your small changes are not actually changing the situation. If you feel like you don’t know how to start doing more for our world ‒ and this activist felt exactly the same ‒ watching his journey on looking for the real solution is definitely going to inspire and motivate you to start making real changes.
2. Vegucated
Even if you are not vegan and you’re not planning on being one, you should watch this documentary.
Why?
This documentary follows the life of three “meat-and-cheese-loving” New Yorkers, who take the challenge to eat on a vegan diet during six weeks. Their journey involves all aspects of veganism, from health studies, environmental education, and a cruelty-free lifestyle that end up changing their lives and the way they think about food.
In my opinion, education and respect are also the ways to change the world. We may disagree on every single thing, but respecting other people’s opinion can give you a better approach on how to make a difference. Besides, this documentary will help you to learn something new about health and nutrition!
3. Food, Inc.
Have you ever wondered why buying a package of burger, fries, and soda can be cheaper than getting a bowl of salad? It has nothing to do with food trends, and if we analyze it considering the process these two meals have to go through, it doesn’t even make sense.
Food, Inc. brings all the answers about how our food is grown nowadays, and the effects it has for our health and the environment―showing the controversial truth on how cattle is grown. This based-on-health-problems documentary, and the alimentary industry of United States, will show you how big industries are feeding animals with hormones, grains with pesticides, and gmo’s.
4. Racing Extinction
This documentary focuses on sustainability issue and how to make more people conscious about climate change―shows the efforts from scientists, activists, and journalists who document the mass extinction of species and how they have tried to create awareness of extinction issue, with campaigns on how we can make it stop, or at least reduce. More than making you feel hopeless and overwhelmed about all this problems, this documentary also shows how small actions can create a positive impact.
And if you like photography, then this documentary is for you. It was created by the Oceanic Preservation Society, and this year (2016) it won the International Green Film Award from Cinema for Peace.
5. Food Matters
All of us must have heard this line before: “You are what you eat”, and the first thing that pops into your mind might be physical appearance. But what about the impact that a food has on our health and nutrition? Food Matters shows how we are capable of healing or even damaging our body depends on the foods we eat. Nutritionists, doctors, and journalists show their studies and theories on how we can heal or even revert illnesses based on our food choices.
6. Forks Over Knives
Yes, we all know pizza and french fries are not the most nutritious foods, but watching the real impact of this kind of food has to our health, you won’t think twice about changing your alimentary habits; because as crazy as it may sound, the right food choices can actually save your life.
And I know this sounds too dramatic, but when it comes to nutrition, the truth is that our body has the capacity to heal itself from almost every illness. This documentary is based on studies made in several years by two doctors who had no idea they were going to find how degenerative diseases like cancer and diabetes, could be controlled or even reverted with a plant-based diet, avoiding animal products, and processed foods.
Anytime you feel like the choices you make or the small actions you do have no relevant importance in the world, remember that something as simple as the way we eat has a huge impact to our health, animals lives, and environment. I assure you that after you watch at least one of these documentaries, you’ll be full of emotions and feeling influenced in a positive way.
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Gandhi
