Posted on July 26th, 2011

Question: What foods help you feel best after a yoga practice?

Vega’s Brendan Brazier and Peggy Kotsopoulos are fans of plant-based whole foods. A professional athlete, Brazier is also a bestselling author, sought-after speaker, creator of the award-winning line of whole food nutritional products called Vega, and a two-time Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion. Kotsopolous is part of Vega’s health team and the principal of beVibrant wellness consulting, a registered holistic nutritionist, health educator, and culinary consultant focused on teaching real health through easy and delicious lifestyle and dietary choices.

Here are some of their top tips for healthy eating.

6 Tips for Healthy Eating Using Plant-Based Whole Food

BB: The number one question I get is where do vegans get their protein. Really, protein is not that difficult to get if you eat a plant-based whole food diet. Spinach and Kale for example, are around 45% protein and if you eat a big salad you are getting enough protein.

BB: In terms of performance, plant-based whole food sources of protein are more alkaline forming than animal sources or isolates, which allow you to reduce inflammation, speed recovery and increase functionality. Eating plant-based whole food sources of protein facilitate your body’s ability to work harder and improve performance.

BB: You have control over your health.  

PK: Real health comes from within and affects our entire being.  It's about nourishing your mind, body and spirit with whole food goodness.  Many times people focus just on physical goals like weight loss and might take short-cuts to cut calories such as eating artificial sweeteners, which cause further detriment to their health.  Or they focus only on one aspect of health, yet stay in a job they hate, and surround themselves with people that are negative and don't contribute to their greater purpose.  Real health affects our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual state.  And it's about fuelling it by adding only 'goodness' to your life.

PK: You don't have to overhaul your diet completely and make huge, sacrificing changes.  There are viewers all across North America and many in remote places without access to speciality/health food stores. By educating them on the benefits of how simple, whole food can affect the way you look and feel—such as specific foods to combat depression or boost energy levels—we can provide a whole new way to look at and approach foods.

PK: Eat real food

Win your own Vega gift basket!
Vega is giving one (1) lucky My Yoga Online member a complete Vega gift basket featuring 1 Thrive Fitness book, 1 Vega carry bag, 1 Shaker cup, 4 Whole Food Health Optimizer single serving packs (Berry, Chocolate, Vanilla Chai, Natural), 1 Whole Food Health Optimizer small tub (Berry), 2 Smoothie Infusion single serving packs, 2 Shake & Go Smoothie pouches (Tropical-Tango, Choc-o-lat), 6 Vibrancy Bars (Chocolate Decadence, Green Synergy, Wholesome Original), 2 Sport Optimizer single serving packs (Acai Berry),   1 Sport Performance Optimizer tub (Lemon-lime), 4 Sport Performance Protein single serving packs (Berry, Vanilla).

How to Enter:
Just add your answer to the following question to the comments section below: What foods help you feel best after a yoga practice?

With apologies to our international friends, this prize giveaway is only available within North America (USA and Canada). Contest runs until the end of Tuesday, July 26, 2011 11:59 PST.

Enter on Facebook, too! Join your My Yoga Online community on Facebook and enter to win there, too.

Share the love. Tell your friends about this great giveaway. Just click ‘SHARE’ at the top of this post.

The fine print: Click here to read the official contest rules. By submitting a comment on this blog or commenting on or ‘liking’ the Facebook post, you agree to the official contest rules.

Tags: Nutrition, Yoga, giveaway, whole foods, vega, brendan brazier, vegan, Peggy Kotsopolous, community, supplements

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