Choosing The Right Protein

Protein is a component of food, a macronutrient and energy provider. Protein is the basic building block of human structure and is necessary to form muscles, skin, hair, nails, bones, blood, hormones, enzymes and immune cells. Noted Dutch chemist Mulder. G J (1838) described protein as “unquestionably the most important of all known-substances in the organic kingdom and without it no life appears possible on our planet

Chemically, proteins are complex organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Depending upon different types it may also contain sulphur , phosphorous, iron, iodine, copper and cobalt. Primary function of protein in body is growth and maintenance.

Proteins are made up of amino acids (AA) and about 500+ kinds of AA have been discovered out of which only 22 kinds serve as the constituents of the human body protein. Amino acids are the alphabet characters of our body protein and complicated combinations of these 22 kinds produce as many as 100 thousands of various proteins in our body. Essentially, proteins are chains of amino acids linked together like beads on a necklace. The individual amino acid falls into two groups.

Essential AA- called so since the body cannot manufacture and hence food is the only source

Non-Essential AA- can be synthesized in the body and need not appear in the food, not that they less important

Now what happens when protein enters our body?

All the dietary protein that enters into our body is broken down to free amino acids by different enzymes from the stomach, pancreas, and small intestine and absorbed into the blood. Our body has an AA pool which supplies to different cells and Liver , to be used for manufacturing of body protein, production of energy and production of fat. Remember, to make body protein, a cell must have all 22 AA simultaneously.

How much?

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 0.83 g per every Kg of body weight. Protein is extremely important for growth, pregnancy, lactation, convalescence and body building. Largest amount of body protein is in the form of lean muscle tissue. Hence if one is looking to gain muscle, then he should have a positive protein balance. When AA requirement is not met, body breaks down muscle protein into AA and this affects the body protein balance.

But the requirement of protein varies from person to person due to bio-individuality, blood type and protein type. Hence you need to experiment with protein in quantity and source (vegetarian/animal) and see what works for you, your body and lifestyle.

How much is your Protein intake?

Check for any of the following symptoms

Too-little protein- Indicated by feeling lighter, feeling spacey, fatigue, weight loss, weakness, anaemia, change in the color of facial skin, hair and its texture and pot belly appearence.

Too much protein- Indicated by low energy, constipation, dehydration, heavy feeling, lethargy, weight gain,

sweet cravings, tight feeling, stiff joints, foul body odor, bad breath .

In sever cases, acidity, kidney dysfunction, bone loss and osteoporosis can be observed.

Current urban trends encourage an increase in protein consumption through meat and diary. Some believe that we do not need a lot of protein. We recommend you to find out what works for your body by trial and error and observing your body. Your mind may disagree with what your body wants. Trust your body. 

Here are some inputs

• Blood type diet-Do you remember your blood type ? ‘Eat right for your type’ written by Dr Peter D’Adamo is an excellent guide to determine the protein needs based on blood type. This is based on the theory that each blood type.  (O, A AB and B) is derived from a different time in human evolution and thus affects how people of each type react to food and diseases.

1.  O TYPE- O type are the oldest blood type coming under that hunter- gatherer culture. They function best on a high protein diet from animal sources.
2. A TYPE- Originated in the agrarian age and are more adapted to a plant based diet centered on grains, vegetables, beans and milk from cows
3. B TYPE- Originated with the emergence of nomadic people. Have flexibility in adapting to both plant and animal protein,
4. AB TYPE- Evolved thousand years ago and tend to be highly sensitive and mysterious to different diet patterns.

•       Metabolic type- Metabolism is the rate at which you convert food into energy. Knowing you metabolic type also helps you to know the best food you metabolize best and its quantity. You can determine your metabolic type by answering questionnaires, or taking simple medicals tests. You can fall into any three of the following metabolic types 

• FAST BURNERS / PROTEIN DIET- Frequently hungry and crave for salty and fatty  foods. They burn carbs quickly and need a high protein diet to slow down metabolism.
• SLOW BURNERS/ CARB TYPE – Weak appetite and need high amounts of carbs to     speed up metabolism. High tolerance for sweets and tend to obese easily. Low protein diets satisfy their need. 
• MIXED- Average appetite and moderate craving for sweet and starchy foods. Need a combination of protein and carbs in their diet.

Your metabolic type can also shift based on age, stress levels, and nutritional deficiencies.

Sources of protein in diet

Vegetarian and animal protein sources

Vegetarian protein sources include beans, legumes, seeds, nuts, whole grains and leafy greens( broccoli, spinach, collard, lettuce, kale)

Beans, especially soy has high quality protein but beans are difficult to digest and assimilate. Cas cause gas and indigestion. Hence soak overnight or sprout them by soaking a couple of days. Soy has an increasing global demand as a vegetable source of protein. It is one of the most genetically engineered crops and so make sure you get organic.

