Following the advice of talk show host and cardiac surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, and under the tutelage of Austin, Texas-based firefighter Rip Esselstyn, three Chicago firefighters went vegan for 60 days in order to lose weight and improve their health. Almost two months after taking the plunge, one firefighter is now off his cholesterol lowering medication, another is excited by his lower grocery bill and newfound ability to outcompete his meat-eating compadres, and each is between 20 to 30 pounds lighter.
According to Esselstyn, once a professional triathlete and author of The Engine 2 Diet, the "macho" eating habits of many firefighters is a liability at a fire, especially when they are less able to pull hundreds of pounds of hose or run up a ladder or staircase without getting winded. But after only two months of plant-based eating, these Chicago-based firefighters are seeing major improvements in their health and stamina. "The headaches went away, I feel lighter on my feet and I can eat all the salad and beans that I want and still have all the energy for a fire," says Mauricio "Mo" Tirado from Engine 14.
In a show of support, Mercy For Animals has dispatched copies of its Vegetarian Starter Kits and The Vegetarian Guide to Chicago to these firefighters to help them stay the course. For more information on transitioning to a healthy, vegan lifestyle click here. To order copies or to view online pdf versions of either of these publications, click here.
