10 Netflix health documentaries you need to watch in 2022

Although binge-watching Netflix may not be the best way to keep in shape (unless you do it while running on the treadmill), there is merit to nourishing your mind with knowledge in order to advance your health. Picture: AFP

Although binge-watching Netflix may not be the best way to keep in shape (unless you do it while running on the treadmill), there is merit to nourishing your mind with knowledge in order to advance your health. Picture: AFP

Published Nov 21, 2022

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Although binge-watching Netflix may not be the best way to keep in shape (unless you do it while running on the treadmill), there is merit to nourishing your mind with knowledge in order to advance your health.

With these 10 intriguing health films available to stream right now on Netflix, you can stay current on the most recent health research, trends, controversies, and more.

Heal (2017)

The condition of American healthcare is examined in Heal. In this health documentary, it is emphasised that because Americans experience chronic stress, our immune systems are weakened, and we get unwell more frequently.

According to the documentary, we could better prevent, treat, and manage our health if we could comprehend the relationship between our thoughts and our bodies.

Experts with expertise in medicine, psychology, spirituality, and homoeopathy explain what is wrong with America and suggest improvements.

The Mind, Explained (2019)

The Mind, Explained is a component of the Vox limited series Explained, which delves into issues that American culture is now grappling with in 15-minute episodes, including the racial wealth gap, DNA editing, and others.

The Mind, Explained is obviously entirely focused on the mind and how it works. This brief video is narrated by Emma Roberts and explores the workings of the human brain, including memory development and retention, dreaming, psychedelic drug use, and mental health conditions, including anxiety.

The Game Changers (2018)

Contrary to popular belief, vegans can increase their muscular mass. The Game Changers examines the meat industry and how eating meat is sold as "manly" to men so they can consume it and gain muscle to become stronger. It is voiced by former body builder and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The documentary aims to comprehend how plant energy makes professional fighters so powerful since it claims that some of them have historically and even currently used plants as fuel.

It also delves into how vegetarians do in terms of health indicators like cholesterol when compared to meat eaters.

The End Game (2018)

Even though everyone on earth eventually passes away, most people are terrified of it. The End Game aims to transform our fear of death into acceptance and peace.

The 40-minute film depicts Zen Hospital in San Francisco's mission as it supports its terminally ill patients through hospice, counselling, and palliative care.

Through coaching, the hospital also assists families in preparing for the loss of a family member.

Rotten (2017)

Rotten will make you rethink what you'll have for dinner. The documentary examines supply and demand in relation to food and agriculture in America and demonstrates how our current methods of food production, consumption, and manufacturing are not sustainable.

The video claims that many Americans don't know where their food comes from or what contaminants are present in it, and farmers are unable to meet American consumers' needs.

It advises people to make better food choices and strive to understand where their food comes from in order to eat more mindfully.

Period. End of Sentence. (2018)

Following the stigmatisation of a group of women in a tiny Indian village due to their period, American high school students gathered money and delivered the ladies there a low-cost, biodegradable pad-making machine.

This past February, the moving 25-minute movie took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.

"I can't believe a menstruation-related movie just won an Oscar!" Rayka Zehtabchi, a 25-year-old filmmaker, remarked as she accepted the honour.

None of your age or the distance between two countries, the Netflix documentary demonstrates that you can truly change the lives of others.

Take Your Pills (2018)

Take Your Pills is a highly contentious documentary that examines the American stimulant market, where adults and children are given stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin to treat illnesses like ADHD as well as to help them stay focused for extended periods of time at work.

A User’s Guide to Cheating Death (2017)

Professor Timothy Allen Caulfield of the University of Alberta examines how businesses profit off people's need to look and feel young by offering trendy wellness products, fad diets, cosmetic procedures, and more.

This six-part documentary series is educational in that it delves into bigger ethical aspects of the wellness and beauty industries, even though Caulfield utilises humour to reveal marketing strategies intended to keep people young.

Heroin(e) (2017)

This Oscar-nominated movie explores West Virginia's opioid epidemic through the viewpoints of a fire chief, a judge, and a street missionary.

Heroin(e) provokes more extensive discussions about the ongoing opiate issue in America through difficult-to-watch encounters between addicts and the heroines who try to help them.

The C Word (2016)

Film producer Meghan LaFrance O'Hara received a stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis shortly after working on Michael Moore's acclaimed health documentary Sicko.

By relying on her personal experience, O'Hara and French doctor Steven Servan-Schreiber, MD, explore the relationship between nutrition, stress, and pollutants and cancer in their book The C Word.

Read the latest issue of IOL Health digital magazine here.