Switch4Good, a non-profit of dairy-free athletes, doctors, and dieticians, just launched a new campaign called Eat Like An Olympian, which showcases how athletic performance can be enhanced on a plant-based diet, featuring several Olympic athletes that offer advice on how to successfully adopt a dairy-free lifestyle. The campaign is joined by 16 Olympians - both competing and retired - to present audiences with “Olympic-level nutrition” minus the dairy. The Eat Like An Olympian initiative is spearheaded by legendary cyclist and silver medalist Dotsie Bausch, who serves as the Executive Director of Switch4Good.

"Anyone can eat like an Olympian and see the health and performance benefits," Bausch stated. "We hope this fun and informative campaign will educate and inspire others about the benefits of a plant-based, dairy-free diet."

Switch4Good and Bausch have worked to combat the dairy industry worldwide, promoting the message of cruelty-free food production and environmental sustainability. Bausch’s campaign hopes to ‘empower, educate, and equip’ people across the world with plant-based nutrition. The retired Olympian is highlighting how plant-based nutrition does not detract from Olympic athleticism, exposing misconceptions about plant-based nutrition regarding athletic performance.

Alongside nutrition facts and advice, Switch4Good is hosting a prize giveaway that includes exclusive discounts, recipes, and plant-based prizes. The Eat Like An Olympian initiative will begin on July 23rd, the first day of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The non-profit will release a new healthy habit or tip every day during the Olympic games, allowing participants to play a virtual bingo game. The winners of the game will be announced at the closing ceremony on August 9th, where their prizes will be awarded.

Switch4Good will also host a panel where five athletes will discuss myths about plant-based dieting, nutrition, and performance. The panel will take place on July 28 and participants can tune in to debunk nutrition myths in the sports world with the help of dairy-free Olympic Athletes.

The Olympian’s organization partnered with plant-based food giants such as Miyoko’s Creamery, Forager Project, Loca Food, and NadaMoo! to offer participants discounts when they win prizes. The campaign will promote these plant-based companies and the vegan products they developed for the global market.

Beyond the Olympic summer games, the non-profit commissioned a report entitled “A Scientific Report on Cow’s Milk, Health, and Athletic Performance,” that explores how dairy impacts the health and performance of athletes across all categories. The organization claims that nearly 65 percent of the world’s population experiences some degree of lactose intolerance, meaning that the majority of the world sees some negative impact from dairy consumption. This fuels Switch4Good’s central mission to encourage people to ditch dairy for their own personal health.

“Without bloat, gas, stomach pain, or other digestive issues, individuals enjoy a higher quality of life and feel enable to live better and do more,” the organization claims.

The campaign is meant to inspire people across the world to recognize the dangers and harms of the dairy industry. Dairy-free Olympians supporting the Eat Like An Olympian initiative include Alex Morgan, Mikey Papa, Ali Riley, Kaylin Whitney, Victoria Stambaugh, Vivian Kong, Sue Bird, Perris Benegas, Amelia Brodka, and more. Bausch hopes that by bringing the Olympic athletes together, she can lead a charge against dairy and change how people view nutrition, especially regarding athletics.

“What happened after I made the switch was nothing short of extraordinary,” Bausch said. “I wasn’t expecting it, but my performance improved drastically, and I knew there was no turning back.”

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