8/1 Food Fit For An Olympian
Happy Olympics! I love the Olympics like I love eating vegan ice cream and going on vacation. In order to watch them we had to buy a converter box for our old television because we have not had tv for years.
It has been worth bringing the equivalent of a broadcast tower into our living room in order to watch the greatest two weeks of television ever. I love the stories, the images, the joy and the heartbreak. Every time I watch, it makes me feel grateful to have a healthy body to enjoy my own exercise and play, powered by eating vegan.
It is a common misconception that in order to be athletic, world class or arm chair variety, you must feed your muscles animal proteins like eggs, milk and meat of all kinds. There are drinks, shakes, bars and powders made from animal proteins and whey. The traditional school of thought has always been that you must consume animal protein….lots and lots of animal protein to build muscle, endurance and strength. The truth is, most of us consume significantly more protein than we need every single day.
According to a passage from The Engine 2 Diet, this nutritional comment is from the World Health Organization, ” The average 150 pound male requires 22.5 grams of protein daily based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet, which means about 4% of calories come from protein.” It goes on to say, “Most Americans however are taking in 20 percent or more.” As an example, one 4oz serving of chicken has approximately 25 grams of protein, slightly over the daily needs of a 150 pound male. So what happens with all of the excess animal protein from the foods and beverages we consume?
Here is some basic info from the Mayo Clinic. I thought it was important enough to share in its entirety because we can prevent disease through the meals we choose and that is pretty fantastic.
Excess Protein
According to the Mayo Clinic, consuming a short-term, high-protein diet is not harmful under normal circumstances. The risks associated with consuming high protein increase when combined with low carbohydrate intake, or when followed long-term. High-protein diets that restrict other nutrients can lead to deficiencies. Restricting carbs can lead to a lack of fiber, which can cause constipation. Even without restricting other nutrients, excess protein can have negative health effects.
Kidney Impact
The kidneys, located just below the ribs, are two bean-shaped organs that serve as your body’s filtration system. The kidneys filter waste from about 200 quarts of recirculating blood per day. A high-protein diet places stress on your kidneys due to increased uric acid and nitrogen, which must be filtered from the blood. Uric acid is a substance created by the breakdown of purines, normally filtered by your kidneys and excreted in urine.
Increased Homocysteine
According to a controlled crossover trial published in the September 2005 issue of “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” a high-protein diet increases homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is a normally harmless amino acid, but according to FamilyDoctor.org, high homocysteine levels can damage the lining of arteries and cause blood to clot more easily. The risk of developing cardiovascular disease increases with high homocysteine levels.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is the loss of bone density, resulting in thin, brittle bones that can break easily. According to a review published in the July 2001 issue of the “American Journal of Cardiology,” one of the complications of a high-protein diet is metabolic acidosis, a condition in which body fluids contain too much acid. Metabolic acidosis promotes calcium removal from bones, which can lead to the development of osteoporosis.
To read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/429604-what-are-dangers-of-over-consuming-protein/#ixzz22FKCPMId
Plants easily provide all of the essential amino acids we require to build healthy, strong bodies. We used to believe that in order to create “complete” proteins, we needed to creatively pair certain foods together in every meal making vegetarianism challenging, time consuming and less fun than it can be. However, we now know that that is not the case. Our brilliant bodies sort it all out for us. All we need to do is eat a colorful, varied diet throughout the day and our bodies will make the correct pairings for complete proteins for us. Pretty amazing. Eat well, be strong and never worry about creating disease by consuming animal proteins. That sounds like a training plan I can work with.
Here is a list of inspiring plant powered Olympians in history, compliments of HighPerformanceHerbivore.com. Thank you for the great list.
* Carl Lewis, Olympic Sprinter, Winner of 9 Gold Medals
* Dave Scott, 5 time Ironman World Champion
* Martina Navratilova, Former World #1 Womens Tennis Player
* Catherine Johnson, Elite Cyclist
* James Southwood, Savate Martial Artist
* Katie Coryell, Pro Surfer
* Kenneth Williams, Pro Bodybuilder
* Maria Vlasak, Elite Duathlete
* Molly Cameron, Pro Cyclist
* Scott Jurek, Ultramarathoner and 7 Time Winner of Western States 100 Miler
* Tim VanOrden, Mountain Runner
* Adam Myerson, Pro Cyclist
* Robert Cheeke, Bodybuilder
* Brendan Brazier, Pro Triathlete and winner of the Canadian 50K Ultramarathon Championships
* Jason Sager, Pro Mountain Biker
* Keith Holmes, Former World Champion Middleweight Boxer
* Sally Eastall, UK #2 Marathon Runner
* Lucy Stephens, Triathlete
* Pam Boteler, Canoeist
* Tonya Kay, Pro Dancer
* Christine Vardaros, Pro Cyclist
* Mac Danzig, Mixed Martial Arts Fighter
* Schulyer Love, Boxer
* Tim VanOrden, Mountain Runner
* Paul Chetirkin, Adventure Racer
* Ruth Heidrich, Six Time Ironman Finisher and Holder of the World Age-group (60-64) Fitness Record at the Cooper Clinic
Have a delicious day, filled with your own Olympic moments of pride, joy and play.
Image courtesy of Ecorazzi.com
Tags: compassionate eating, Engine 2 Diet, Mayo Clinic, myth of animal protein, plant based diet, plant strong, vegan experience, vegan wannabe
