Thrive 2nd Edition

The first edition of Thrive: A guide to optimal health and performance through plant-based whole foods launched in September of 2004. By February of 2005 it had already become a Canadian bestseller. Coming off the success of the first edition, now sold out, Brendan added 32 more pages, 9 new recipes and an appendix of resources. The second edition was born!

Whether you are a vegan, vegetarian, or meat eater, this book has information that every swimmer will benefit from reading. From the simple premise that the number one job of an elite athlete is to create stress, then deal with it, Brendan has written a remarkable book, both in its simplicity and insightfulness. Each chapter contains information on an issue, and then summarizes each section with a ‘lesson learned,’ which reinforces main points and important concepts presented. As a vegetarian for the majority of my swimming career I can only daydream of how helpful this book would have been for me. Yet even today, as a ‘weekend warrior,’ I have already begun to incorporate many of the ideas from Thrive into my own life, not only to improve my health, but also to reduce stress and increase my energy.” Swim News Magazine (review by Canadian Olympic swimmer Nikki Dryden)

“You don’t have to be a high performance, competitive athlete to benefit from the excellent advice in this small book.” VegNews Magazine

“Though Thrive is written by a professional endurance triathlete who is vegan, from the first page you’ll recognize that this guide is not designed only for athletes or vegans, but everyone. Brendan sifts through the masses of confusing nutritional information available and through his own research and personal trial and error, simplifies what he feels are most vital factors affecting your health.” Vista Magazine

Thrive: A guide to optimal health and performance through plant-based whole foods, second edition (112 pages, Oceanside Publishing) is a concise and practical guide to reducing nutritional stress by incorporation more plant-based whole foods. The reduction of nutritional stress provides the body a platform for improved overall health which includes; a reduction in biological age, improved athletic performance, better sleep quality and reduced sugar cravings. Thrive also provides the athlete a sound strategy for transitioning to a high performance plant-based diet. It includes a sample meal plan and 15 unique, nutritionally balanced, delicious whole food recipes, all gluten free.

Dr. Zoltan Rona, medical editor of the Encyclopaedia of Natural Healing and author of the foreword of Thrive, highly recommends the book, and writes in the foreword, “I think that after reading this book, you will no doubt be convinced that a plant-based whole foods diet is the true future of optimal health.”

In this book, Brendan Brazier, a successful professional athlete and renowned expert on the benefits of plant-based whole foods, presents the plant-based whole foods diet he created for himself. The major benefit of the diet is its ability to assist people in reaching and maintaining optimal health by reducing nutritional stress. He credits his dietary stress reduction program for significantly increasing his performance as a professional athlete and succeeding in one of the world's most demanding sports. He is the 2003 Canadian 50 kilometre Ultra Marathon Champion and consistently places near the top at international Ironman triathlon events. He lectures regularly on the benefits of plant-based nutrition throughout the United States and Canada. The book includes a sample meal plan and 15 whole food recipes. Dr. Zoltan Rona, medical editor of the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing and author of the foreword to Thrive, highly recommends the book: "I think that after reading this book, you will no doubt be convinced that a plant-based whole foods diet is the true future for optimal health."

As one of only a few professional vegan athletes in the world, Brendan Brazier continues to post impressive results as he heads towards his prime. The 30-year-old from North Vancouver, BC, is the 2003 Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion and consistently places near the top at international Ironman triathlon events. Having a vast knowledge of plant-based nutrition, Brendan is an advocate of a whole-food vegan diet. In his new book Brendan shares his dietary secrets that have enabled him to compete and thrive on a plant-based diet in one of the world's most demanding sports. Brendan is also the formulator of Vega, a premium plant-based, whole food meal replacement, now available in Canadian health food stores. As a result of Brendan's success, he has garnered a reputation as an innovative cook and recipe developer of performance enhancing plant-based creations. Speaking throughout North America, Brendan continues to teach the value of a properly implemented plant-based diet for improved vitality and performance. Brendan is currently writing a full-length cookbook to be released in 2006.

“Professional Ironman triathlete Brendan Brazier is a man who walks his talk and lives what he preaches. The information that he shares in Thrive strikes at the very heart of the major health problems faced by North Americans. I think that by reading this book, you will no doubt be convinced that a plant-based whole foods diet is the true future of optimal health” Zolton P. Rona, MD, MSc – Medical Editor, Encyclopedia of Natural Healing (Alive Books 2002)