What The Health: What The Vegan Netflix Film Gets Wrong | Time
The recent pro-vegan Netflix documentary, What the Health , is under fire from nutrition experts. The film, which is co-directed by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhnthe creators of another Netflix documentary, Cowspiracyand co-produced by actor Joaquin Phoenix , is being criticized by some health professionals for exaggerating weak data and misrepresenting science to promote a diet that avoids all animal foods. TIME fact-checked the film. Here are four things that What the Health got wrongand what it got right. No, eggs are not as bad for you as cigarettes The documentary claims that eating an egg a day is as bad for your life expectancy as smoking five cigarettes a day, due to artery plaque buildup from high cholesterol content in eggs. But that assertion is based on outdated information, and recent research suggests that the effects of eggs are nowhere near comparable to those of cigarettes. Recently, national nutrition experts declared that cholesterol, found in foods such as eggs, is not considered a nutrient of concern for overconsumption. Other research has shown that the kind of cholesterol you eat isnt solidly linked to cholesterol levels in the blood. Plant-based food can help decrease the risks for certain cancers, says dietitian Andy Bellatti, who has followed a vegan diet for six years. The idea that if youre going to eat an egg you might as well smoke a Marlboro, I dont find accurate. The link between meat and cancer comes with caveats Andersen, co-director of the film, rightly points out that processed meat was declared a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a World Health Organization group, in 2015. IARC did find a link between eating processed meat and a higher risk for colorectal cancer. However, in contrast to the film, IA Continue reading >>
Red Alert: Processed And Red Meat
Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave its verdict on the cancer risks of red and processed meat, putting our meat-eating habits in the spotlight. With the evidence stacking up, what does this mean for meat eaters with diabetes? With the help of Cancer Research UK, we go behind the headlines to explain the facts. What’s the story? After assessing more than 800 studies, the WHO broke the news that processed meat is being classified a ‘definite’ cause of cancer, and red meat being a ‘probable’ cause. The headlines that resulted made many people wonder if red and processed meats should be avoided. The week after the news broke, supermarket sales of pre-packaged sausages fell 15.7 per cent and pre-packed bacon by 17 per cent, compared to 2014. But, although this latest announcement is significant, the link between certain types of meat and some forms of cancer – particularly bowel cancer – isn’t new: the evidence has been growing for decades, and is supported by thorough research. In fact, bowel cancer is more common among people who eat the most red and processed meat. Cancer Research UK has looked at what this announcement means and how red and processed meat affect your risk developing cancer. What is red and processed meat? Red meat is any meat that’s a dark red colour before it’s cooked – such as beef and lamb. Pork is also classed as a red meat. Processed meat is meat that’s been cured, salted, smoked, or otherwise preserved in some way (such as bacon, sausages, hot dogs, ham, salami, and pepperoni). However, this doesn’t include fresh burgers or mince – putting meat through a mincer doesn’t mean it becomes ‘processed’ unless it is modified further. Both of these types of meat are distinct from white meats (such as fresh Continue reading >>
A Diabetes Link To Meat
Right Now | Getting the Red out [extra:Extra] Read more about Harvard’s “Healthy Eating Plate.” Also: Red-meat consumption is already linked to higher levels of colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease (atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke). Now researchers from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have added an increased risk of type 2 (adult onset) diabetes to that list. The incurable illness occurs when the body’s ability to control blood glucose levels by means of insulin secretion becomes impaired, either because of “insulin resistance” (when insulin fails to trigger effective glucose uptake by muscle or other tissues), or because production of insulin by beta cells in the pancreas declines. The HSPH investigators, led by professor of epidemiology Frank Hu and research fellow An Pan, analyzed data from three longitudinal studies of male and female healthcare professionals who were followed for 14 to 28 years. After adjusting for other risk factors, the researchers found that a daily serving of red meat no larger than a deck of cards increased the risk of adult-onset diabetes by 19 percent. Processed red meat proved much worse: a daily serving half that size—one hot dog, or two slices of bacon, for example—was associated with a 51 percent increase in risk. (The average 10-year risk of getting diabetes for U.S. adults is around 10 percent.) Why is red meat harmful? “Saturated fat, which can lead to cardiovascular disease, is really just the beginning of the story,” explains Hu. Even though it is “difficult to pinpoint one compound or ingredient” as mechanistically linked to diabetes risk, three components of red meat—sodium, nitrites, and iron—are probably involved. Sodium is well known to increase blood pressure, but it also c Continue reading >>
A Real Doctor Watches What The Health
