10 Health-Conscious Documentaries to Watch
In a time when illness and disease are running rampant, maintaining your health is paramount. So why not educate yourself on the myriad ways you can improve your wellbeing?
1. Heal
Take a scientific and spiritual journey to discover that our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions have a huge impact on our health, wellness, and ability to heal. The latest science reveals that we are not victims of unchangeable genes, nor should we buy into a scary prognosis. The fact is we have more control over our health and life than we have been taught to believe in western medicine. This film will empower you with a new understanding of the miraculous nature of the human body and the extraordinary healer within us all.
2. The Way of Miracles
The thought-provoking documentary, The Way of Miracles, embarks on a journey of human healing and personal empowerment, uncovering the underlying science behind miracle recoveries.
This film is based on a book written by holistic practitioner Dr. Mark Mincolla called The Way of Miracles: Accessing Your Superconsciousness. It weaves together teachings from both traditional western medicine and ancient holistic systems. Accompanied by insightful interviews from luminaries in the field, such as Dr. Deepak Chopra, Bruce Lipton, and other celebrated figures, it offers a compelling exploration of the subject matter.
3. Healing Vibrations
“Frequency plus intent equals healing.”
From acclaimed filmmaker Anthony Chene, Gaia presents the premiere of a new documentary exploring how sound frequencies and vibrations help heal the body, mind, and spirit. Featuring in-depth interviews with six experts in their respective fields who embark on a quest to master energy and intention with the aim to reconnect to who we really are.
Learn the common themes discovered by alternative researchers, including: a clinical practitioner of tuning forks, an academic in pursuit of evidence that our biology becomes our biography, an archeologist who discovered a sound-formed hieroglyph in an Egyptian crypt, and more.
4. The Natural Law
Could a 5,000-year-old natural science hold the key to thriving in the chaos of modern life?
The Natural Law invites you alongside one man’s transformative, decade-long journey to wellness through the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda. Featuring insights from over 30 renowned doctors and scientists, this powerful documentary uncovers the hidden toll of modern life’s stress and toxins.
Discover how Ayurvedic principles can restore balance, heal deep-rooted physical and emotional pain, and empower you to lead a healthier, more harmonious life. Adopting this way of life can provide immediate relief for life’s challenges—not just for yourself, but for the well-being of those you care about most.
5. Biohacking with Dave Asprey
“Biohacking is not just about being well… it’s about the power to transform yourself.”
Join bestselling author and biohacking expert Dave Asprey on a groundbreaking quest to challenge assumptions about human biology and discover efficient steps to increase longevity. In this exclusive Gaia Original series, Asprey reveals researched and tested strategies to unlock the body’s potential to heal, transform, and thrive.
Expand your understanding of how human biology relates to animal instinct, learn how to identify “kryptonite” for the body, and find out how to innovate an individual approach to living your best life, every day.
6. Hypnotherapy for Better Sleep
Sleep is an essential function that allows your body and mind to recharge, leaving you refreshed and alert when you wake up. Healthy sleep also helps the body remain healthy and stave off diseases. Without enough sleep, the brain cannot function properly and this can impair your abilities to concentrate, think clearly and even process memories.
Hypnotherapy is a powerful therapeutic technique that puts you into a deep state of relaxation, enabling access to the subconscious mind. Using the power of suggestion, the audio guided sessions in this series encourage a positive change to the way you think and feel.
7. The Earthing Movie
The Earthing Movie: The Remarkable Science of Grounding reveals the scientific phenomenon of how we can heal our bodies by doing the simplest thing that a person can do… standing barefoot on the earth.
The film reveals that the answer to America’s biggest health crisis may literally be right under our feet. Earthing, also known as “grounding”, means connecting to the Earth. As the film reveals, the surface of planet Earth is negatively charged and when this negative charge is connected to human skin, it reduces inflammation and contributes to other positive health effects.
This is a must watch documentary as it reveals the science of ‘grounding’ while calling us to connect to the Earth, heal our bodies, and become healthier beings.
8. Fasting: The Movie
Fasting could be the silver bullet to our epidemic of chronic illnesses today. However, there’s more to the science of fasting than most think. This documentary explores several different methods of fasting, including time-restricted feeding, intermittent fasting, prolonged fasting, and long-term water fasting, among many others.
Featuring interviews with 54 people, including the world’s leading experts on fasting, as well as individuals who used fasting to treat obesity, high blood pressure, chronic headaches, and joint pain, this is no doubt the most comprehensive and objective look at fasting on film.
9. The Gut Movie
Join journalist and researcher Kale Brock on a scientific quest to discover whether the “optimal microbiome” does indeed exist. Filmmakers follow him as he travels from Australia to Namibia to live with The San, ancient hunter-gatherers who have lived off the land for centuries.
