Thrive: A guide to optimal health and performance through plant-based whole foods, second edition (112 pages, Oceanside Publishing) is a concise and practical guide to reducing nutritional stress by incorporation more plant-based whole foods. The reduction of nutritional stress provides the body a platform for improved overall health which includes; a reduction in biological age, improved athletic performance, better sleep quality and reduced sugar cravings. Thrive also provides the athlete a sound strategy for transitioning to a high performance plant-based diet. It includes a sample meal plan and 15 unique, nutritionally balanced, delicious whole food recipes, all gluten free.
Dr. Zoltan Rona, medical editor of the Encyclopaedia of Natural Healing and author of the foreword of Thrive, highly recommends the book, and writes in the foreword, "I think that after reading this book, you will no doubt be convinced that a plant-based whole foods diet is the true future of optimal health."
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Practical Reasons for Raw Food Life! Comment: Brendan tells his story & is very inspirational. He offers ideas and recipes. A good book to give to any one into sports. If Tiger Woods read this he'd win even more! Customer Rating: Summary: Skip this book, go right to the Thrive Diet Comment: If you want to be a super athlete and stay healthy, or you want endless stamina, ever-increasing strength, and a healthy body, or you are vegan and want to lift weights or other intense workouts, then Brendan Brazier has designed a diet plan for you! If you are already vegan, have food sensitivities, and love whole foods but just haven't been able to put it together so everything works, then this diet plan is for you.
If any of these descriptions fits, then skip this book and go directly to Brendan's Thrive Diet. It incorporates most of the material here and adds recipes. The Thrive Diet
If you're not sure, go ahead and get this book to check it out first. Brendan is amazing! Customer Rating: Summary: Informative book Comment: I've been a struggling lacto-ovo vegetarian for 16 years. Busy career/life made me take the easy route...whatever you can lay your hands on to eat that was meat free. PU! This book helped me in my search for a better way to eat, especially on the run. Customer Rating: Summary: appreciate life Comment: A truly inspiring read that won't end up on the bookshelf but remains handy every day!
I completely restructured my pantry and more so my thinking about what I put where my mouth is.
Supplements are just that, the true benefit comes from whole fruits and vegetables. I've been a lacto-ovo vegan for about 18 months and still going strong. My biggest challenge was the proper intake of protein. After reading Brendan's book I'm closer to an inner and outer nutritional balance than ever.
Astrid Kratzat, RN, 42, avid runner, Las Vegas, NV Customer Rating: Summary: Unique!! Comment: First, let me comment on all the criticism that the author is selling his own product (Vega)... how can you complain when he gives you the recipe to make it?? The recipe "Nutrient-rich shake" is on page 87. You don't have to buy his product, you can make it yourself. Personally I did this for a while and found it too time-consuming (just as the author says). I ended up ordering his product, but have no regrets. I really like Vega and will continue to purchase it - it's expensive, but you can tell when you use it what high quality it is.
Now about the book... For such a short book, it's PACKED with information! This book deserves a lot of credit for providing such a complete picture of stress - what it is, where it comes from, how it affects your body, and how to deal with it. Stress is stress, regardless of the source. Although this book is mainly concerned with stress from physical exertion, the information will help with whatever kind of stress you have.
The recipe section in this book, though short, is excellent. Several of these recipes have become regulars in my diet and are committed to memory. One unique thing about the recipes is they show which nutrients each ingredient is adding. For example, a banana adds electrolytes, a half tbsp hemp oil adds Essential Fatty Acids, pumpkin seeds add iron and zinc, and so on. I really enjoy this feature; it helps me better understand the nutrition (rather than just following a recipe). It's probably my favorite part of the book, next to the information on stress.
I've read at least a dozen different raw food health books and they all have their merits, but I have to say that this book is unique. I am so glad to have it in my collection. I'm giving copies to some of my health-conscious friends for Christmas this year.
