Lately veganism is in the news, but not just in health-related ways on PBS or MSNBC. It’s on ESPN. And it’s being mocked and ridiculed by people either too ignorant to do the research or too lazy to spew anything other than deep-rooted, biased opinions.
This isn’t a hateful blog, it’s a running blog. It’s a sometimes biking and swimming blog, and more lately, a vegan athlete blog. It’s for the things I’m interested in and passionate about, and right now I’m a little fired up about how vegan athletes are treated.
The vegan stigma is that we’re ashen, frail, wasting-away-before-your-very-eyes human beings. But this could not be further from the truth in every situation I’ve encountered when meeting other vegans. Granted, that doesn’t happen very often here in Indiana, but I digress.
Therefore, when the main-stream world stumbles across a vegan athlete, they are perplexed. It goes against everything they’ve been brainwashed to believe: That only protein from meat will sustain. That essential amino acids can only be found in meat. That animal-free DHA and EPA for our brain functions don’t exist. That the calcium from dairy strengthens our bones.
All of those previous statements are lies. And the information on these topics exist in countless forms! Books, scientific research studies, medical journals, documentaries of all kinds, just to name a few. Not even to mention thousands upon thousands of real-life vegan athletes who can attest to feeling stronger, healthier, faster and more positive energy than ever before.
Here’s a quick list of the books and movies I’ve read and watched in the past year (if I can remember them all):
The China Study (book)
Forks Over Knives (movie)
Food, Inc. (movie)
Skinny Bitch (book)
Whitewash: The Disturbing Truth About Cow’s Milk and Your Health (book)
Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life (book)
Food Matters (movie)
Eat & Run (book)
Pick up and read or watch any one of these and it will supply you with a wealth of information about the Standard American Diet versus a vegan one, and who generally ends up on top.
What I find the most sad though, is how vegan athletes are not allowed to fail in their chosen profession. If we fail, it’s because of our diet. If an omnivore athlete fails, it’s because of a myriad of other factors, least of all nutrition.
Most recently in the news is Arian Foster, a professional running back in the NFL who is now vegan. If Mr. Foster doesn’t catch the ball, can’t outrun his opponent, or misses a crucial tackle in a play, it’s his diet that will be to blame. His diet has supposedly affected his performance, has practically drained him of his talent. When a professional athlete goes vegan, and decides to tell the world about it, they are setting themselves up for all kinds of scrutiny. I applaud him for his desire to speak out. He could have kept it to himself. He could have quietly gone about his “food life” without subjecting himself to the scathing comments from his peers and critics. Instead he is choosing to share his personal beliefs about nutrition and health with the world, most likely in hopes of improving the lives of others.
For the commentators on ESPN who decided to viciously opine rather than conduct an iota of research, I hope for their sakes their email accounts are being flooded with tons of scientific research from other passionate vegans, athletes, and doctors. Lord knows they could afford to do some light reading.
asolorunner 
This sort of negative publicity gets me really annoyed too – you are right, if a ‘normal’ athlete fails, no-one would question their diet, but if a vegan fails then that is top of the list. However, in the last year I have noticed the tone of publicity changing from disbelief and derision to curiousity, I hope that the word is spreading that a plant based diet is a great start to a healthy energised way of living. Thanks for your article on this topic