DIET | DETECTIVE^®

Brendan Brazier is a professional Ironman triathlete, the 2003 and 2006 Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion, a bestselling author on performance nutrition and the creator of an award-winning meal replacement and energy bar formula called VEGA.

Brendan’s professional athletic career began in 1998. Over the course of only a few years, his performance quickly climbed, improving each year in Ironman triathlon racing. At Ironman Canada, in 1999 he finished 21^st, the following year he placed 14^th, then 11^th, followed up by an 8^th place finish in 2002 in Ironman Utah. In 2003 and 2006 Brendan won the National 50km Ultra Marathon Championships. Other results include 3^rd place at the National Long-Course Triathlon Championships and both 3^rd and 2^nd in consecutive years in the Royal Victoria Marathon.

Towards the end of 2003 Brendan was hit by a car while cycling; as a result, he could not race in 2004. He took advantage of the extra time on his hands and wrote a book that outlined the successful diet that had helped him improve his athletic performance at an above-average rate. THRIVE: A guide to optimal health and performance through plant-based whole foods became a Canadian bestseller within five months. Brendan then partnered with a sport nutrition company and produced a commercial replica of his blended drink formula that he had been making for himself for 15 years, one of the reasons for his quick improvements. He called it VEGA. VEGA launched in Canada in late 2004 and became one of the bestselling health food products on the Canadian market. It received the prestigious Nutrition Business Journal merit award. Presented for the first time ever to a product not yet on the US market, VEGA became known in the United States. In 2005 Brendan then launched his 100% raw whole food energy bar, again a commercial replica of what he made to support his intense training. Now in over 1200 Canadian health food stores, VEGA launched in the US in March of 2006, winning the "best in show" award from VegNews Magazine

In January 2006 Brendan was nominated for a Manning Innovation Award, one of Canada’s most prestigious awards.

Name: Brendan Brazier

Birthday: (March 1^st, 1975)

Location: Los Angeles

Website: www.brendanbrazier.com, www.thrivediet.com

Diet Detective: Hello Brendan, we’re so excited that you agreed to share your thoughts with our readers. The first question is what was it that triggered your desire to become a health living advocate?

Brendan: The rapid decline of health and wellness of North Americans. Cardiovascular disease is the number-one cause of death in North America. Of which, over 95% of instances are totally preventable by implementing small amounts of regular exercise and most importantly, by eating a diet that’s healthier. It’s that simple. According to the American Heart and Stroke Foundation, 910, 000 Americans die each year from cardiovascular disease. That’s the equivalent number of deaths as having a 9-11 every 28 hours. Yet we allow our own citizens to be harmed by ignorance and misinformation that is produced by our own corporations in the name of short-term profitability. Obviously this amount of sickness increases the strain we place on our over-worked health care system which of course is taxpayer funded. 

Diet Detective: Can you share with us your eating philosophy? What is the Thrive Diet about?

Brendan: Reducing stress through better nutrition. Stress is the root cause of just about all ailments, from minor irritants to major diseases.

Sleep deprivation, fatigue, mental fog, irritability, weight gain, sugar, starch, and caffeine cravings are commonly the first signs of stress. They’re the red flags we must recognize; indicating that stress levels are higher than what’s healthy. These symptoms of stress play an important role. They alert us that something is out of balance and will worsen if not fixed. Unfortunately, the common approach is to treat each individual symptom while ignoring the cause. Coffee and sugary foods to ward of fatigue, sleeping pills to help us sleep, and restrictive diets to help us lose weight; they are all a symptom-treating approach that is not healthy or sustainable. If we continue to ignore the root cause by treating each individual symptom, we mask the problem. Over time, if allowed to become chronic, these problems can become serious diseases. The Thrive Diet is about recognizing the first symptoms of stress and addressing what is causing them through better diet, so we never actually develop a major problem.

