‘Sexiest Vegan Over 50:’ USF Professor In The Running

TAMPA, FL — A University of South Florida professor with a passion for Muay Thai fighting and a love for animals is vying to earn PETA’s “Sexiest Vegan Over 50” title.

At 51, Heike Scharm “is a force to be reckoned with,” PETA said in announcing the finalists for this year’s contest. Held annually, the sexiest vegan contest is intended to put a spotlight on the benefits the lifestyle can have. (For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Tampa Patch. Click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

“Whether in the classroom or the Muay Thai ring, Professor Heike Scharm is a living example of how to lead a healthier, more ethical life,” Tracy Reiman, PETA’s executive vice president said in a statement. “Each of the finalists in PETA Prime's Sexiest Vegan Over 50 contest is a testament to how sexy vegans of all ages are, inside and out.”

Scharm, who is a Hispanist in USF’s world languages department, became a vegetarian in 1997. In 2010, she became a full vegan, eliminating all animal products from her life.

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A native of Germany, Scharm said she was inspired to walk the vegan path by her childhood experiences on a farm.

“Throughout my childhood I spent a good amount of time on a farm, where I was around animals all the time,” Scharm told Patch. “I was raised to believe that it was a normal and natural part of life to raise, feed, slaughter, and eat them. At the same time, I became attached to many of them, and they also to me.”

Scharm said she formed a connection with the animals and could “feel their trust. But just the same, I could feel a cow’s despair for weeks after her calf was taken from her, and I heard them scream in fear before they were slaughtered or taken away.”

The memories, she said, stuck.

“The human body doesn't need to eat meat and it doesn't need to drink milk or eat cheese,” she said. “More and more studies show that a strict plant diet slows down the aging process because it reduces inflammation. There are undeniable connections between a vegan diet and lower incidents of diabetes and certain cancers.”

Since adopting the full vegan lifestyle, Scharm said “my performance has increased, my yearly blood work is perfect each time, I never experienced middle age weight gain (and) I am hardly ever sick.”

As for those considering the lifestyle, she strongly recommends it.

“It does not have to be an all or nothing,” she said. “It is not a religion or a cult. Try a few meat free days a week, see what happens and how you feel. There are so many great blogs and websites and cookbooks now, and more and more healthier dairy and meat substitutes are coming on the market.”

While she follows a strict vegan lifestyle, she assures it doesn’t’ feel that way. “I (just) ate an entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream,” she said. “They just came out with three new vegan flavors.” She was also in the process of making macaroni and cheese, using cheese made from cultured almond milk.

Voting in PETA Prime’s Sexiest Vegan Over 50 contest continues through Wednesday, Sept. 27. To vote for Scharm or check out all the finalists, visit the PETA Prime Facebook page. The organization will name its two winning contestants, one male and one female, on Oct. 4. The winners will receive 10-day Caribbean cruises.

“People should vote for me if they believe that I could be a good representative and advocate for this type of lifestyle,” Scharm said. “But I looked at all the other candidates, and they all look amazing. I’ll be happy for any of us to win, because what most matters to me is that initiatives like this are created and that it – hopefully – helps to raise awareness.”

Photos courtesy of Heike Scharm