Netflix recently released a documentary titled Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut. It delves into the importance of a healthy digestive system. Directed by Anjali Nayar, it was released on April 26, 2024.
According to Tudum by Netflix, our digestive system’s purpose is not just to process food. According to recent studies, poor gut health can be linked to issues such as Parkinson’s disease and weight gain. A healthy digestive system depends on the quality of food a person consumes. Although most are aware of how digestion works, for the oblivious, food first travels from our esophagus to our stomach. Eventually, it moves to the small intestine and then the large intestine. Gradually, our body removes the waste in the form of excrement.
Interestingly, 70% of our immune system is situated in the gut, and the microorganisms in it ensure the smooth functioning of all organs. In Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut, neuroscientist John Cryan calls the gut the human body’s second brain. He says, “Our gut affects our whole body. The gut really is the second brain.”
According to its official trailer on YouTube, the synopsis of Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut reads, “Delve into the digestive system with this lighthearted and informative documentary that demystifies the role gut health plays in our overall well-being.”
To raise awareness about gut health, the documentary studied the food habits of four test subjects: Maya Okada Erickson, Daniell Koepke, Kimmie Gilbert, and Kobi Kobayashi.
Maya Erickson
Maya is a skilled pastry chef who has been suffering from anorexia, an eating disorder, throughout her life. However, she is on the road to recovery and usually consumes vegetables and dietary supplements. Unfortunately, it did not have the desired effect. She stated that her stomach aches whenever she eats anything other than vegetables, and it becomes a problem at work.
Maya said, “If I eat pretty much anything that’s not vegetables, I start getting stomach pains — which makes my job incredibly difficult.” When doctors analyzed her gut health, they concluded that her diet aided her in staying healthy. However, she must diversify her food options for a better digestive system. Furthermore, doctors advised her to consume small quantities of sweets and snacks so that her body gradually gets used to them without any serious consequences.
Daniell Koepke
Daniell Koepke, a clinical psychology doctorate student, has suffered from food-related issues for years. When she was an undergraduate student, her diet was extremely poor, due to which she developed problems such as indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, and constipation. Daniell said, “It’s really hard for me to remember what it was like to eat food before it became associated with anxiety and pain and discomfort.”
Her condition has forced her to depend on a limited variety of food. However, she is now experimenting with fecal microbiota transplantation to improve her digestive health. Unfortunately, this process has also caused some problems.
Kimmie Gilbert
Kimmie Gilbert is a single mother of three and an entrepreneur who struggles to lose weight. To shed pounds, she has done everything – from going on diets to taking weight loss pills and opting for costly gym memberships. Unfortunately, nothing has helped her so far. She wants to take care of her body and be there for her children for a long time. Kimmie stated, “I’ve tried to control my weight all kinds of ways. I would lose a lot, and I would gain a whole lot more.”
When doctors analyzed her gut health, they learned that her body did not have the bacteria required for weight loss. She has now decided to completely change her lifestyle for good.
Kobi Kobayashi
Kobi Kobayashi is a competitive eater who believes his profession has caused irreversible bodily damage. He also says that he never feels hungry and is envious of people who can feel it. He said, “I hear people say they’re hungry, and they look very happy after they’ve eaten. I’m jealous of those people.”
After analyzing his excrement, doctors concluded that his gut health was healthy. However, there were abnormalities in his brain scan. Kobi has decided to quit his profession and will focus on working on his medical issues.
The National Autistic Society has asked Netflix to take down Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut
According to Learning Disability Today, the National Autistic Society has called the Netflix documentary offensive and irresponsible. In addition, the organization has urged the OTT company to take it down.
Autism has been referred to as a disease in Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut. Right in the beginning, the presenter says, “Diseases like anxiety and depression, cancer, autism and Parkinson’s are all related to the gut.” However, the National Autistic Society emphasizes that Autism is a disability that an individual has to live with throughout their life. Furthermore, they said that calling it a disease is insensitive to those who suffer.
