This weekend, I gave myself a Silver Lined gift: watching the movie Forks Over Knives. Have you seen it? My oh my, I cannot recommend it enough.
Forks Over Knives examines the pretty staggering claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods. I know, I know. It’s a little bit of preaching to the choir, but I’ve been slipping of late (e.g., a magnetic pull toward sugar!), so a little reminder was definitely needed.
The major storyline traces the personal journeys of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a nutritional biochemist from Cornell University and author of The China Study, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a former top surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic. Inspired by remarkable discoveries in their young careers, these men conducted several groundbreaking studies. Their separate research led them to the same astounding conclusion: degenerative diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet.
To bring these scientific concepts to life, cameras follow patients who have chronic conditions from heart disease to diabetes, and are taught by their doctors to adopt a whole foods plant-based diet as the primary approach to treat their ailments. Guess what happens to these patients. Uh huh.
What I especially like about this film is that while most documentaries only highlight problems, Forks Over Knives is all about the solution. And the solution is simple: adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet.
Having been a cardiac nurse and now f-bomb cancer patient, I’m so signed up for this bandwagon!
Hi Hollye,
Forks Over Knives was excellent. I too had a super sweet tooth and have managed to cut out sugar (for the most part) and eat a mostly organic vegan diet. I gave up sugar slowly by cutting out the obvious candy, dessert, nothing sweet to drink, muffins, etc. then finally baked goods. Chocolate was hard and I still crave it and eat dark chocolate sometimes. But now I'm eating less fruit as well – mostly berries.
I heard it said…… sugar is to cancer like gasoline and a match are to a brushfire and it stuck! The visual scared me. I made the change and the longer I go the better it gets and I feel better.
The biggest help was that my family was on board. We have a strong family history of cancer, so my daughter's were all for it. They are older and understand why, so this made it easier. If that stuff were still in my pantry….. I'm pretty sure I'd be eating it.
We bake all kinds of things using spelt flour, sugar alternatives, cocoa, carob and bananas etc to sweeten. It's pretty good. Well so so.
I had to laugh at your comment on the weekend about coffee though. Cutting out coffee was the hardest thing and I still crave it. I've had it at times and it still tastes AWESOME!! I won't be giving up my glass of red wine anytime soon either! slurp slurp & all the best to you!
Kim
Morning, Kim,
Thanks for your comment.
Good for your for cutting out sugar. Wow. It's been sooooo hard for me!
Love that your family is on board. Doesn't that make all of the difference?
Babycakes cookbook is one of my faves for gluten free vegan treats, so if I'm going to indulge it's going to be there.
I'll also still be slurping with you…Cheers!
Have a great day!
Hollye
Thanks for recommending Babycakes cookbook 🙂
My pleasure! Enjoy!
My mom, always a healthy eater, had FBC. When diagnosed, the prognosis was a grim one, months left. We were blessed with the major Siver Lining of her living (and mostly thriving) for seven years. Firmly believe a lot of that was due to her healthy eating habits (although she did have a serious Snickers fixation and would squirrel them EVERYWHERE, for months after she transitioned we kept finding them in the oddest places, I think she was just telling us she was still around) and her absolutely amazing, positive attitude. She was a "Live in the present – Carpe Diem" type and faced daunting situations head-on with grace, dignity and most of all a never-fail, and sometimes seriously skewed, sense of humor. Her life was a celebration.
Hi E.B.,
Thank you for sharing the story about your mom. Wow. What a wonderful Silver Lining. And the Snickers part cracked me up! Thanks, again…and Have a great day!
Hollye