Following on from recent work related films that have been watched, this week’s pick was titled ‘The Game Changers’ which is a documentary film on Netflix that follows mixed martial arts (MMA) expert James Wilkes from Leicester, UK who tore ligaments in both of his knees and how he wanted to try & aid and speed up his recovery process.
James hears about the benefits of a switching to a plant based diet to aid in his recovery but is slightly sceptical as he has been a meat eater his entire life and lives by the myth that you need meat to stay fit & healthy. With that in mind he decides to look into a plant based diet & whether it could aid his recovery & possibly even speed up the recovery time.
The Game Changers then begins to delve into the history of meat and what we have all been told from an early age. We take a close look at the remains of Gladiators that were buried in Ephesus, Turkey which have recently been examined and it actually turns out that these gladiators had a mainly plant based diet during their life time-contrary to reports that stronger, physical men of this time required meat in their diet.
An examination of human teeth is also undertaken with the studies showing that human teeth are much more suited for plants than meat. Our intestines are compared to other carnivores on the planet such as lions with studies showing that lions are much more suited to consume meat than we are. Simply put – our bodies are not built or designed for meat consumption.
We are then take a close look at a variety of athletes from various sports who are making the switch to a plant based diet & who are feeling the benefits of the switch. These include but are not exhaustive to:
- Nate Davis (MMA fighter)
- Scott Jurek (Endurance runner)
- Lewis Hamilton (F1 driver)
- Patrick Baboumain (World record holding strongman – at time of production)
- Kendrick Farris (Olympic weight lifter)
- Derrick Morgan (Tennessee Titans NFL player) + The Tennessee Titans with 14 of their players switching to a plant based diet which led to a play-off run.
So looking at the athletes who are making the switch and feeling the benefits of a plant based diet, the question has to be asked as to why more people aren’t making the switch? Especially when we are posed with hard nutritional facts such as:
- Justus Von Liebig’s theory that meat gives us energy has been proven false.
- That energy actually comes from carbohydrates, not meat-it’s a myth that it comes from meat.
- The protein in meat/animals actually comes from the plants/feed etc they eat – animals are just the middle men (e.g. protein > burger > cows >grass / plants)
- Amino acids are actually found in plants too.
- Antioxidant content is found almost entirely in plants & is 64 times that of meat.
- Eating the right plant based foods can speed up recovery time.
- Protein/iron found in animal products can be bad for the heart. There is a 55% reduction in future heart problems by eating a plant based diet.
- Animal meat increases the risk of colon/prostate cancer
- Vitamin C is found in plants & not meat – humans cannot produce this ourselves so we have to source it from somewhere.
- The human brain needs glucose to function. Glucose can be sourced from carbohydrates- not meat.
- Vitamin B12 is actually incredibly hard for humans to get enough of from either plants or meat & is very important for the body to function correctly–it is advised that we get B12 from supplements where possible.
- Soy – another modern myth that this increases estrogen-it does not increase estrogen at all. Soy actually contains ‘phytoestrogen’ which decreases estrogen levels. Estrogen is much more likely to be found in milk, dairy products & meat.
- Avoid processed carbohydrates such as bread & sugar as these are two of the worst and can have a negative impact on the body.
With examples & facts aplenty, multiple studies are completed for the film including one carried out by Dr Robert Vogel who carried out a simple experiment on 3 NFL players from the Miami Dolphins to prove the point that a plant based diet is healthier than a meat one.
Day 1 – The 3 players are provided with a meat burrito & then have blood drawn 2 hours after consumption.
Day 2 – The same 3 players are then provided with a meat-free, plant based burrito & again have blood drawn 2 hours after consumption.
The results of the blood are then compared by Dr Robert Vogel:
- The blood drawn after consumption of the meat burrito was cloudy with fat clearly visible.
- The blood drawn from plant based burrito the 2nd day was clear and how it should be.
Another prime example that a plant based diet is much better for the human body than a meat one.
With all of the above in mind James Wilkes comes to realise that a plant based diet is the way forward to aid & speed up his recovery. He makes the switch & recovers fitter, faster & stronger than ever.
The more I watch, the more I read, I simply cannot fathom why more people aren’t switching to a plant based diet? The facts are out there if you want to find them, the health benefits are there for those that want them. The Game Changers is to put it simply a “game changer” and will definitely make you change your opinion about false truths that have been told over the years and why we all do not need meat in our diets.
Give it a watch – it might just change your life.