Tennis - Former World No. 1 Venus Williams says turning to a vegan diet helped save her tennis career. The 36-year-old Williams was diagnosed with Sjorgen's Syndrome in 2011, an autoimmune disease that causes joint pain and fatigue.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion said, "I literally couldn’t play tennis anymore, so it really changed my life. Because it was starting to take away what I loved, I had to make some changes, I had to change my life.

Thankfully, I was able to find something that helped me get back to doing what I loved. It definitely changed my whole life. It changed the pace that I live at. It changed everything. There are definitely challenges, though, but it’s about how you face them and how you come on top so you can live in a way that is acceptable to you.

So, it has been wonderful to still do what I love. And even though I still have issues, it doesn’t mean they’re going to stop me." Venus, who is seeded 13th at the Australian Open in Melbourne, says that the secret to trying any diet is to find things that you enjoy eating.

"I always tell people that you have to enjoy what you’re eating. If you’re eating a plant-based diet or a mixture of one, make sure you’re eating something you like. Find a restaurant, recipes, or join a community—that way you can learn and enjoy your food.

If you can’t enjoy your eating, I don’t know how fun life would be! There’s something about when you’re eating healthy food, it makes you feel proud and it makes you feel like you’re doing the right thing.

When you eat unhealthy, there’s a certain guilt about it...you just know it’s going to catch up. So, I love that feeling of when I’m eating healthy. But, it doesn’t mean you have to be perfect because you do have to have a little fun.

But when you’re doing the right things, and you’re eating plants, and you’re eating live foods, it helps you in your life. I think you feel more energized and you feel more positive." Williams begins her campaign in Melbourne on Monday and meets Kateryna Kozlova in the first round.

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