Growing up, meat was always part of my diet. I only ate plants when I had cold soba or bibimbap during visits to Buddhist temples. However, my belief that I always needed meat changed when I attended a meditation retreat a few years ago and tried recipes from Zen monasteries. Contrary to my expectations, the monks’ food was nourishing and savory. Adding Goma-Shio (sesame and salt in Japanese) intensified the flavor. I was so impressed by the food at the Zen center that I bought their cookbook and occasionally cooked vegetarian meals from it.
Still, meat and dairy were the core of my diet. I believed eating animal protein was necessary for gaining lean muscle from workouts and getting essential proteins and amino acids. However, I was aware of the impact of meat and dairy on climate change. Rather than cutting all meat from my diet, I decided to include more fish and reduce red meat. A few weeks ago, my friend Paul mentioned the documentary “The Game Changers” on Netflix. I watched it during my two-week quarantine in Seoul. Unlike other documentaries that focus on the effects of meat and dairy consumption on animal well-being and climate change, this show highlights vegan athletes who perform at the highest level. I was shocked to learn I could completely replace meat protein with plant protein and still get more than enough protein, plus the added benefit of faster recovery time after workouts due to decreased inflammatory substances in the bloodstream.
I’ve long suffered from chronic inflammation and flexibility issues in my joints due to Multiple Hereditary Exostosis. If a plant-based diet could improve recovery and increase blood flow in the muscles, I thought it was worth a try. I remember feeling more energetic, mentally focused, and less physically stiff during my ten-day silent meditation retreat on a vegetarian diet. I plan to go as meat-free as possible as I prepare for my first triathlon in late September to see if the diet change results in more energy and quicker recovery from workouts. Going entirely meat-free would be nearly impossible living and sharing meals with my family in Korea. Still, I will start by cutting cheese and dairy, temporarily saying goodbye to milk in my coffee and ice cream.