Vegan Olympians Are Encouraging People to Ditch Dairy

Olympian Dotsie Bausch, with the help of fellow plant-based athletes, is encouraging people to ditch dairy for the #PlantMilkChallenge, as reported by Organic Authority.

The challenge lasts ten days and was created as a “fun, interactive, and informative” way to get people involved in greener living.

Ultra-endurance athlete Rich Roll hopes the campaign will inspire people to “think more deeply about their daily food choices”. He also spoke about his personal experience with ditching dairy: “I felt drastically better – my energy levels improved, my sleep intensified and even my mental acuity was enhanced”.

Another notable supporter is Rebecca Soni, who has won Olympic Gold and Silver Medals in women’s swimming. Soni ditched dairy after discovering that many ‘truths’ about dairy milk are “just marketing campaigns”.

For her, stopping dairy consumption cured her recurring stomach aches which she had struggled without throughout her competitive swimming career. Additionally, opting for plant-based milks helps Soni to “recover faster and feel better” in general.

Professional hockey player Sasha Kozorez “never looked back” after switching to a vegan diet. After transitioning, he noticed that his recovery time had “decreased tremendously”. He explained that his muscles improved in a range of ways, and so did his brain function. “It felt like I was seventeen again. The benefits of treating your body right with plants are undeniable!”.

When Dotsie Bausch won silver in cycling at the London Olympics, she was a fully-fledged vegan. She has stated that upon switching to veganism her recovery time sped up dramatically; “I was recovering in half the time of my teammates, who were all 10 years my junior!”. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzApkzY_UPs&t=1s

Bausch told Organic Authority that she hopes that each participant will be left with a “newfound appreciation and passion for plant-based products”, and ideally, will continue on with a vegan diet.

The challenge includes daily challenges, exclusive videos from the athletes involves, information on the dairy industry and free giveaways from various plant-based milk and cheese brands. You can learn more about (and join!) the challenge by clicking here.

The #PlantMilkChallenge states: “It’s never too late to live your values, and, sometimes turning over a new leaf means turning over a new life”.


Image Credit: Rich Roll | Dotsie Bausch