The Thrive Diet is more of a lifestyle than simply a diet. While technically what we eat is our diet, many people associate the word “diet” with a restrictive way of eating. It doesn’t have to be. The Thrive Diet is one of inclusion, not exclusion. By simply adding more of the foods suggested, eventually there will be no room left for the less-healthy ones. Additionally, the body will begin to develop a taste for simple, more natural foods and over time will no longer desire processed foods. Many foods will begin to taste over-flavoured. This is the best situation to be in, when the best food for you develops into the ones you desire. From that point, everything is easy. This does take time, however; it won’t be an overnight occurrence. But that’s fine. Your current diet will determine your starting point and how long it will take to develop a taste and appreciation of simple, whole, clean, natural foods. If, for example, you eat a standard North American diet, it may take your body six months to transition to the new way of eating. That’s okay. Considering what you are gaining, taking the time to transition is a positive investment. The payback is higher-quality living.

Healthy people are closer to their ideal weight. Therefore the best long-term solution for a lean body is to ensure health is priority one. Those who treat excess body fat with a restrictive or fad diet are simply treating a symptom. Being overweight is merely a sign that something’s out of balance and therefore optimal health has not been achieved.

Question: What inspired you to write The Thrive Diet?

Brendan:  The Thrive Diet grew out of necessity. At the age of 15, I decided that I wanted to become a professional athlete. My goal was to ultimately be a professional Ironman triathlete. As you can imagine, I needed to dedicate a huge amount of time and effort to training for this event. I turned to other professionals in the field to see how they trained. I learned that there are two prime components that make up an athlete’s routine: training and recovery. Often referred to as stress and rest, both elements are of equal importance, yet usually only one gets attention: the training. Recovery occurs when the body is at rest—removing stress during times of rest will speed the rate of recovery, and so I realized that it’s the recovery that needed to be my prime focus, not the training. This led me to look at the importance of diet. The research I found went into The Thrive Diet.

Diet Detective: What are these and why are they important:

-          Chlorella

-          Green tea seed oil

-          Maca

-          Rooibos

-          Salba

-          Yerba Mate

Brendan: These are what I refer to as “Next Level” foods in The Thrive Diet. They aren’t necessary to get top results, yet they are exceptionally healthy and can speed the rate at which significant results are obtained.

Chlorella is a fresh water algae from Japan that is almost 70% protein, yet extremely alkaline forming and therefore good for reducing inflammation and maintaining bone health. It’s also B-vitamin rich.

Green tea seed oil is the oil that is pressed from the seed of a green tea plant. It’s exceptionally high in antioxidants, yet contains no caffeine.

Maca is a Peruvian root vegetable that is grown high in the Andes in volcanic soil, therefore is high in trace minerals and exceptionally good at helping to rebuild the adrenal glands. Adrenal fatigue is one of the greatest threats to North American’s health due to an overabundance of stress.

Rooibos is a plant native to Africa that is commonly used to make a tea-like drink by steeping the leaves. It’s high in antioxidants.

Salba is a seed that is nutrient-packed. It’s high in electrolytes and omega-3 fatty acids. It also is comprised of about 20% protein.

Yerba Mate is commonly used to make a tea-like drink by steeping the leaves. It’s high in antioxidants, trace minerals and phytonutrients.

Diet Detective: Can you explain what you mean by “eliminating biological debt?”

Brendan: Biological debt is the term I give to the fatigue that follows stimulation. So, for example: when someone drinks coffee the adrenal glands are stimulated as a result of the caffeine. Similar to getting a fright, the body gains a rush of energy. Yet the result is always greater fatigue once the effect has worn off. This is a problem. Each time the adrenals are stimulated by stress (lifestyle related such as job dissatisfaction or self inflicted such as drinking caffeinated beverages and the regular consumption of refined food) they become greater fatigued, eventually leading to burnout and chronically elevated cortisol levels.  This inhibits the ability to get into deep sleep. Additionally, gaining muscle tissue and then loosing body will become increasingly hard.

Diet Detective: How does the pH balance of food effect our bodies?

