The Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier

This pyramid was designed by vegan ironman triathlete Brendan Brazier.  Brazier belies the myth that people who follow a vegan diet are weaklings who have no stamina and endurance.

In his book The Thrive Diet Brazier details his personal eating plan made up of whole foods including fruits, vegetables, pseudograins, and raw nuts and seeds. Pseudograins like amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, and wild rice that most people think of as grains are really classified as grasses. He meets his own energy needs not from refined carbohydrates but from fruits, vegetables, and these pseudograins.

The most important element of Brazier's pyramid is its base that includes colorful, fiber-rich vegetables and leafy greens. The next level is the protein and carbohydrate from natural sugar, with fruits, legumes, seeds, and pseudograins supplying these needs. Dietary fats come from cold-pressed oils, nuts, and avocados. At the peak of the pyramid are starchy vegetables and whole grains that compose the smallest portion of the diet. Conspicuously absent are processed foods, refined grains, and sugar.

The goal of this diet is to consume more whole plant foods with enzymes that facilitate digestion. Brazier recognizes it's also important to keep the body alkaline. If the body is acidic, the person is prone to an increase in body fat, the development of kidney stones, a loss of bone mass, and a reduced level of growth hormones.

In addition to making healthful food choices, those selections impact the environment in a positive way. "Simply by changing our eating habits we can significantly reduce pollution, and in doing so improve our health and the health of generations to come," he writes.

Triathlete Brazier is well aware of the importance of exercise. A moderate amount of exercise along with proper nutrition is important in maintaining good health. He details what foods and beverages should be consumed before, during, and after vigorous exercise. Seven pages of "exercise-specific recipes" appear in this chapter instead of the recipe section.

The Thrive Diet is more than a program to lose weight. It is a lifestyle change that has a pronounced affect on the body, turning it from acidic and disease-prone to alkaline and healthful. By focusing on this plan, readers may not become triathletes, but they will find increased energy and vitality.