The Magic Pill

Pete Evens, an Australian chef, created The Magic Pill to show how the ketogenic diet can drastically change our physical and mental health. This 2017 documentary follows numerous individuals as they change from a Western, high-carb diet to the high-fat keto diet. The stories are heart-warming and extremely persuasive, for the effects of chronic diseases like diabetes, asthma, digestive issues, depression, epilepsy, and autism are all lessened if not completely cured. Using traditional food methods and modern research studies, this documentary shows that food and diet are the ultimate medicines we need to improve our lives.

Our current diets have been monopolized by “food-like” substances, industrial oils, and processed grains, but it is time to take back our diets and to embrace our ancestral dietary pasts. Going on a high-fat diet means that our bodies are running on fats rather than sugars, and this often means that we are more satiated and less likely to overeat. This documentary shows how big agriculture and government health agencies are ruining our diets by investing their money into processed grains, biased research, and world-wide commercialization. The media tells us to eat low-fat or fat-free products, but this goes against our ancestral roots and leaves us to eat unhealthy grains, sugars, and carb products in its place. Overall, this documentary urges us to listen to our bodies, return to whole foods, and question what the modern media encourages us to eat. 

At the Eastern Shore Food Lab, we do not strictly endorse a ketogenic diet, but we do enjoy lots of animal fats and use these fats to fuel our minds and add flavor to our meals! In addition, we recommend that you avoid sugars and processed carbohydrates. We encourage everyone to make their favorite meals completely from scratch (at least once!) and to educate themselves on where their food comes from. When grocery shopping, make sure to read labels and look for misleading health claims. 

— Nicole Hatfield