Brendan: When acid forming foods are consumed the body must draw highly alkaline calcium from the bones to buffer the blood. Blood will remain at the pH of 7.35 regardless of diet, yet for survival sake it relies upon the body’s greatest calcium store, the bones. Drawing calcium from bones to offset acid-forming food is the result. Of course over time, bone density will become reduced and osteoporosis is likely to occur. In fact, North Americans are getting osteoporosis at an earlier age than ever before, not because we don’t have enough calcium in our diet, but rather because we are leaching it out with acid forming foods. In The Thrive Diet I include a chart that shows what foods are acid-forming and which are alkaline-forming. But it’s very simple. The more that has been done to food, the more acid forming it will be. The best foods for reducing acidity (raising pH) are leafy green ones. Anything that is rich in chlorophyll will be exceptionally alkaline forming since chlorophyll is the most alkaline forming substance. It’s the pigment that makes leaves green. For example, the pH of Vega Whole Food Meal Replacement is 7.2 due to the high levels of chlorophyll from the hemp and chlorella, so it’s good for maintaining bone health and reducing inflammation while helping got boost protein intake. Even the berry flavor is green.

Diet Detective: How did you start competing in Triathlons?

Brendan: I ran high school tack. I got injured so began cycling to stay fit while my injury healed. I enjoyed it, so I entered a duathlon which is running and cycling. I made the Canadian national team a short time later and realized that Ironman triathlon is ultimately what I wanted to compete in. So I began swimming. I did my first triathlon the following year, and then started my professional Ironman triathlon career in 1998. I did that for six years.

Diet Detective: What are some specific ways we can fuel our bodies for better exercise performance?

Brendan: make the whole food energy bars in my book. (recipe below). I used to spend 90min once every four month to make a big batch, individually wrap then and keep them in the freezer. That way I would always have a healthy, balanced snack on hand and it would only took four and a half hours of my time a year. In 2005 I launched them as Vega Whole Food Energy Bars that can be bought in most health food stores in Canada and now many in the US as well.

Diet Detective: I’m not a big believer in supplements, and I noticed that you have formulated your very own whole food meal replacement and energy bar called Vega? Can you explain why it’s different?

Brendan: Vega Whole Food Meal Replacement is a powder made from whole foods that can be mixed with water, juice, rice milk or coconut water. It’s extremely nutrient dense and therefore, along with eating a good diet, supplementation is not necessary. I used to take numerous tablets-form supplements, but I wanted to get away from that. Making a nutrient-packed blender drink is something that I’ve done since I was 15 years old. I wanted to speed my recovery rate so that I could train more. Making this blender drink, then allowing it to evolve over the years as I learned more and experimented with different combinations, the formula worked exceptionally well. I partnered with Sequel Naturals and brought out Vega in 2004 in Canada, where it has become very popular and is in every heath food store. It’s now in most US ones as well, plus launched in the UK and Taiwan last year.

Diet Detective: How do you get someone motivated to stick to a fitness program?

Brendan: they must enjoy it. I’m not a proponent of people forcing themselves to stick to a regiment that they don’t enjoy. As I talk about extensively in The Thrive Diet, an over abundance of stress has a profoundly negative affect on long-term health. If people don’t enjoy their exercise time, then it will be perceived as another form of stress and therefore will reduce its benefits. Often people will tell others to do yoga since it’s good for stress relief. While this may be true for some, those who don’t enjoy yoga will benefit significantly less. I like running, so for me a run has a greater positive effect than those who force themselves to do it. So, find an activity that you enjoy based on your personality type. Team sports such as soccer or ideal for some, others prefer solo head to head competition such as tennis, while others will enjoy the solitude of solo running or cycling, or the group dynamic of doing it with others.

Diet Detective: You have several recipes in your book, can you share one or two with us?

Brendan: sure. All the recipes are plant-based and wheat, gluten, soy, and corn free. It’s ideal for people who have sensitivities to those foods, as many do.

Creamy Pepper Soup

A refreshing, nutrient-packed soup, this one is best served cold on a warm day.

1 avocado, pit and skin removed

1 red or yellow bell pepper

2 cups water or hemp milk

¼ cup chopped cilantro

½ tsp dulse flakes

Pinch of oregano

In a food processor, process all ingredients together.

