"Forks over Knives" a new documentary

Did you know that no medical school in the US teaches nutrition? When you go to the doctor with a problem, do they ever ask you what your diet is? Is meat and dairy good for you in reality? Let me say, I love a good steak. I eat meat and dairy. Love ice cream. Love many of the products we get from animals. But I have to say, in recent years, I'm starting to wonder about this.

Remember the food pyramid?

This has always bothered me: if you put bad fuel in a car, it runs like it's on bad fuel. If you eat bad foods, or the wrong foods in either the wrong combination or wrong amounts, why wouldn't it affect your body, which would affect your mind and your (if there is any to consider) spirit (depending upon how you define that term)?

At least they tried to update it

Remember the food pyramids? It just makes sense. Doesn't it?

So, why do people get so up in arms about this concept?


Many nutritional experts, like Harvard nutritionist Dr. Walter Willett, believe the 1992 pyramid does not reflect the latest research on dietetics. Certain dietary choices that have been linked to heart disease, such as three cups of whole milk and an 8 oz (230 g). serving of hamburger daily, were technically permitted under the pyramid. The pyramid also lacked differentiation within the protein-rich group ("Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts").

Dr. T. Colin Campbell

There is a new documentary called "Forks Over Knives", meaning, eat right and you avoid going under the knife in surgery. Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Professor Emeritus of Nutrition, Cornell University, made this documentary to try and get this concept across to us.

Apparently, in 1995 there was one US State that was considered generally having overweight citizens. Now, there is one US State that is NOT designated as overweight.

What the Hell people?

Dr. Campbell has a theory of eating "whole foods" as nature gave them to us. Acording to their web site:

"Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. "

It's obvious we eat too much, the wrong things, basically we have too many options and have shown, many of us, that we cannot be trusted to use this abundance to our benefit. If we did, we would all look healthy and in good physical condition. This bleeds over into other areas of our lives. When faced with prosperity and variety, one needs to pick an choose and not just go for the most fun, the most tasty, the most pleasing, but to make a conscious choice to do what is best for us, and then, on occasion, indulge to enjoy these benefits and this bounty.

Much like with making money. It is good to save, to pay your bills, but at some point, you should go out and enjoy spending the money your hard efforts bring you, otherwise, why are you doing it? Yes, saving for retirement is good and wise, but we need to enjoy the path to the end and not only concern ourselves with that end. But as with foods, to go out and do things that get you killed, makes no sense. Calculated risk is what it's all about, and being reasonable in your decisions.

Like Ben Franklin said two hundred years ago: "Eat to Live, not Live to Eat."