Documentaries We Recommend
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Below, you'll find a selection of some of the key documentaries that inform and inspire our work. While this list isn't exhaustive, it highlights some of the foundational texts that guide our approach and philosophy. We're confident in the value these resources bring to our practice, but we remain open to expanding and evolving our library as new insights and research emerge.
 Stress, Portrait of a Killer
This eye-opening documentary, featuring renowned neuroscientist and Stanford professor Robert Sapolsky, explores the biology of stress and its impact on our health and wellbeing. Stress: Portrait of a Killer examines how chronic stress affects everything from the brain to immune function, drawing connections between prolonged stress and serious health conditions. Through compelling stories and scientific insights, Sapolsky explains the far-reaching consequences of modern stress and highlights the importance of managing it for long-term health.
How Not to Die
Based on Dr. Michael Greger’s groundbreaking research, How Not to Die explores the top causes of premature death — such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes — and presents compelling evidence for how diet and lifestyle changes can prevent and even reverse these conditions. Dr. Greger delves into the science behind nutrition’s role in longevity and optimal health, encouraging viewers to take control of their wellness through informed, plant-based choices. This powerful resource is an eye-opener for anyone looking to make sustainable changes for a healthier life.
Food, Inc.
Food, Inc. pulls back the curtain on the American food industry, exposing the hidden mechanisms that shape how our food is produced, processed, and distributed. Through interviews with farmers, advocates, and experts, the documentary reveals the impact of corporate influence on food safety, health, and sustainability. It challenges viewers to consider the ethical, environmental, and personal health implications of industrialized food, making a compelling case for informed, mindful food choices.
Food, Inc 2
Food, Inc. 2 revisits the critical issues in America’s food system exposed in the original Food, Inc. documentary, diving even deeper into the impact of corporate control over what we eat. This follow-up explores the ongoing environmental, health, and ethical challenges posed by industrial agriculture, while spotlighting new voices and innovative solutions aimed at creating a more sustainable and equitable food system. Food, Inc. 2 invites viewers to rethink the role of food in society and consider actionable steps toward a healthier, more transparent future for food.
John Lewis: Good Trouble
John Lewis: Good Trouble is an inspiring documentary that captures the life, activism, and legacy of civil rights icon and Congressman John Lewis. Through powerful interviews, rare archival footage, and Lewis’s own words, the film explores his role in landmark events like the Selma marches and his lifelong commitment to justice, voting rights, and equality. This documentary celebrates Lewis’s unwavering spirit and his call to make "good trouble" in the ongoing fight for civil rights, reminding viewers of the power of courage and conviction.
Forks Over Knives
Forks Over Knives investigates the profound health benefits of a plant-based diet, featuring the groundbreaking work of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr. T. Colin Campbell. Their research links a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle to the prevention and even reversal of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Through personal stories, expert interviews, and scientific findings, Forks Over Knives challenges conventional dietary norms and encourages viewers to consider food as a powerful tool for health and longevity.
I Am Not Your Negro
Based on an unfinished manuscript by James Baldwin, I Am Not Your Negro is a powerful documentary that explores race, history, and identity in America. Through Baldwin's reflections on the lives and assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr., the film provides an unflinching look at the systemic racism and social injustices that persist in the United States. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson and brought to life with archival footage, I Am Not Your Negro is a thought-provoking exploration of Baldwin’s vision for equality and his enduring legacy in the fight for civil rights.
Fed Up
Fed Up takes a hard look at the sugar industry and its influence on public health. Narrated by journalist Katie Couric, the documentary explores how sugar is hidden in processed foods and its links to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic health issues. Through revealing interviews and investigative journalism, Fed Up exposes the tactics of "Big Sugar" to mislead consumers and downplay sugar’s risks. This eye-opening film challenges viewers to rethink their dietary choices and the role of sugar in our modern diet.
Sugar Coated
Sugar Coated pulls back the curtain on the sugar industry’s powerful influence over science and public perception. This eye-opening documentary reveals how Big Sugar, much like Big Tobacco, has worked to downplay the health risks of sugar, despite mounting evidence linking it to obesity, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. With insights from scientists, journalists, and industry insiders, Sugar Coated challenges viewers to question the hidden motives behind food industry messaging and consider the true impact of sugar on public health.
You are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment
This intriguing Netflix docuseries follows multiple pairs of identical twins as they experiment with various diets — such as vegan, omnivorous, low-fat, and low-carb — to explore the effects of these diets on health and well-being. Over the course of the series, You Are What You Eat examines changes in weight, cholesterol levels, energy, and more, providing a unique look at how genetics and dietary choices interact. The series offers science-backed insights into personalized nutrition, showing that what works for one may not work for all.
Heal
Heal dives into the mind-body connection, exploring how our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions can significantly influence our physical health. Featuring insights from scientists, holistic healers, and spiritual teachers, the documentary reveals the transformative power of practices like meditation, visualization, and energy healing in reducing stress and fostering self-healing. With inspiring stories of individuals overcoming serious health challenges, Heal offers a hopeful, empowering perspective on our innate ability to improve wellbeing and resilience.