Its always funny, when ever someone with actual knowledge of health stuff tells the truth about health they instantly get accused of being paid to do so by the hard of thinkers. Its widely known now that the sugar industry has been paying off scientists for years to paint meat as a cancer causing villian, when in fact it is sugar causing all these health problems and most meat is actually very good for you. Especially the fat weve been told is bad. I also watched the other video on YouTube. Am I the only one having MST3K flashbacks with zdogg as Joel, tom is tom servo, and Logan is crow? This movie comes out every few years. The last vegan-promoting one was called Forks Over Knives which, sadly, did not feature Steve-O so a reboot was clearly required. Katie Couric did a much better researched one a while back. This movie is for suburban moms and hipsters. Trouble is this sort of message doesnt target the low information, low socioeconomic class folks where the obesity epidemic does the most damage and costs the most federal healthcare dollars. How do you message to them, ZDogg? Invest in organizations that promote healthy eating. Help organizations that bring fresh fruits and vegetables to urban food deserts. A lot of times people know that they are not eating a healthy diet but unhealthy foods are cheaper and more accessible. Offer to host cooking classes at community centers or a fitness group that service underprivileged communities. This was actually partially our approach at Turntable Health. Teaching kitchen, fitness studio, health coaches on site. Plant based diet was actually often a recommendation for many of our patients BTW! But in general, how to cook yourself quickly on a budget in a food desert You are obviously trying to impky people who dont earn a liv Continue reading >>
Myth: Sugar Causes Diabetes
We all know the stereotype – if you’ve got diabetes, you must have eaten too much sugar. But, with this sweet ingredient found in so much of our food – and, recently, so many of our newspapers – what’s the truth about sugar? And how does it affect diabetes? What is sugar? Sugar is found naturally in fruit, vegetables and dairy foods. It’s also added to food and drink by food manufacturers, or by ourselves at home. The debate about sugar and health is mainly around the ‘added sugars’. This includes: table sugar that we add to our hot drinks or breakfast cereal caster sugar, used in baking sugars hidden in sauces, ready meals, cakes and drinks. Does sugar cause diabetes? There are two main types of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. In Type 1 diabetes, the insulin producing cells in your pancreas are destroyed by your immune system. No amount of sugar in your diet – or anything in your lifestyle – has caused or can cause you to get Type 1 diabetes. With Type 2 diabetes, though we know sugar doesn’t directly causes Type 2 diabetes, you are more likely to get it if you are overweight. You gain weight when you take in more calories than your body needs, and sugary foods and drinks contain a lot of calories. And it's important to add that fatty foods and drinks are playing a part in our nation's expanding waistline. So you can see if too much sugar is making you put on weight, then you are increasing your risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. But Type 2 diabetes is complex, and sugar is unlikely to be the only reason the condition develops. If I have diabetes, can I eat sugar? Having diabetes doesn’t mean you have to cut sugar out of your diet completely. We all enjoy eating sugary foods occasionally, and there’s no problem including them as a treat Continue reading >>
Meat And Diabetes
Singer Chaka Khan says she reversed her Type 2 diabetes with a vegan diet. We know from several studies that vegetarian and vegan (no meat, fish, eggs, dairy, or honey) diets help prevent, control, and even reverse diabetes. But how do they do that? Neal Barnard, MD, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, is probably the leading advocate for medical veganism. He says that animal fats cause diabetes; that they block cells’ insulin receptors. He says insulin is like a key, opening a lock to get glucose into cells. Fats are like chewing gum stuck in the keyhole so insulin can’t work. Barnard cites data tracking the rise of diabetes in Japan. He shows how closely this rise follows the introduction of the meaty American diet, so he blames the meats for the diabetes. Some studies back him up. An article in Diabetes Care in 2002 reported that “A large body of experimental data generated in laboratory animals strongly supports the notion that high-fat diets are associated with impaired insulin action.” But many disagree. Quinn Phillips wrote here last year about studies showing people given vegan diets reduced their A1C and their diabetes medicines. Quinn got some interesting comments. Reader VegLowCarbDiabetic wrote, I adjusted my…diet to a very low-carb, high-good-fats (olive, coconut, avocado) [diet] with moderate protein [—] mostly from eggs, nuts, and fermented homemade organic raw milk products, such as kefir and strained yogurt, [as well as] fish oils… My A1C went from 11.5 down to 5.5 currently. Note that this is not a vegan diet — it includes eggs, dairy, and fish oil — but it does not include meat. So was it the decreased animal fat that lowered his A1C? Commenter Glen says no: Any glycemic changes in a vegan diet are usually t Continue reading >>
The Truth About ‘what The Health’ Claim “sugar Doesn’t Cause Diabetes”
