I love documentaries, especially the ones based around food.

Therefore, I am very thankful to Netflix for hooking me up with the goods. The most recently viewed, The Magic Pill. A friend was talking about it on Facebook, so I had to take a peek.

Before I jump into the jist of the movie. It does reference a laxative, MiraLAX that a child was taking. Please do some research on this. In my opinion, it is no good. But decide on your own.

Okay so let’s dive in. What is this Magic pill all about?! It is all about what we are eating. And of course this documentary is talking about eating a whole food diet.

The Food We Eat

And to be even more specific it is talking about a ketogenic diet. (I’ll share one article here, but there are many to choose from when you google search.) To make it simple, it is a high-fat, low-carb diet that consists of only whole foods. Whole foods would include vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, eggs, healthy fats, and meat. This food would be local, organic, in season and not processed. So basically stop eating any and all processed foods. Your food should come from the ground, sea, or land.

But wait… aren’t you vegan, Steph? So why would you tell us about this? I do happily live a vegan lifestyle. However, I am more concerned that people eat a whole food lifestyle. I know there are a lot of people who want to eat meat and don’t plan to give it up. Eating a whole food lifestyle still fights against factory farms. We all have different values and I do my best to honor the differences, while still encouraging healthy food choices.

It is important to note that most dietitians would not support this diet, because they follow the medical model. My background is in holistic nutrition, and therefore, I am a fan of the whole food model.

Plus…

At the beginning of the movie, it noted the importance of meditation (doing it) and intermittent fasting (I am doing this also) as well along side with the ketogenic diet. This diet is supposed to be amazing for your brain and it could even help kids with autism. How cool is that?! Whoot whoot!!

I love that the film also discusses the importance of trusting your body when eating. Intuitive eating is fantastic. In fact… I should write more about that for you guys, because it is something I practice.

Hang on… more fat? I thought fat was the enemy!

Right?! What a misconception. Unhealthy fat is bad for you, but the good fat is super needed. Like the fat from avocados or olives make our brains happy. It’s sugar that is the enemy. So kick out sugar, not good fat.

Relatable Stories

Several stories are shared as they take a journey of 10 weeks on a ketogenic diet and the results they receive. I’m not surprised at all by the results. When we stop eating the SAD (Standard American Diet) Diet, we all feel better.

Don’t believe me? Give it a shot. You might feel crappy the first couple days as your body detoxes, however, once you are done detoxing, pretty sure you are going to feel phenomenal.

Most of us want to eat healthy and have a wonderful quality of life, most people just don’t know how. And that makes sense. There is so much confusing information out there and we want to trust certain groups. I’ve found, that if money is behind what is being advocated, I want to do more research and talk to people who seem to know a bit more than I do, who aren’t getting paid. And then I start making some changes.

I listen to my body and see how the changes are influencing my body, mind and soul. And I keep what is working.

So, can you do a Ketogenic diet and be vegan?

Simply, yes. It is going to be a bit harder though. However, if you already live a vegan lifestyle, you already know how to make changes and shifts to your diet that keep you true to your values.

Peta has some recipes and suggestions here. And a few on Pinterest.

But, My Kid Is A Picky Eater (and Autistic)

One of the stories that I found the most inspiring included a girl age 5 or 6 who is non-verbal autistic. They changed her diet from eating cheddar goldfish crackers and Doritos to a Ketogenic diet. The dad said she starved herself for the first 5 days and then she began to eat the healthy food offered. And she loved it. Wanting more and more. She began to talk as well and engage in ways she never had before. It was pretty amazing.

I am going to introduce this to my family as well. My son is a super picky eater as of this last year. We have had to cut gluten out of his diet and now I want him to begin to eat really healthy as well. Perhaps we will be doing the vegan style ketogenic diet. His doctor did say he could go 7 days without eating and then he would eventually eat what was offered. So wish us luck as we make this transition because the first week is going to be intense. However, his health is worth it and so is mine.

Bye processed foods. We don’t need you anymore.

If you know anybody with picky kiddos or families that have some or a lot of health issues, this could be the answer they were looking for. Have a viewing party. Netflix will provide the film. You provide the support. And share this post on your Facebook. It might change a life.

Smooches! Steph