Finaly the long protein post (sorry for the length).
Last one for the week.
I need the weekend to recuperate.
Drink some wine.
Speaking of which, I read that Americans are drinking 5x more alcohol than ususal.
Relax and enjoy but just don’t overdo…. screw it. Go ahead and overdo it.
Cheers.
Have a great weekend.
AC 😎✌️🌱❤🐖🏃🏻🧘🏻‍♂️🌎
WILL MORE PROTEIN HELP MY IMMUNE SYSTEM?
NO IT WON’T. In fact, adding more protein, especially from animal sources, may actually hurt.
As it is, Americans consume 2-3 times more protein than is recommended and, what is recommended by the USDA, is more than we need already. Your body can’t even process more than 25-30 grams at a time and all the rest gets excreted. To do so, the body, particularly the liver and the kidneys, have to work overtime, especially if the protein is from an animal source (see below).
Protein is NOT a source of energy. It is a source of the building blocks (amino acids) of all the compounds, cells, enzymes, hormones… our bodies produce. The vast majority of the energy our body uses is in the form of glucose, derived from carbohydrates. The brain in fact, uses 25% of the sugar in our circulation. We can also use fat as an energy source, as is popularized with paleo and ketogenic diets, but our use of fat as energy is a stress/emergency response. It is not meant to be the default energy source long-term.There are some medical conditions in which ketogenic diets are helpful but these are limited and there is a cardiovascular price to pay. I have a lot more on ketogenic diets on my website so I’ll not deal with that here. Long discussion. Here is a link if you want.
https://doctorchuma.com/common-questions-people-ask-about-plant-based-diets/#KETOGENIC_PALEO_and_CARNIVORE_diets_low_carb_high_protein_and_fat_Are_they_OK
The most common question I get as a vegan is “Where do i get my protein?”. The simple answer is that everything you put into your mouth has protein, whether it comes from an animal or a plant. In addition, everything you eat has ALL the amino acids, including the “essential” ones, called that because our bodies can’t make them. We can make all the rest. It is true that some foods, animal products in particular, have a higher concentration of the essential amino acids, but many plants have the same amounts. A few great sources of plant protein include:
Soy products like Tofu, tempeh, and edamame. By the way, not only does soy NOT cause breast cancer, it is actually protective. Just keep it organic.
Beans like lentils and chickpeas (think hummus).
Nuts like almonds, peanuts (actually a legume).
Quinoa
-Chia and Hemp seeds
Beans with rice
Potatoes
Dark-colored, leafy greens and vegetables. A single, medium stalk of broccoli contains about 4 g of protein, kale offers 2 g of protein per cup and 5 medium mushrooms offer 3 g of protein.
Seitan is a complete protein made from mixing wheat gluten with various spices. Obviously a problem if you have Celiac disease or true gluten sensitivity (most people are actually not sensitive to gluten, just the unhealthy carbs they eat) but for everyone else, it is a great source of protein.
Ezekiel bread is a nutrient-dense alternative to traditional bread. It is made from sprouted barley, wheat, lentils, millet, and spelt. Because it is sprouted, it contains a lot less gluten and is tolerable if you have a true sensitivity.
What is wrong with animal protein? That’s a loaded one and I can go on for hours. I won’t. (Here is a link to some info on my site). But here is a short list of why animal products are a poorer source of protein than plants:
They acidify the blood. The proportion of acidifying amino acids is much higher in animal protein than plants. The body has to work harder to keep your blood neutral and one of the ways it does this is by leaching calcium from your muscles and bones. Consuming dairy, for example, actually causes osteoporosis, it does not prevent it! Animal proteins are also more difficult for the kidneys to clear than protein from plant sources.
Meat is loaded with fat and before you say “I only eat chicken and fish”, let me just say that a steamed, skinless chicken breast has as much cholesterol as an equal serving of steak and only 30% less fat! In addition, most of the fat in chicken is saturated. Chicken is actually the second highest source of saturated fat in the American diet, after cheese. Salmon, arguably the “healthiest” fish, is about 70% fat and 40% of that is saturated. You can’t pull a fish out of the ocean which is not contaminated with mercury, PCBs or plastics. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS LEAN OR CLEAN MEAT!
Along with the protein, you get a dose of hormones and chemicals. There is a reason that kids are hitting puberty practically at single digits rather than at 17 or 18, which used to be normal. It’s all the hormones and chemicals, many of which are hormone-mimickers. Even dairy and meat from “hormone-free” cattle is full of their naturally occurring hormones. They are fed chemicals through their foods and many of these are fat soluble, meaning that you end up eating them as well. It doesn;t just affect puberty, meat and dairy raise risks of hormone related cancers like breast, ovarian and prostate as well as colorectal cancers.
Animal products contain NO fiber, which is key to a healthy gut which is key to a healthy immune system. Fiber only comes from whole fruits and vegetables. Metamucil is not enough. It makes your poop big but does nothing to feed the good bacteria.
The animal agricultural industry generates more greenhouse gases than all modes of transportation combined, worldwide! Not eating meat (or at least cutting back) is the single most impactful thing we can do to reverse global warming and preserve the planet for the generations to follow.
90 Billions animals a year are raised in horrible, overcrowded, unhealthy conditions and are killed unceremoniously to satisfy the global appetite for meat. And guess what? This is why we are in this freaking predicament to begin with!!!
For more, check out my website. www.doctorchuma.com
Stay safe and be well.
AC 😎✌️🌱❤🐖🏃🏻🧘🏻‍♂️🌎