Let me introduce you to two people:
Thomas Jefferson: founding father of our country and this great university here in Charlottesville. A real Virginia guy with a side job in 18th-century politics.
Kyrie Irving: 6’3’’ point guard currently playing for the Boston Celtics, having previously played for Cleveland. Born in Melbourne, this 25-year-old basketball star has 3 Olympic gold medals, 1 NBA championship, and 5 All-Star titles, including an MVP under his belt.
How could these two people have anything in common: an 18th-century politician and a powerhouse 21st century NBA player?
Both of these men are proponents of a plant-based diet, without the characteristic voodoo stereotype.
This can’t be true. 18th-century statesmen and professional athletes only eat steak and eggs. Well, you're wrong.
In 1819, Jefferson wrote a letter to his doctor, explaining his various daily habits and their level of healthfulness: “I have lived temperately, eating little animal food, and that not as an ailment, so much as a condiment for the vegetables which constitute my principal diet.”
Though he wasn’t officially a vegetarian according to today’s standards, Jefferson’s plant-focused diet was quite progressive for his day. He ate meals that consisted of more plants than meats and other animal products during a time when animal products were quite a robust and frequent part of the average diet.
Irving has recently chosen to follow a similar diet, giving a new perspective on the perks of eating mostly plants. In an interview with ESPN, about changing his diet, former (Cleveland) Cavalier Irving said, “Well, this season, [I am following] more of a plant-based diet…So my energy is up, my body feels amazing.”
Like Irving, many professional athletes in recent year have switched over to a plant-based diet due to increased knowledge on the environmental and health benefits such as decreased waste of environmental resources, personal weight loss, and improved heart health. Many proponents of a plant-based diet report similar feelings of higher energy, as Irving did, after making the switch.
Hopefully, this prompts you to consider switching to a plant-focused diet. I'm not telling you to cut out all animal products and meat cold turkey, but think about filling your plate with mostly vegetables heading forward. This for sure does not mean eating lettuce for every meal.
There are so many creative and easy recipes available today. Forks over Knives, an organization promoting plant-based diets, has published various vegan cookbooks. They also produced a film, focusing on the benefits of a plant-based diet with a focus on the fact that the average American eats twice as much protein, especially animal protein than they need. This discovery enforces the fact that humans can attain the proper amount of protein through only eating plant based foods.
If you only take away one thing from this article, surprise your friends with the fun fact that TJ and Kyrie Irving actually have something in common, even it you forget what it is.