Earlier this year, pro-vegan documentary What The Health was released on Netflix. The film, which explores the credibility of large health organisations’ advice on nutrition, has received a lot of attention from both supporters and critics alike. Many people have attributed their change to a plant-based diet to the documentary including singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. However, one claim made in the film has been picked up by critics in an attempt to discredit the documentary as a whole: that sugar does not directly cause type 2 diabetes. For years now we have associated diabetes with an excess of sugar in a person’s diet. Diabetes is indeed the body’s inability to manage glucose levels in the blood but does this mean that sugar causes type 2 diabetes? Diabetes is a condition where a person’s pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin (type 1 diabetes), or if it does the body can’t use insulin in the way it is supposed to (type 2 diabetes). Insulin is what allows glucose to pass from our blood into our muscle cells and therefore allows the body to use glucose as energy. When glucose can’t access the muscle cells, blood sugar levels rise. In type 2 diabetes, insulin is present but doesn’t work properly, this is called insulin resistance. This occurs when there is a build up of fat in muscle cells, this then stops your body’s signalling process that tells insulin it needs to allow glucose into the muscle cells. There are studies that back this up. Nearly a century ago the blood sugar levels of two groups of volunteers were monitored after they ate. One group ate meals high in fat, the other diets rich in carbohydrates. The group who were eating a fat rich diet experienced much larger spikes in their blood sugar after eating than the group who were fed carbohydrates Continue reading >>
What The Health: Documentary Review & Fact Check
What the Health: Documentary Review & Fact Check A review of the popular netflix documentary, What the Health. In June of this year, a popular documentary hit the e-shelves of Netflix calledWhat the Health.The response has been far and wide with many claiming a conversion to veganism or citing its research to support their current lifestyle. This review will cover the overall climate of the film, fact check some of its claims and give my professional opinion as a food and nutrition expert in response to the film. What the Health: Documentary Review & Fact Check To be honest, when Facebook friends and acquaintances started raving about What the Healthand restating some of its facts, my blood started to boil a little. I wanted to avoid watching the film because I assumed there was a lot of bias involved. Although there was bias, in all actuality the film was less shocking than I had presumed (though I did I brace myself for the worst). Thats not to say that there arent incorrect facts and figures, outdated research, poorly-performed studies or research lacking strength (inadequate subjects, not duplicated, etc.) because there are absolutely those weaknesses. I wasnt shocked by the light music that played happily in the background while the now make-up-laden, smiling ladies and man presented as case studies exclaimed how great they felt after two weeks on a vegan diet because I expected that of the film. I wasnt shocked by the staggering statistics on obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease because (they are accurate and) I was already aware of those. And lastly, I dont disagree at all with emphasizing a plant-based diet. I think we should all be following a plant-based diet. That doesnt necessarily mean I think everyone needs to eat a completely vegan diet (although Continue reading >>
Does Red Meat Cause Diabetes?
Our body needs protein to build and repair bones, muscles, skin and blood. We also use protein to make enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals essential for proper body functioning. Red meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, beans and peas, soy products, nuts and seeds are considered part of the protein food group. Several studies[1],[2],[4] have suggested that eating too much red and processed meats can increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes. Red meat includes pork, beef, mutton and veal. Processed meats are meats that are preserved by curing, salting, smoking, drying or canning. Hot dogs, bacon, ham, sausages, corned beef and canned luncheon meat are examples of processed meats. In one study,[3] researchers observed a group of middle-aged men and women for four years. They found that those who increased their red meat intake by half a serving a day had a 48 percent higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than if they had not changed their diet. Those who reduced their red meat intake, on the other hand, had a lower risk. Processed red meat is especially bad for your health[4]. It is believed that the preservatives, additives and chemicals (e.g. nitrites, nitrates) that are added to the meat during manufacturing can harm your pancreas (organ that produces insulin) and increase insulin resistance. As red meat is a source of saturated fat, cholesterol, animal protein and haem-iron (iron containing substance), scientists suspect these substances in red meat may also contribute to the increased diabetes risk. How and why this is so is still unclear. Some think that iron overload in the body can promote insulin resistance and raise blood glucose levels. Related: Let's Talk Turkey What Can I Do to Prevent Diabetes? Eat a Variety of Healthy Protein-rich Foods. Add varie Continue reading >>
Does Sugar Cause Diabetes?
