We are getting to be more familiar with the pro athletes going postal, committing suicide, or suffering from cognitive impairment that seems like Alzheimers. In fact, there is an NFL settlement which is now being challenged, but needless to say the protocol for head injuries in sports and in communities is much different now than even two years ago.

What is being lost in this discussion is the eating of large amounts of animal food, which is typical for athletes, and in particular, professional athletes. Before and after games there are large buffets of all kinds of protein-laden foods, most likely not including beans and tofu and brown rice.

As indicated in The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, and supported by dozens of other studies, eating a diet with more than 20% animal foods can cause a variety of health problems. I believe concussions are exacerbated by a diet like this, and this is part of what we are seeing.

That is, if two pro athletes on very different diets, one mostly vegan, with animal foods at or below 5%, and the other with animal foods at or above 20%, each had five concussions over ten years, odds are that the person on a mostly vegan diet would fare better.

Time will tell.