10 health documentaries you should watch on Netflix in 2024

Soniya
Best health documentaries to watch on Netflix (Image via Netflix)
Best health documentaries to watch on Netflix (Image via Netflix)

Have you ever thought about the different kind of health documentaries on Netflix? Are they good enough to tell the whole story, or will you feel like something’s missing? There are tons of health documentaries on all kinds of topics, from food, to fitness and even some strange ones out there.

It’s no surprise that obesity rates are at an all-time high, but did you know that one in four people in the US suffer from diabetes? No matter your interest in either food and health, it’s difficult to ignore the health and wellness movement sweeping the world today.

With a Netflix subscription and health documentaries at your fingertips, you’re well on your way to staying well informed about what you eat.


Stream, learn and grow – Netflix’s best health documentaries to watch in 2024

Here are ten of them:

1) Heal (2017)

Explores America's health system (Image via Netflix)
Explores America's health system (Image via Netflix)

The documentary Heal explores how America's health care system is broken. Chronic stress, which is common in Americans, leads to compromised immune systems and makes us more vulnerable to disease.

Drs. David Simon and Eric Krasner say that we can improve our healthcare by understanding these connections before they manifest themselves mentally or physically.


2) The Mind Explained (2019)

Looks into different mental health issues (Image via Netflix)
Looks into different mental health issues (Image via Netflix)

Narrated by Emma Roberts, "The Mind Explained" takes us on a fascinating journey into the complexities of the human brain.

From memory formation to mental health issues, this is one of those health documentaries that explores various functions of the mind and offers insights into our understanding of ourselves.


3) The Game Changers (2018)

Health documentaries to watch - Dvelves deep into the meat industry (Image via /Netlfix )
Health documentaries to watch - Dvelves deep into the meat industry (Image via /Netlfix )

You may have heard that vegetarians can't build muscle, but that's not true. The Game Changers explores the meat industry and how eating meat is marketed as "manly" to men so that they can build muscle to become stronger.

Throughout history and even today, the documentary says that some professional fighters are fueled by plants, so its aim is to understand how plant energy makes them so powerful.

It also dives into certain health markers in vegetarians, like cholesterol, compared to meat eaters.


4) The End Game (2018)

Changes your perception about death (Image via Netlfix)
Changes your perception about death (Image via Netlfix)

The End Game aims to change our perception of death by exploring how we can find acceptance and peace in the face of mortality. This poignant documentary follows the journey of terminally ill patients guided by Zen Hospital in San Francisco.

The End Game is a 40-minute documentary that shows how a hospital in San Francisco helps terminally ill patients to prepare for death. The film also aims to change our perceptions of death from fear to acceptance and peace.


5) Rotten (2017)

Talks about different american food practices (Image via Netflix)
Talks about different american food practices (Image via Netflix)

Prepare to question your food choices with "Rotten." This documentary exposes the unsustainable practices within the American food and agriculture industry. It urges consumers to understand the origins of their food and make conscious consumption choices.


6) Period. End of Sentence (2018)

One of the best health documentaries busting different menstrual myths (Image via Netflix)
One of the best health documentaries busting different menstrual myths (Image via Netflix)

Breaking taboos and empowering women, "Period. End of Sentence." tells the inspiring story of a group of women in India who overcome stigmatization around menstruation.

This Academy Award-winning short documentary shows how even small actions can make a real difference.


7) Take Your Pills (2018)

Top 10 heath documentaries that will provoke your thought (Image via Netflix)
Top 10 heath documentaries that will provoke your thought (Image via Netflix)

Explore the controversial use of stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin in "Take Your Pills."

This thought-provoking documentary dives into the American stimulant industry, shedding light on the consequences and implications of using these medications.


8) A User's Guide to Cheating Death (2017)

Focuses on the wellness industry (Image via Netflix)
Focuses on the wellness industry (Image via Netflix)

Delve into the world of wellness products and fad diets with "A User's Guide to Cheating Death."

This six-part documentary series humorously exposes marketing tactics aimed at keeping us looking and feeling youthful while addressing ethical concerns within the wellness industry.


9) Heroin(e) (2017)

Best health documentaries to watch in 2024 (Image via Netflix)
Best health documentaries to watch in 2024 (Image via Netflix)

Bringing attention to the devastating opioid crisis, "Heroin(e)" follows the journeys of three remarkable women working on the front lines in West Virginia.

This Oscar-nominated documentary sparks important conversations about addiction and the search for solutions.


10) Forks Over Knives (2011)

Food as medicine (Image via Netlfix)
Food as medicine (Image via Netlfix)

Forks Over Knives examines the link between chronic disease and a plant-based diet. It follows experts as well as regular people who have transformed their health by eliminating animal products.

Interviewing big names in the plant-based field like T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, it uncovers how heart disease and type 2 diabetes, among other diseases, can be turned around by using food as medicine.

If you’ve been curious about veganism or just want to eat more plants, this health documentaries is a must.


Whether you're a health nut, a plant-based enthusiast or just interested in some new insights into the human body, there's something for everyone on this health documentaries list.

With so many intriguing topics to consider, you will want to set aside enough time for multiple viewings. So get your binge session started now before they're all taken off of Netflix.