For long it has been believed that non-vegetarian food is a necessity for athletes to enhance their performance to the highest possible limit. However, I recently came across a book which presents strong arguments to the contrary. The book in question is ‘Capoeira Conditioning’ by Gerard Taylor. What is Capoeira? Wikipedia describes Capoeira as a Brazilian fight-dance, game, and martial art created by enslaved Africans during the 19th Century. It is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, subterfuge, and extensive use of groundwork, as well as sweeps, kicks, and headbutts. A video demonstration of Capoeira can be easily found on the Internet . Watching it will confirm that it is on par with other martial arts and requires a high degree of strength, power, agility, balance, flexibility, stamina and coordination. The author of the book graduated from the London school of Capoeira and co-founded the Oslo Capoeira Klubb. Since 1996 Taylor has taught thousands of students of all ages and many nationalities. The author writes the following about vegetarian diet for physical performance. Incidentally, on the subject of food for physical performance, there is ample evidence that reducing or even eliminating meat from the diet altogether can have overall benefits for health and recovery after exercise. Fish is easier to digest and lower in saturated fat than red meat. Oily fish like salmon or trout give a good supply of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital for maintaining a healthy central nervous system. Vegetarian sources of omega-3 can be gained from flax seeds and walnuts.The list of world class athletes who are vegetarian or vegan is long and distinguished. Both endurance and power athletes are represented. At his athletic peak, multi-gold-medal-winning Olympic sprinter and long jumper Carl Lewis was a vegan (meaning he ate no meat, fish, cheese, milk, butter, or eggs). He remains a vegan today. Hawaiian Dr. Ruth Heidrich, at 70 years of age, is still a superfit competitor and age-group record holder at the finish line of the grueling Ironman Triathlon. She is also a vegan. Triathlon legend and six-time Ironman Triathlon winner Dave Scott is a vegan. Tennis legend Martina Novratilova was and is a vegan. World Trampoline champion and
U.S. national champion gymnast Dan Millman is a vegan. Power athletes and world class body builders Bill Pearl and Albert Beckles are both vegetarian. Incredibly, Beckles who was born in 1930, continued to win top-class professional championships into the 1990s on a vegetarian diet. If that isn’t longevity in sports then nothing is. In the fighting arts. Ridgely Abele, winner of eight U.S. national championships in karate, is a vegetarian. Although it is perfectly possible to eat a healthy diet containing a moderate quantity of meat, it is also a fact that many wellcontrolled scientific studies done on vegetarian groups such as Seventh Day Adventists have consistently demonstrated a reduced risk of obesity, heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), stroke, arthritis and certain types of cancer among vegans and vegetarians. If you do decide to go vegetarian, make sure you eat a balanced, varied diet with plenty of green, leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, grains, and protein products like soy milk or tofu. As long as you don’t overdo it on the dairy products, a vegetarian diet ensures an immediate drop in dietary saturated fat, which is a gift to your heart. Raw fruit and vegetable juice is a healthy option too and you can always dump a couple of spoonfuls of soy powder, tofu, tahini, or nut butter in there if you want to fortify them with protein. To retain all the fiber in juice smoothies, peel and core fruits like apples and pears and use the whole fruit in the blender, added to frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, strawberries, avocados, vegetable juices, barley malt, or soy milk. The list of goodies is endless and will give you an incredible energy boost if drunk a half hour or so before capoeira conditioning training. If you train hard regularly you might also try a daily multi vitamin and mineral tablet and an iron and B-vitamin supplement. This is also true for non-vegetarians who are involved in regular active physical training. The bottom line is that the combination of regular exercise and a healthy diet is the best health insurance you can get. The author has mentioned only functional reasons above to recommend vegetarianism for physical athletes and performers. The ethical argument of respecting life should not be forgotten and for some it outweighs all other arguments.
Shreyo Onneysha Research Desk (The only research center on Srisrithakur Anukul Chandra in Bangladesh)
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