During the excursion, Brock monitors his microbiome closely and notes how it changes with his new surroundings. He also takes microbiome samples of The San to examine any significant differences in overall gut health – specifically, the microbiota present across cultures. Foremost gastroenterologist Professor Thomas Borody, molecular geneticist Dr. Margie Smith, immunology researcher and expert Professor Mimi Tang, naturopath and chiropractor Dr. Damian Kristof, and others weigh in on the human microbiome.
10. Stressed
A new exploration into emotional stress and its undeniable impact on humanity, STRESSED explores exciting science surrounding Neuro Emotional Technique (N.E.T.).
The film delves into our history with stress, how we got to where we are today, and where we go from here. Featuring experts and neuroscientists, we get a fresh perspective on the effects of stress. This documentary showcases compelling evidence that this breakthrough intervention can help people to alleviate their emotional stress, as well as deeper insight into this exciting topic.
About the Author
Guide to Alternative Medicine Part 1: Traditional Chinese Medicine
“When health is absent Wisdom cannot reveal itself, Art cannot become manifest, Strength cannot be exerted, Wealth is useless and Reason is powerless.”
— Herophilies, 300 B.C.
Just a decade ago, if patients wanted to explore unconventional treatment options they were on their own. Traditional health professionals generally didn’t encourage alternative therapies or treatments, and discouraged departures from allopathic treatment models such as drugs and surgery.
As research validates the efficacy of non-traditional treatment models, such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), ayurvedic medicine, massage and chiropractic adjustment, naturopathy, diet, and natural supplementation — even homeopathy and sound therapy — new branches of medicine emerge.
Integrative, Functional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine
The “integrative” medical model developed during the early 1990s but was formalized when the National Institute of Health (NIH) created the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). This classification covered non-conventional treatment and research, and was the beginning of a slow recognition of alternative systems. Integrative models include consideration of a patient’s lifestyle, body, and mind, and how to promote well-being for the whole person rather than just diseases and their symptoms.
“Functional” medicine refers to holistic and alternative medical practices intended to improve overall functions of the body’s systems and explores individual biochemistry, genetics, and environment to determine underlying causes of disease.
According to the NIH, “complementary” medicine coordinates non-mainstream practices with conventional treatments. This has driven acceptance of alternative therapies such as TCM, diet, and nutraceuticals, or supplements.
Alternative medicine is any practice that falls outside conventional systems and is not combined with traditional treatments. For example, if patients choose Ayurvedic medicine, dietary changes, and supplementation to treat their cancer and exclude conventional therapies, they have entered the realm of alternative medicine.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
“Those who disobey the laws of Heaven and Earth have a lifetime of calamities while those who follow the laws remain free from dangerous illness.”
— Huangdi, The Yellow Emperor, 2698–2598 BCE
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) claims to be the third-oldest medical system, preceded only by Egyptian and Babylonian medicine. Theories of TCM are believed to be at least 3,000 to 4,000 years old — likely older, predating written language.
The foundations of TCM are meridian channels and acupuncture points that conduct the movement of chi, and the five-element model correspondences to these points and channels. This five-element system of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water also applies to seasons, colors, sounds, sense organs, personality types, Chinese astrology, feng shui, the I Ching, and countless other aspects of Chinese culture and life.
The Five-Element System in Chinese Medicine
Called the Wu Xing, this five-element system defines relationships between the elements and considers them to be in continual active cycles wherever they are found. Mother/child, or generating relationships, are: wood fuels fire, fire forms earth (think of volcanic flow and ash) earth produces metal, metal carries water (buckets, pipes, etc.), and water feeds wood.
Conversely, there are antagonistic (father/child) relationships: fire melts metal, metal penetrates wood (ax, saw), wood separates earth (tree roots break soil), earth absorbs and directs water (river banks), and water extinguishes fire.
Chinese and Taoist doctors, called OMDs (oriental medicine doctors), see a patient through this lens of five-element relationships, along with yin and yang (passive and active) qualities. Organs are paired into male and female element families that include seasons, colors, compass directions, sense organs, emotions, and virtues. The female, or yin, organs are continually active — the Chinese say a woman’s work is never done — while male yang organs have periods of rest and activity. Element family qualities are:
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- Metal: Lung (yin), large intestine (yang); season: autumn; color: white; direction: west; sense organ: nose; emotion: grief. When balanced, grief becomes the virtue of integrity.
- Water: Kidneys (yin), bladder (yang); season: winter; color: black; direction: north; sense organ: ears; emotion: fear. When balanced, fear becomes the virtues of poise, calm, and alert stillness.
- Wood: Liver (yin), gall bladder (yang); season: spring; color: green; direction: east; sense organs: eyes; emotion: anger. When balanced, anger becomes the virtue of kindness.
- Fire: Heart (yin), small intestine (yang); season: summer; color: red; direction: south; sense organ: tongue; emotion: rush/rudeness. When balanced, rushed rudeness becomes the virtues altruism and joy.
- Earth: Spleen (yin), stomach(yang); season: late summer; color: yellow; direction: center or middle; sense organ: mouth; emotion: worry and overthinking. When balanced, worry and obsession become the virtues of balance and equanimity.
