5 Health-Focused Documentaries Worth Your Time

Health is a topic relevant to every one of us, whether you’re healthy or struggling with some kind of injury or ailment. We’re all busy, so how do you get the information you need without wasting your time? There are so many documentaries and other resources out there that it can easily make your head spin. To simplify things at least a little bit, we’ve compiled a list of 5 health-focused documentaries worth your time.

Food, Inc.

Made by Robert Kenner, this documentary opens our eyes to the food industry of the United States. It delves into the unpleasant realities, even the ones that are endorsed by the governmental regulatory agencies. It shows us that just a few corporations put prioritize profit over just about anything else. Whether it’s workers’ health, new strains of diseases, or widespread obesity, Food, Inc. opens our eyes to it all.

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret

Cowspiracy forces us to examine the truth behind an industry that many prefer not to think about: animal agriculture. The major environmental impacts of this harmful industry are clarified, but that’s not all. You’ll also be amazed at the reluctance of the environmental organizations to really do much — or even talk much — about it. Believe it or not, you’ll find yourself laughing along with the humor in this enlightening documentary.

Forks Over Knives

Forks Over Knives is a thoughtful documentary that examines obesity and disease in our society. It highlights the fact that obesity (particularly in the United States) is worse than ever, the number of diabetes cases is skyrocketing, and prescription drugs are running rampant. It looks at a possible (and likely) solution: skipping processed and animal-based meals. You’ll be so impressed with this doc that you might go vegan without a second thought. You can find it on Netflix.

Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead

This film follows the life of Joe Cross, who is obese and goes on a mission to get his health back. It shows how he can’t get much from doctors or medicine, so he instead goes for his last remaining option: changing what he eats. He takes it to the extreme by cutting out everything besides vegetable and fruit juices for two months while traveling across the United States and interviewing fellow Americans about health and food. If you’re in need of a little inspiration to live a healthier life, this one is for you.

Fast Food Nation

Although not technically a documentary, this movie is loosely based on the book, also titled Fast Food Nation. It tells the story of the marketing director of a fictional fast-food chain. After a scandal, he goes to investigate one of the company’s meat processing plants to uncover the truth. It is a comedy-drama that will both entertain and open your eyes to the parallels between this fictional world and our own.

Header Photo Credit: Lea Fabienne