Summary of the movie
The movie provides a comprehensive analysis of the effect of unhealthy eating, use of pharmaceutical drugs and pesticides in growing of food and environmental pollution on human health. Food is essential for human survival, but the world is experiencing food insecurity because of population increase coupled with environmental pollution. The movie articulates that the world has failed to produce adequate food for its people thus compelling people change and adapt unhealthy eating habits. In order to address the problem of food insecurity, nations across the globe have embraced consumption of genetically modified food. Billions of people consume genetically modified foods daily because they are readily available, economical, and cheap. Consumption of genetically modified foods has severe implication on the body because it is the root cause of most of the health complications and diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure. The movie reaffirms that consumption of genetically modified foods is not bad, but consumers should practice healthy eating habits.
The movie exhaustively explains the association of unhealthy eating and use of pharmaceutical medicine on the body. Unhealthy eating remains the root cause of numerous health complications and diseases many people suffers from in the contemporary society. Unhealthy person remains susceptible to bacterial infection because of low immunity levels. Medical practitioners prescribe pharmaceutical medicines so that to boost patient’s immunity, cure and treat the illness. Although pharmaceutical medicines cure various illnesses, it has been established that they have side effects on the patients. Statistics indicate that more than 106,000 Americans die yearly from pharmaceutical complications. The movie affirms that 75% of the Americans who die from pharmaceutical complications use the prescribed medicine correctly. This implies that medical practitioners in the pharmaceutical industry have violated ethics and codes of practice so that to increase their income. It is evident that some of the pharmacists have developed dubious motives, which aim at manufacturing ineffective medicines and exploit patients. In the movie, it is clear that the body consumes a quarter of the food, while the rest supports the pharmaceutical industry. In other words, it keeps doctors alive.
The movie points that environmental pollution, use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers contain harmful chemicals, which pollute the soils. Crops absorb nutrients and chemicals from the soil and humans later eat the crops thus digesting chemicals as well (Ottem, 89). This move leads to unhealthy eating and increased use of pharmaceutical medicine.
Lessons learned
The movie is informative in nature and one learns many lessons. Firstly, it is clear that healthy complications can be resolved through healthy eating. Observing and embracing healthy eating habits will play a crucial role in reducing deaths accruing from health complication and increase life expectancy. Statistics affirm that life expectancy has reduced drastically from 70 years to 50 years, but it can be prolonged through health eating (Astyk, 317). Secondly, unhealthy eating remains the root cause of many challenges facing the human race and the world. It is not hard to solve these challenges because we have the potential and ability to address them effectively. Experts advocate that people need to embrace health-eating habits and eat natural produced foods; free from chemicals. Thirdly, it is important to reform pharmaceutical industry so that to reduce deaths accruing from pharmaceutical complications (potter, 207). Additionally, encourage use of environmental friendly fertilizers and farm inputs so that produce quality and health foods.
Importance of the film to the course
The movie has exhaustively addressed the impacts of unhealthy eating, environmental pollution, and use of pharmaceutical on the body. This fact improves learners’ understanding because they can relate with real life situations and adapt healthy eating habits. The movie helps students understand the issue of food insecurity and its implication on the environment as well as sustainable development. It is important to appreciate that we need to conserve the environment for the future generations.
Works cited
Food Matters Official Trailer. Dir. John Butler. Perf. John Butler. Permacology Productions, 2007. Blu-Ray
Astyk, Sharon. A Nation of Farmers: Defeating the Food Crisis on American Soil. New York: New Society Publishers, 2009. Print.
Ottem, Andrea. Healthy eating and food security promising strategies for BC : a discussion paper. Toronto, Ont.: Dietitians of Canada, 2010. Print.
potter , Emily. Ethical Consumption: A Critical Introduction. New York: Routledge, 2013. Print.
