All About Protein

Protein…How much is enough?

As you research this question you will certainly find many different opinions.
Protein Power by Michael & Mary Eades suggests that an adult needs 80 to 100 grams daily. Smokey Santillo in Intuitive Eating suggests a much lower amount, 25 to 35 grams per day. Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James Balch suggests that 50 grams is adequate for the average adult. So who do you believe?

chickenandeggsI respectively submit that the protein needs vary according to your ability to digest and utilize it. You need enough digested protein to keep you from having deficiency symptoms.

Remember this !!! Just because you eat the correct amount of protein does not mean that you are digesting and utilizing it. Now, lets look at some of the things that protein is responsible for in the body.

Protein is crucial in the balancing of hormones. So, if you are having problems with hormones in any way it is may be due to an incorrect level of protein in your body.

Protein is responsible for antibody production in the immune system. So if you catch every nasty bug that goes around you may be lacking protein.

Do you take weeks to heal from a small wound and do you scar from every small scratch? Skin health and wound healing is heavily reliant on protein make new healthy cells.

Protein is a yang food so it is warming to the body. It may be the perfect food for the chronically cold person.

Protein is broken down through digestion into amino acids. Some of these protein building blocks are considered mood enhancers and control depression and anxiety. Heard of Tryptophan? It is the amino acid used for seasonal depression.

Protein is also responsible for building and repairing muscle. Are those arms a bit softer than they used to be in your younger years? It becomes more important as we age to absorb all the protein we consume.

Ok. Now that we know how important protein is and what can happen if you don’t get enough, let’s take a look at what too much or undigested protein does to your body. We all know that protein causes an acid ash in the body, but do you know it also contains the amines (amino) that alkalize?

When ever your body is deficient in protein, it will enter a state of catabolism. Catabolism is the process of the rapid burning of excess protein as well as muscles and some organs. This gives you the sense of false strength. The uric acid produced by this process is an irritant to your body, especially the nervous system.

In an effort to protect itself from this irritant the body “steals” calcium and other alkalizing minerals such as magnesium, sodium, and potassium from storage areas like the bones and teeth in an effort to buffer the uric acid. So now your body is not only overstimulated but also calcium depleted. This combination can cause premature aging. It will also cause stress on the kidneys as they work to strip the nitrogen from the excess protein in the blood stream. This may lead to problems like weak kidneys, kidney stones, or gout.

So…Now what? Which foods provide us with the best source of protein?

Complete protein sources
We need to find protein sources that contain all 8 essential amino acids. Essential, by definition in nutrition, means that it must come from your diet. It is essential that you eat it because you body cannot produce it. Some foods like meat, fish, poultry, and eggs naturally contain the 8 essential amino acids. Although these foods are common they may not be the best choice due to the increased use of antibiotics and hormones to make the animals grow faster. If you are looking at these foods as your primary protein source I recommend you buy only certified organic or free range products.

Non-meat complete sources include nuts, seeds, legumes with grains, soy products, yogurt, and L-Lysine fortified corn meal. I do caution people about excessive use of soybeans as they are frequently genetically modified and are high in estrogen. This estrogen is fairly easy to eliminate if you have a healthy liver, but it is an estrogen none the less.

Protein sources that need help
Some other foods are high in protein but are missing one or more of the essential amino acids. For instance brown rice, corn, nuts, seeds, and wheat are complete proteins only if we combine any of them with beans in the diet. Realize that combining wheat bread with nut butter, serving nuts, seeds, or legumes in salads will also provide a more complete protein source.

Protein digestion
In order to digest protein properly it is essential to have the enzyme protease. It is also essential to have the proper pH in the gut as well as the correct concentration of stomach juices to break it down. Therefore drinking large amounts of fluids with meals (especially cold drinks) mayl be detrimental to the breaking down of proteins. Stress interferes with the production of hydrochloric acid, which is needed to create the proper pH in the stomach for pepsin to break down the protein into amino acids.

Signs that you are not absorbing the protein you eat may include:

  • Any menstrual cycle problems. This may include infertility, painful or skipped cycles.
  • Problems with TMJ, that’s the clicking sound or pain in the joint of the mouth.
  • Scattered thoughts or the inability to shut off your brain.
  • Feeling “wired” all the time, even when not drinking coffee.
  • Bleeding gums, Cold hands and feet
  • Depression
  • The real tip off is that you have excess saliva, watery eyes or general “too wet” conditions.

If any of this sounds like you, you would probably benefit from taking a look at adding a different protein source or improving your digestion.