For centuries the masses have been infatuated by peeking into the lives of the rich and famous. We are all guilty of admiring what people do with their money when there are no limiting factors on an individual’s spending habits. Many celebrities and athletes seem to have access to the fountain of youth, while others wither away leaving the spotlight. What is the secret to keeping flawless skin, sparkling eyes, elite physical performance and astounding beauty?
Former heavy weight boxing champion, Mike Tyson was conditioned to eat a highly carnivorous diet during his career. For many athletes animal protein is believed to help increase muscle recovery and strength. After Tyson retired, his rigorous training dwindled and his food choices seemed to turn on him; he started to gain weight, his joints became arthritic, he suffered from high blood pressure and his appetite for street drugs increased.
Overall Tyson felt as if death was knocking on his door; he wanted to change. Then he discovered a piece of knowledge that helped him make a shift. “I found out the greatest gladiators, the greatest ones in Roman times, they were all vegan,” mentioned Tyson in an Ecorazzi article. This revelation inspired Tyson to adopt a vegan diet in early 2010, and soon after transitioning to a plant-based diet, all his previous health ailments and drug addictions vanished.
In an interview with the Oprah Winfrey Network, Tyson revealed, “I lost weight, I dropped over a hundred pounds. I just felt like changing my life, doing something different. And so I became a vegan. Becoming a vegan, it gave me another opportunity to live a healthy life. I was just hard wheel, so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine, and I couldn’t hardly breathe, high blood pressure, almost dying, and arthritis. Once I became a vegan, all that stuff, it diminished.”
Hollywood icon Michelle Pfeiffer has been on the big screen since her breakthrough role in the film “Scarface” in 1983. To stay in the spotlight Pfeiffer has to maintain a slim figure and glamourous appeal, yet as years pass by it becomes harder to defy the aging process. In 2012, Pfeiffer saw the CNN documentary “The Last Heart Attack,” in which former U.S. President Bill Clinton spoke about reversing his heart disease and losing over 30 pounds of excess body fat.
Later Pfeiffer discovered the book “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease” by Dr. Esselstyn which illustrates that a plant-based, oil-free diet cannot only prevent the progression of heart disease but can also reverse its effects. These two discoveries propelled Pfeiffer to switch over to a vegan lifestyle. “I just felt like there was science behind it,” she said during an interview on the CNN show Piers Morgan Tonight; “It was sort of irrefutable, I couldn’t not listen to it.” Pfeiffer further explained, “So I cut out meats and dairy. After two months, my cholesterol shot down 83 points. That’s enough proof to me that it works.”
American professional tennis player Venus Williams is a former World No. 1 ranked athlete and holds multiple Olympic gold medals. In 2011 she was forced to reveal to the public that she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease which forced her to withdraw from competing temporarily. Williams turned to a raw vegan diet with high amounts of fresh vegetable juice to help alleviate her symptoms. She claims that changing her dietary habits contributed to managing her fatigue and joint aches caused by the illness. Williams was also pleasantly surprised that her athletic performance and endurance improved, explaining on her website that, “A vegan diet is designed to decrease inflammation in her body and reduce the energy-sapping symptoms of the disease.” Williams’ sister, Serena, a professional tennis player at the same top level, followed in her sister’s footsteps by going on a raw planted-based diet to help support Venus to get back on the court. But now both Venus and Serena are reaping the benefits that a vegan lifestyle has to offer.
There is plethora of A-list names turning to a plant-based lifestyle in order keep their vibrant appearance as well as to help build their strength, endurance and recovery time! The rich and famous can purchase whatever money can buy, yet nothing is more valuable than one’s health. There is no greater wealth than to treat your body like a temple rather than an outhouse. It’s very simple: eat more fruits and veggies but also cut out processed foods and fat. Make the connection and invest in yourself. Who knows, maybe one day you will hit the big screen, too!
BY SARAH WOODWARD, ovarian cancer survivor, mother, low-budget filmmaker and someone who has discovered the benefits of a vegan diet. www.tonethatfat.com.
Powered by Compete partner, MyOatmeal.com.
[adrotate banner=”61″]
[adrotate banner=”53″]