Makes 2 servings.

Apple Cinnamon Energy Bars

In a food processor, process all ingredients until desired texture is reached. If you prefer a uniformly smooth bar, process longer. If you would rather a bar with more crunch and texture, blend for less time. Generally, if I’m making them specifically to be eaten during physical activity, such as long training rides, I’ll blend the mixture until it is smooth, as this will reduce the amount of chewing required.

Remove mixture from processor and put on a clean surface. There are two ways to shape the bars: You could roll it into several balls, or shaped into bars.

These bars have a more traditional flavor than the others, yet the same health benefits as a nutrient-dense raw bar.

1 small apple, cored

1 cup fresh or soaked dried dates

1/2 cup soaked or cooked quinoa

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/4 cup hemp flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Sea salt to taste

Makes approximately 12 x 50-gram bars.

·Be aware that since this is made from whole foods, moister levels can vary from crop to crop. If the mixture is too moist to form into a brink, add a bit more of one of the dry ingredients. If too moist, add a bit a water until mixture will form into a somewhat solid brick.

Diet Detective: In all your years of training what do you consider the best non-weight related exercise (e.g. lunge). Can you also explain how to do the exercise?

Brendan: Chin ups. Good upper body strength builder. Find a bar at a park playground and pull yourself up as many times as you can.

Diet Detective: If you could only do only one strength training exercise (using weights) what would it be?

Brendan: Squats. They’re an overall strength builder. 

Diet Detective: What’s your favorite “junk food?”  If you even eat any?

Brendan: don’t have any. 

Diet Detective: What’s your favorite healthy breakfast?

Brendan: Chocolate Almond Vega smoothie with coconut water 

1/2 serving Chocolate Vega
2 cups of coconut of cold coconut water
1 banana
½ pear (1 cup of blue berries)
¼ cup almonds (soak raw almonds overnight)

Blend.

Diet Detective: What do you consider the world’s most perfect food? [Please be specific and try not to answer with a category but rather with a specific food item: for example, not “whole grain” but “raisin bran cereal”?]

Brendan: Hard to say. I like a lot of simple foods. Kale, grapefruit, avocado, hemp seeds…and of course all kinds of nutritious smoothies. 

Diet Detective: Who do you respect most, or who motivates you?

Brendan: I’ve never been the type to need motivation or look up to anyone specifically. I just do what makes sense to me and produced the results I’m looking for. And of course try not to make the same mistake twice. 

Diet Detective: If you had to choose a specific song or band to get you excited for your workout, what would it be? What other songs are on your iPod ?

Brendan: I train in silence since I like to let thoughts flow that exercise stirs up. I don’t have an iPod. I find getting new ideas out of my brain while running to be valuable. Running helps me stimulate creative thought.  If information in the form of music is going in, the creative effect will be reduced.

Diet Detective: What do you do to reduce stress/relax/center your mind? Do you participate in an organized relaxation activity such as yoga, meditation or tai chi?

Brendan: Active mediation. So for me it’s running, cycling and swimming.  

Diet Detective: What's the most bodacious chance you've ever taken?

Brendan: giving up my job and making the commitment to race professionally in 1998. It was a good decision. 

Diet Detective: What was your worst summer job?

Brendan: working in the laundry room of a hospital. It stunk, was incredibly hot and had no natural light. I’d lose about 3 pounds of fluid every shift. The washing machines and dryers got the room extremely hot that everyone sweats profusely from the beginning of their shift until the end. Not healthy. 

Diet Detective: Define failure.

Brendan: not achieving something you set out to do. But most importantly, not recognizing why you were unsuccessful and making the same mistake on the second attempt. Being unsuccessful once and learning from the experience, never to repeat the same mistake, is not failure in my mind. But making the same mistake more than once is.

Diet Detective: What’s the best book about health that you’ve read? (aside from your own)

Brendan: The China Study

Thank you!!!!

You’re welcome.

Bookmark:

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed