Protein Does A Body Good

 Proteins are a large molecule (polymer chains) composed of repeated structural units made up of amino acids ( carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen) linked together by peptide bonds. Amino acids can be divided into either essential amino acids or non-essential amino acids.

Proteins are the building blocks of our bodies.  We use and assemble approximately 50,000 different proteins to form our organs, nerves, muscle and flesh.

All proteins are combination's of just 22 amino acids, eight of which are "essential" nutrients for humans.

Why are eight of the 22 amino acids referred to as essential? The human body cannot make these particular amino acids on it's own.  These essential amino acids are found most plentiful in eggs and meat. When the essential amino acids are present in the diet, the body can usually build the other "nonessential" amino acids: but if just one essential amino acid is low or missing, the body is unable to synthesize the other proteins it needs, even when overall protein intake is high.   Animal protein is the only source of complete protein.  All the essential amino acids, and many considered "nonessential, " are present in animal products.

Protein is essential for normal growth, for the formation of hormones, for the process of blood clotting and for the formation of milk during lactation.

Protein helps regulate the acid-alkaline balance of tissues and blood. When protein is lacking in the die, there is a tendency for the blood and tissues to become either too acid or too alkaline, depending on the acidity or the alkalinity balance of the foods we eat.  Eating animal foods, dark leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, sprouted grains, nuts and seeds in moderate amounts will provide you with a body that is balanced.  A well balance traditional diet will provide homeostasis.

What are the roles of proteins in the body?

• Hormones are proteins that regulate our metabolism and almost every function in the body.
• Antibodies are proteins that help fight infection.
• Enzymes are proteins that initiate and manage all biochemical processes.
• Hemoglobin is protein in the form of red blood cells that carry oxygen.
• Proteins consist of amino acids that make up our sex hormones and 95% of our muscles, including our hearts.  RNA and DNA also require amino acids, so we need proteins for our genes to function properly.

So what does all this mean for us?  It means we should be consuming high-quality, complete proteins on a daily basis to maintain a healthy system!

Our primitive ancestors subsisted on a diet composed largely of meat and fat, augmented with vegetables, fruit, seeds and nuts. Studies of their remains reveal that they had excellent bone structure, heavy musculature and flawless teeth. 

Protein cannot be adequately utilized without dietary fats. That is why protein and fats occur together in eggs, milk, fish and meats. A high-protein, low fat diet can cause many problems including too rapid growth and depletion of vitamin A and vitamin D reserves.  

Should we reduce our meat consumption and or take it out of our diet all together? 

I like many IC patients have spent years searching for the right diet in hope of getting some pain relief.  I was swayed by the current "wisdom" that Americans should reduce and even adopt a meatless diet. 

I tried every diet including a raw food diet of fruits and veggies only. I felt great at first and rightfully so because I didn't just give up meat, I gave up processed foods and caffeine. I lost 30 pounds and in I had less over all pain.  My bowels became regular and I had far less retention however, that changed. 

One year into a raw diet I developed serve fatigue, my hair was falling out, my nails brittle and splitting down into the beds, my teeth were aching, I had the start of gum disease, vulvodynia and nuerogenic pain that made it impossible for me to sit, stand, lay or walk for more than 10 minutes.  I went from feeling fabulous to feeling so fatigued.  

Throughout the year my labs looked great but by the time I hit the one year mark on a raw low fat vegetarian diet I was severely anemic and my fibromyalgia was in full swing.  

What was wrong?  I had use up my reserve of essential amino acids. The first thing I did was eat a piece of grass fed steak and then I went back to school to study biochemistry and nutrition in depth.  In short I learned all the reasons why we need to to eat meat and why processed foods are causing an epidemic of addiction, obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease and cancer.  

A few highly publicized studies have claimed a link between the consumption of meat and saturated fats with cancer, especially cancer of the colon. Studies claiming a correlation of animal product consumption with cancer do not stand up to careful scrutiny. In many of these studies, the data bases combined saturated fats from animal sources with hydrogenated vegetable oils, known to be carcinogenic.  Furthermore these studies did not include sugar and white flour in their surveys, even though researcher and others have shown that in so-called civilized countries high meat consumption and high sugar intake often occur together. Actually, the pathway for colon cancer is well understood. It involves high levels of omega-6 linoleic acid and hydrogenated fats, which in the presence of carcinogens and acted on by certain enzymes in the cells lining the colon lead to tumor formation.  This explains why colon cancer is prevalent in some industrialized countries where there are many carcinogens in the diet and where consumption of vegetable oils and sugar is high; but in traditional societies, where sugar and vegetable oils are absent and the food is free of additives, meat-eating is not associated with cancer. 

What about protein powders? 

Fats and carbohydrates can be devitalized by processing and refining and the same can be said for proteins. 

Protein powders made from soy, whey, casein and egg whites are currently popular as basic ingredients in diet beverages and many so-called health food products. These protein isolates are usually obtained by a high-temperature process that over-denatures the proteins to such and extent that they become virtually useless while increasing nitrates and other carcinogens.  

Protein powder use can lead to the following: 

Depletion of vitamin A and D reserves; soy protein isolates are high in mineral-blocking phytates; (Phytic acid has a strong binding affinity to important minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. When a mineral binds to phytic acid, it becomes insoluble, precipitates and will be nonabsorbable in the intestines. This process can therefore contribute to mineral deficiencies) thyroid-depressing phytoestrogens and potent enzyme inhibitors that depress growth and cause cancer.

Diets in which unnatural isolated powdered proteins from soy, eggs or milk are fed to animals or humans cause a negative calcium balance that can lead to osteoporosis. Critics of meat-eating have seized on these results to claim that meat causes bone loss. But meat or milk-as opposed to protein powders-fed to human subjects do not cause calcium loss nor do they contribute to osteoporosis.

The meat, milk and eggs in our supermarkets are highly contaminated and vastly inferior in nutritional quality to those available just a few decades ago.  Livestock are being shot up with steroids to make meat more tender and antibiotics so they can survive the crowded conditions of the feedlots. Many cattle supplying steaks have never seen the open range, and calves raised for veal are often confined to crates for the whole of their pathetic short lives. Disease animals often pass routine inspection and find their way into food supply.

The amount of protein that you require depends on your individual biochemistry.  There is no one size diet that fits all. 

In summary, animal products are important sources of body building elements in the diet. Furthermore, animal fats supply vitamin A and vitamin D and animal protein is rich in minerals, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. 

Fish, meat and a good supply of high-quality dairy products and eggs is essential. Raw milk and cheese must be used to provide B12, as this essential nutrient is virtually destroyed by pasteurization.  If your budge allows it , purchase grass fed meat, raw goats milk, organic/local produce, raw nuts and seeds.

This is what a well balance meal look like:

In Health

Gloria Prater, WHE

For more information on diet go to www.icanonymous.com or contact us at ic1031@icanonymous.com

Is Juicing Beneficial?

Do you see a juicer in this kitchen (1800's)? Traditional cultures did not have juicers, but they did crush certain foods to produce lacto-fermented beverages in a process similar to digestion that creates a large amount of enzymes. These drinks helped to promote a healthy digestive system.

Today we have a wide variety of diet books, holistic practitioners and websites touting the benefits of juicing.  Many of these diet programs involve fasting on juices made from mostly vegetables and some fruit as a way to lose weight and/or heal from a variety of health issues.  Juicing provides enzymes, and "cleanses the colon, liver, and cells.” And then there are the individuals like me who have discovered that we must chew our food into juice in order to turn it into a natural healthy juice and realize that juice-fasting can be detrimental to one's health in the long run. 

Like many people, I was intrigued by the idea of being able to get the daily requirement of fruits and veggies by juicing. I admit that I jumped the gun to purchase a juicer, but had I only used a bit more common sense regarding juicing, I might have saved myself some money and time.  After purchasing the juicer, I began questioning the health benefits of drinking vegetables and fruits from which the fiber had been extracted.  I remember thinking how whole are vegetables and fruits if the fiber has been removed? How wholesome could it be now that we have tampered with Mother Nature, who must have put the fiber there for a reason?  The whole idea is to eat WHOLE FOOD, or is it? I began researching the subject and quickly learned that we need fiber for two reasons - 1) to slow down the absorption of sugars, and 2) to help eliminate waste.

Most of us were taught that chewing actually begins the digestive process by mixing food (particularly carbohydrates) with saliva. The process of chewing and tasting our food also sends signals to the digestive tract about what to expect in terms of nutrients as well as which enzymes will be needed to assimilate them.   Now here is where you need to pay attention. Juicing bypasses these signals which results in poor digestion! 

Juicing green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables blocks mineral absorption and depresses thyroid function. When vegetables are cooked, those substances are neutralized. Cooking actually makes the minerals in vegetables much more available.

Also, there are very few enzymes in most fruits and vegetables used in juicing recipes. Foods that contain a lot of enzymes are mostly foods that have been lacto-fermented.

I lacked a basic understand of biochemistry so, like many, I was easily persuaded into thinking that juicing was beneficial. Since buying a juicer, I have studied the basic chemical composition of living matter and of the chemical processes that go on in living organisms; I now better understand that the best way to eat all food is whole.

Removing toxins from the body is an ongoing process, involving numerous enzyme systems.  The best way to help the body cleanse is to consume a lot of bone broth, which provides the liver with certain amino acids involved in the process of clearing the residues of metabolism.

Juicing can lead to low blood sugar and serious nutrient deficiencies.  The body is likely to interpret a juice fast as starvation, thereby slowing down the metabolism and allowing the pounds to be packed on very quickly, likely as soon as the fast is over.  Having fasted myself I speak with experience. 

The right strategy:

• Eat whole foods 

• Eat vegetables and fruits that are in season 

• Buy local produce

• Learn how to make homemade broth

• Eat organic whenever possible

In health and happiness

Gloria P.

PS:  IC patients should avoid all store bought juice even if it is pear or blueberry. If you would like to have a little juice fresh squeeze or a blended smoothies is the way to go. Drink and eat all foods in moderation. 

THE DIFFERENCE OF PASTURE-RASIED EGGS

     Here's a sad fact: most of the conventionally, and even organically, raised hens in the US never see the light of day, or a single blade of green grass in their entire lives.  The good news is there are farms across the country that pasture raise their birds in enjoyable conditions that have been verified independently as Certified Humane, in addition to certified USDA organic.   

     You can find pastured raised eggs at many of these FARMS who spend their days outdoors in fresh air, grazing native grasses in small flocks. Regular rotation onto fresh pasture protects our land from over grazing, and provides the birds a change of scenery and loads of exercise. We are obligated to let our birds exhibit natural behaviors and have a bit of choice about how they spend their days. Salad and exercise make for happy, healthy hens and great eggs! 

     Without a doubt, fresh, pastured eggs are superior in taste and nutrition to conventionally raised commercially available varieties. Eggs have been a highly valued foods since the beginning of time—eggs from chickens, ducks, geese, turtles and fish. Egg yolks are the richest source of two superstar carotenoids—lutein and zeaxanthin.  Not only are bright yellow yolks loaded with these fat-soluble antioxidant nutrients, they are more bioavailable than those found in vegetables, corn and most supplements. While these nutrients have a reputation of combating macular degeneration and cataracts, as well as supporting overall healthy vision, they have a long list of other benefits, including protecting the skin from sun damage and even reducing one’s risk of colon and breast cancer.

     Besides providing all eight essential protein-building amino acids, a large whole, fresh egg offers about six to seven grams of protein and five grams of fat (with about 1.5 grams of it saturated), which comes in handy to help in the absorption of all the egg’s fat-soluble vitamins. One egg also serves up around 200 milligrams of brain-loving cholesterol and contains the valuable vitamins A, K, E, D, B-complex and minerals iron, phosphorus, potassium and calcium. Choline, another egg-nutrient, is a fatty substance found in every living cell and is a major component of our brain. Additionally, choline helps break up cholesterol deposits by preventing fat and cholesterol from sticking to the arteries. So the bottom line is, don’t be chicken about eating eggs, especially the cholesterol-rich yolks!

In Health & Happiness 

Gloria P. 


Reference: 

Sommerburg O, Keunen JE, Bird AC, van Kuijk FJ. Fruits and vegetables that are sources for lutein and zeaxanthin: the macular pigment in human eyes. Br J Ophthalmol. 1998 Aug;82(8):907-10
Saitoh S, Sato T, Harada H, Takita T. Transfer of soy isoflavone into the egg yolk of chickens. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2001 Oct;65(10):2220-5.Hope BK, Baker R, Edel ED, Hogue AT, Schlosser WD, Whiting R, McDowell RM, Morales RA. An overview of the Salmonella enteritidis risk assessment for shell eggs and egg products. Risk Anal. 2002 Apr;22(2):203-18.
Raw Eggs for Your Health—Major Update. http://www.mercola.com/2002/nov/13/ eggs.htm.