Talk about tofu-powered tennis! Plant-based power player Serena Williams won her fifth U.S. Open Championship on September 8. And that diet is all in the family: Her sister Venus also avoids animal products and, in general, eats a raw food diet.
Serena actually made the change to support her sister Venus, who shifted when she developed Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune illness that causes muscular pain and fatigue. Staying away from meat products has eased her symptoms, including joint pain and swelling. You can read in detail about Serena's decision to join her sister on the raw food vegan diet by clicking here.
In an interview with CBS News, Venus admitted: "I'm not perfect, so I forgive myself when I make mistakes and I do a lot of juicing as well, a lot of wheat grass shots...lots of fresh juices and things like that." The disease takes its toll on all parts of her body.
"Dry eyes and dry mouth are the hallmark symptoms, but fatigue can be so heavy that sitting in a chair is a huge effort. So, as a professional athlete, if you have fatigue, then that's tough. You can also have joint pain...issues with your internal systems." But Venus does feel that the change to a vegan diet has helped.
And Serena emphasizes the health benefits of the sisters' new raw food vegan diet. “I’m looking forward to playing, and just playing and being healthy; I haven’t really been healthy in a few years, and I’m just really looking forward to having a chance to play,” she told the Washington Post. “I think right now I am at 100 percent ... I’m really looking forward to continuing this and continuing to be healthy.”
Describing Serena's game plan as consisting of "a raw vegan diet," Business Day recently analyzed the tennis star's improved skills and scored it high for health. Also reported: Venus and Serena have a chef who accompanies them on their circuit to make the special foods. You can learn more about how to follow a raw food vegan diet by clicking here for an interview with 75-year-old raw food vegan Mimi Kirk, voted as the world's sexiest vegetarian over 50.
