If you read 2015’s bestselling book How Not to Die by Michael Greger, MD, FACLM and Gene Stone, you already know the premise that made it a cultural lightning rod: for most people, the greatest threat to long-term health is not genetics or bad luck, but what ends up on the plate day after day.
Now, on its 10-year anniversary, the book moves from page to screen in How Not to Die, a new documentary streaming free on UnchainedTV, translating Greger’s data-heavy arguments into something far more immediate and visual.
‘How Not to Die’
From bestseller to screen
The film stays tightly aligned with the book’s core argument, examining how the standard Western diet contributes to the most common chronic diseases in the US and other industrialized countries. Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, liver dysfunction, and neurodegenerative conditions, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, are all addressed through peer-reviewed research and clinical experience. The documentary also explores links between diet and colon, prostate, and other digestive cancers, grounding each claim in nutritional science rather than wellness folklore.
Jane Velez-Mitchell, president of UnchainedTV, a non-profit streaming platform, framed the film’s purpose in direct terms: “The crucial information in this powerful, meticulously researched documentary can help people avoid preventable lifestyle diseases and improve their chances of living a long and healthy life,” she said in a statement. “What could be more important than that?”
Michael Greger, MD, author of ‘How Not to Die.’ | NutritionFacts.org
That urgency is familiar to readers of Greger’s book, which spent years on bestseller lists after its 2015 release by Flatiron Books. The documentary condenses those findings into a format designed for viewers who may never pick up a nutrition bible but still want clear, evidence-backed guidance about what actually reduces disease risk.
The experts behind the claims
Rather than relying on a single narrator, the film assembles a broad group of physicians and researchers known for work in lifestyle medicine and preventive cardiology. Alongside Greger himself, featured voices include Columbus Batiste, MD; T. Colin Campbell, PhD; Garth Davis, MD; Caldwell Esselstyn, MD; Michael Klaper, MD; Dean Ornish, MD; Angie Sadeghi, MD; Ayesha Sherzai, MD; Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD; and Kim Williams, MD. Their interviews focus on how whole food, plant-based diets rich in fiber and micronutrients can lower inflammation, improve metabolic markers, and reduce reliance on medication for chronic conditions.
BECOME A VEGNEWS VIP: Get exclusive product deals, freebies, and perks galore!
The film is directed, shot, and edited by Shaun Monson, known for the seminal 2005 film, Earthlings, with producing credits shared by Monson, Greger, and Jim Greenbaum. Executive producers Jay Karandikar and Kyle Vogt round out a production team that positions the documentary as both scientifically grounded and visually compelling.
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Subscribe