The recent film What the Health raised the question as to whether sugar or other carbohydrates cause diabetes. The notion is understandable. Blood sugar levels are high in diabetes, so a common idea has held that eating sugar somehow triggers the disease process. However, the major diabetes organizations take a different view. The American Diabetes Association1 and Diabetes UK2 have labelled this notion a “myth,” as has the Joslin Diabetes Center,3 which wrote, “Diabetes is not caused by eating too much sugar.” These and other organizations have worked to educate people about the causes of diabetes and the role that foods play in the disease process. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. Type 2 diabetes—the most common form of the disease—is caused by insulin resistance and pancreatic failure. Here is what you need to know: Sugar Is the Body’s Fuel The human body runs on glucose, a simple sugar. Just as gasoline powers your car, glucose powers your muscles, your brain, and the rest of your body. Glucose comes from fruit and from starchy foods, such as grains, beans, and potatoes, and your body can also produce it when needed. Without it you would die. Diabetes means having higher-than-normal blood glucose values. It comes in three common forms: Type 1 diabetes is caused by the destruction of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, usually through an autoimmune process. The triggers for this process are under investigation and may include dairy proteins, viruses, or other factors. Type 2 diabetes typically starts with insulin resistance. That is, the cells of the body resist insulin’s efforts to escort glucose into the cells. What causes insulin resistance? It appears to be caused by an accumulation of microscopic fat particles within muscle and Continue reading >>
Sugar Does Not Cause Diabetes: Did The Film What The Health Get Itright?
Professor of Cardiology, Summa cum Laude grad, Kahn Center for Longevity and GreenSpace Cafe. www.drjoelkahn.com @drjkahn. Author The Plant Based Solution NEW Sugar Does Not Cause Diabetes: Did the Film What the Health Get itRight? The documentary What the Health is receiving a huge amount of attention and most of it is positive. Many reports of people attempting to eat better are filling social media. I discussed the film on a local TV station in Detroit after two reporters indicated that the movie had made a big impact on their diets. There have even been reports that restaurants serving healthier fare have seen an uptick in customers attributing the change to the film. I have seen this in my own plant-based restaurant and have a What The Health Happy Hour that has been very popular. Naturally, there have been critics of the movie defending their viewpoint that meat based diets are healthy, but most have rallied around a statement in the film by Neal Barnard, MD that sugar does not cause diabetes. As the answer to this question may be important to you, I have done some research and share it here but this is in NO way an endorsement to add back soda and candy bars to your diet. In a world stressed by growing obesity and its medical consequences, limiting sugar is a universal recommendation from all health experts. 1) Type 1 diabetes is not caused by sugar. All agree on this as type 1 diabetes is considered an autoimmune disease leading to destruction of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. However, patients with type 1 diabetes can develop and reverse insulin resistance (IR) in their muscles and liver so understanding the origin of IR is important. 2) Who is Neal Barnard, MD? Dr. Barnard is a graduate of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Continue reading >>
The Truth About Red Meat And Diabetes
Not all red meat is created equal – some isn’t even good enough to even be considered food. Yet when a news article talks about red meat being bad for you, you can bet the author (or the study behind the news) failed to distinguish between processed meat and unprocessed meat, as well as overcooked meat and properly cooked meat. That’s not even considering grass-fed meat vs. industrial meat, which I’ve blogged about extensively. “Red-meat-is-bad” articles don’t always deserve a rebuttal because *most* red meat actually is bad for you. However, it’s a major mistake to say all red meat is bad for you. This post serves to confront misleading headlines about red meat and diabetes risk. Let’s ask a few questions, see what the science actually says, and talk about the Bulletproof recommendations. Processed meats like hot dogs, bologna, deli meats etc. contain high omega-6’s, often have mold toxins called mycotoxins, and nitrates that can combine with bad gut bacteria. All of these can be correlated with an increased risk of diabetes. Instead, insist on eating grass fed, low toxin meat to promote good health and optimize performance. Research Doesn’t Distinguish Between Processed Red Meat and Unprocessed Red Meat When articles suggest red meat causes chronic diseases like diabetes, you would expect a high degree of specificity and accuracy. Unfortunately all you get are alarming headlines and half-truths. When you see blog posts like “Hot Dogs, Bacon and Red Meat Tied to Increased Diabetes Risk,” you should ask yourself how the authors justify lumping hot dogs (a blend of soy, wheat, MSG, and cast off animal parts) in with meat and what the study design looked like. Of course, the recent news about diabetes referenced a study that did not distinguish h Continue reading >>
