Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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SALT LAKE CITY — The best-selling documentary of all time on iTunes hit the market late last year and has made waves in the health and fitness world. Who would have guessed that names like Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Cameron, Jackie Chan and Chris Paul would come together to make a movie about sports nutrition? But would it surprise you even more to learn that this documentary is all about eating more plants?
Don’t let that scare you away. "The Game Changers" is hands down the most compelling health documentary I have ever seen in my years in the health industry — so compelling that star athlete Kai Greene, one of the world’s top bodybuilders, cites the film as his primary reason for adopting what the film refers to as a plant-based diet.
The film follows the journey of a former MMA fighter who is now a military trainer. After an injury, he finds himself on a quest to recover from his injury quickly. With thousands of hours of research he stumbles upon a study that indicates the gladiators ate a primarily plant-based diet. This shocking bit of information leads him on a journey to find the truth about diet, specifically in conjunction with high-performance athletes. Throughout the documentary he consults with some of the top doctors and athletes around the world to determine the efficacy of a plant-based diet.
The film can be compelling to everyone, but may be especially pertinent to men. There are a number of scenes that show how food choices can impact various functions of the body within hours of consumption. One of my favorite scenes may not be suitable for kids, as it focuses on erectile dysfunction. It doesn’t show anything but the discussion might make some people uncomfortable. If this offends you, you can skip minutes 0:52:00 – 0:56:36. However, this scene is a powerful testament to the importance of diet for blood flow.
Perhaps one of the most refreshing aspects of the film was its focus on data and research. Across the bottom left-hand corner of the screen you can see hundreds of studies that back up each of the claims made. Most health documentaries make a number of bold claims, but rarely provide any scientific backing. This film goes above and beyond by providing riveting scientific evidence for a plant-based diet, but also incredible anecdotal examples as well.
Viewers should be aware that there are four F-words scattered throughout the movie. Those with children and teenagers may want to edit the following expletives:
- At 0:20:45, directly after a boxer wins a fight and the referee holds his arm in the air
- At 1:09:07, the Australian anti-poacher begins talking about how "gorillas don’t eat meat"
- At 1:17:31, Arnold Schwarzenegger says it twice in the same comment
Every person that watches this film will be compelled to rethink their food choices. No matter who you are and what you currently eat, I highly recommend watching The Game Changers. It can be found on Netflix, Vimeo, Vudu, YouTube, Google Play, and iTunes.
Editor’s Note: Anything in this article is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended, nor should it be interpreted, to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition; Any opinions, statements, services, offers, or other information or content expressed or made available are those of the respective author(s) or distributor(s) and not of KSL. KSL does not endorse nor is it responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, information, or statement made in this article. KSL expressly disclaims all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on the content of this article.
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