formed. But consider this, why would full-grown adults need six times more protein than a growing
baby? The World Health Organization recommends only 10%. (Again, read The China Study and you
will further learn how to steer clear of industrialized nutrition recommendations that have nothing
to do with your health!)
Proteins (or more accurately, amino acids) are the building blocks of living cells. Once we have done
our growing, we have very little requirement for the raw materials of which we are made. Think of
the analogy of building a brick house—you need truckloads of bricks during the construction stage,
but once the house is built, if trucks continue to deliver bricks, you’ll have a problem on your hands.
Once built, you need minor repairs, using minimal material, not massive on going building.
The same is true of protein in the human diet. Too much creates emergency conditions and keeps
the body in a constant state of overwhelm, with excess calories from animal protein which
promotes rapid growth, faster aging and chronic disease.
But, as an athlete, is this more minimal protein intake enough? Bodybuilders have long consumed
extra protein and lowered carbohydrate intake in the mistaken belief that dietary protein builds
muscle. In reality, only weight-bearing exercise builds muscle, and a modest amount of protein will
assist in the repair of muscle “broken down” by exercise.
There are countless vegan super athletes and bodybuilders whose stories will inspire you. Most feel
that their plant-based diets help them win and excel. They’re not just tolerable—they’re preferable.
For example, ultra marathoner Scott Jurek’s book Eat and Run details his journey to vegan ultra-
marathon runner and world class athlete, from an unathletic childhood spent hunting and
consuming meat.
Rich Roll, who is a 100% plant-based and author of Finding Ultra- Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming
One of the Worlds Fittest Men and Discovering Myself is another great example, along with one of the
most well-known, vegan Ironman triathletes, Brendan Brazier, author of Thrive. Jon Hinds, whom
you learned about at the start of this book, founder of the Monkey Bar Gym, the first plant-based
gym chain in the US and probably the world, and other like Kettle Bell champion, Mike Mahler are
additional examples. I could go on and on.
By the way, my mentor Joel Fuhrman, M.D, is also a world champion figure skater, another elite
athlete. None ever worries about getting enough protein and neither do I, a former bodybuilder
who used to eat eggs by the dozen and chicken at almost every meal; I maintain a very muscular
frame on 100 plant protein derived from whole foods, largely green plants, beans, fruits, raw nuts
and seeds, and whole grains, – the most basic way to eat nutrient rich that you are learning about
herein. I work out, and weight train regularly, including bike riding near 50-75 miles at a clip.
Besides, a plant-based diet is not “low” in protein to begin with; it is rich in protein that is highly
beneficial in that it takes a little longer to assimilate and therefore promotes slower growth and