This Powerful New Netflix Diet Documentary Will Turn Every Meat-lover Vegan
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video I’m not saying I’m a fully-fledged vegan now, but I’m definitely committed to trying the 30-day challenge after seeing all the outrageously good benefits a plant-based diet has to offer. The documentary, directed by self-confessed hypochondriac Kip Andersen, explores the damaging effects eating meat has on our bodies. And trust me, there are a lot. Like, alarming amounts. The show will make you question everything you thought you knew about a healthy diet. Kip’s documentary centers around a number of studies, including the proven link between red/processed meat and cancer. You may remember it hitting the headlines back in October 2015. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified red meat and processed meat as a carcinogenic — something that causes cancer. It was classed as a group one carcinogenic, alongside smoking tobacco and being exposed to asbestos. The WHO’s website reports: ‘An analysis of data from ten studies estimated that every 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by about 18 percent. ‘The cancer risk related to the consumption of red meat is more difficult to estimate because the evidence that red meat causes cancer is not as strong. However, if the association of red meat and colorectal cancer were proven to be causal, data from the same studies suggest that the risk of colorectal cancer could increase by 17 percent for every 100 gram portion of red meat eaten daily.’ Kip claims he managed to prove a direct link between big health organizations like American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and American Diabetes Association, and sponsorship from the very industries whic Continue reading >>
Does Consuming Red Meat Increase Your Type 2 Diabetes Risk?
We’ve always been told to make sure you eat your meat, especially red meat as it is chalk full of important vitamins and nutrients such as iron, B12, zinc and protein. But red meat is also full of other things that might not be as beneficial to us. You may be aware that too much red meat is high in saturated fat, which in turn raises your cholesterol. Higher levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) are associated with a higher risk of developing heart disease. But it was found during many research studies that a higher consumption of red meat can also lead to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Across the world, type 2 diabetes is reaching epidemic levels, affecting almost 400 million from all over. In the United States, more than 21 million people have been diagnosed with another 8.1 million undiagnosed or unaware that they have type 2, as estimated by the CDC. The Data Doesn’t Lie Recent studies conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have determined a link between consuming red meat in excess and the increase in incidences of Type 2 diabetes. The study found that those who are eating more red met, roughly 3 ½ servings or more each week, had an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 50% within the next four years. When you think about an increase by 50% this is substantial. The study’s co-author, Frank Hu, who is a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health stated this was “a really large and significant increase”. While these results are quite alarming, researchers did find that those who decreased their consumption of red meat, lowered this risk by 14% during their 10-year follow-up. Let’s take a deeper look into what this study truly has revealed. I advise reading the following: W Continue reading >>
What The Health Filmmaker Discusses Meat Consumption Health Risks | Observer
Cowspiracy Filmmaker Discusses New Doc on Meat Consumptions Health Risks What the Health illuminates animal agricultures effect on Americans health What the Health provides harrowing insight into the damage that eating meat has been doing to Americans health. Annie Spratt/Unsplash In 2014, filmmakers Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn released Cowspiracy , a documentary that brought to lightthe environmental impact of the meat industry and providedevidence that a drastic reduction in meat consumption is necessary to mitigate climate change and the destruction of the environment. On top ofthe ethical concerns posed by livestock production, itsthe single largestdriver of habitat loss and emissions. The methane gas produced by the 1.3 billion to 1.5 billioncowson the planet outpaces the entire global transportation sector in greenhouse gas emissions. The emissions from this industry are estimated toincrease by 80 percent by 2050. In their new documentary What the Health which they describe asCowspiracyand Forks and Knives on steroidsAndersen and Keegan exposethe health risks associated with the meat industry, exploring its connections with the government, pharmaceutical industry, medical industry and health organizations. Processed meats are carcinogenic, meaning they are grouped in the same category as cigarettes and asbestos by the World Health Organization. Yet, the American Cancer Society recommends eating processed meats on their organizations website. And even though several studies have shown that meat consumption is a leading cause of diabetes, the American Diabetes Association continues to recommend it as part of a healthy diet. Eating meat is also a leading contributor of heart disease, but that hasnt stopped the American Heart Association from advertising consuming i Continue reading >>