Animal protein sources include meat, egg , fish, dairy and bee pollen. Even though rich in quality protein, animal foods are high in fat and cholesterol which can cause heart diseases, cancer, obesity and constipation. Factory farmed meat contains anti biotics and hormones and hence its important to eat high quality, organic, free range, grass fed forms of animal protein. To help digest animal protein eat plenty of vegetables and try to eat a small quantity at a time. No bigger, no thicker than the palm size of your hand ( Dr Barry Sears- The Zone Diet) is the thumb rule

 

Beef, Chicken, Duck, Buffalo, turkey etc are different types of meat. Try different types and rotate to avoid stagnancy. Discover what works best with your body. Organic egg is a practical, inexpensive source of good protein. Eat the whole egg to get the ‘total energy’ of the egg. Stay away from farm raised fish and go for wild fish that are lower in the food chain (like sardines) to reduce the risk of mercury and added chemicals.

In consuming dairy, beware of lactose intolerance and go organic, local and grass-fed sources. Try buttermilk, yoghurt, butter or ghee as an alternative to milk.

We have an intuitive thinking that animal foods increase sense of personal power, self esteem and confidence and that it makes you more alert, aggressive and strong. Protein has got definite connection to your mood since eating protein produces dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain which makes you more alert and energetic. But at the same time, over eating of meat can cause tension and irritability,

 

Protein bars and protein powders are the latest trends in the market. Many contain many chemicals and unnatural sweeteners. You need to check for high quality (Amino acid content and digestibility) ingredients. These are not meal replacements and are not recommended in large amounts.

The bottom line is, protein consumption is a personal thing. Everyone needs different types and amounts based on different factors like taste, preference, body shape, size, blood type metabolic type, genetic background, age, life cycle and other bio individual factors. Hence, many advisors on protein and diet are too much of generalizations. If all the above information sounds too confusing and complicated, don’t worry. Just observe your body and how your body responds to experiments because knowing your body is the essential first step in discovering how to stay healthy.

DE-TOXIFICATION

THE TOXINS AROUND YOU

Our planet is being bombarded with thousands of tonnes of harmful pollutants everyday. Our air is becoming increasingly unfit for breathing. Our soil and water are being poisoned by hazardous chemicals, and it is all going into our bodies, accumulating over time and affecting our health. The excessive stress of modern day life creates high levels of stress fighting hormones which can adversely affect our optimal health. Mental, emotional and spiritual intoxication also poses serious threat to the overall well being.

Studies have identified 287 toxins in the body and the majority of them are neuro-toxins. These include petrochemicals, heavy metals, pesticides, fertilizers, additives, coloring agents, processing agents, preservatives, everyday cosmetics, personal care and other home care products. Intentional toxicity includes abuse of alcohol, caffeine, gluten from wheat, medicines, sugar, diary, and white flour

SO HOW DOES THE BODY HANDLE THESE TOXINS?

Detoxification (cleansing) in the body system is performed by the liver, kidneys, colon, skin and lungs. According to Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medicinal system, heavy metals, pollutants and chemicals from the food are first absorbed by the thousands of villi in the Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissue (GALT). Hence your lymphatic system (twice larger than the arterial system) and its quality drainage are important. Bad drain, clogging, congestion, and ineffective circulation of lymph can lead to a variety of diseases. 

SYMPTOMS OF TOXICITY

Fatigue, Bloat, Muscle ache, Joint pain, Brain fog, Headache, Sinus congestion, Skin rashes, Sore throat, Allergies, Digestive problems, Hormonal imbalances, Memory problems, Bad breath, Parkinson’s disease, Dementia, cancer, Fibromyalgia, Auto-immune diseases, Infertility, Menopausal disorders, Pre-menstrual syndrome, Heart diseases 

HOW TO ELIMINATE TOXINS- DE-TOX PROGRAM

Rather than adopting a draconian diet which may produce quick fix solutions, its better to develop and adopt life long strategies for detoxification. The basis of any detox program should be to lower our body burden of toxins by reducing the intake and an optimal functioning of the body’s elimination mechanism. Then our body responds with vibrant health and performance.

The following is a list of day-to-day tips you can adopt for effective detoxification. Just see how many you can work on and experience how amazingly our body responds to this:

THE 13 WAYS TO DE-TOX

1.       Hydration- Keep the body cells hydrated, always, with 2-3 liters of purified water, at regular intervals throughout the day. Adding a pinch of Pink Himalayan Rock salt can enrich the water with 84 ionized minerals. Try with fresh squeezed lemon which can be alkalizing, diuretic and a digestion stimulant. In his book, ‘ The Master Cleanser’ (1940), Stanley Burroughs recommends 6-12 glasses of water, + lemon, + cayenne pepper + maple syrup which can totally reboot and cleanup the body system.

2.       Stay Alkaline- Daily intake of 8-10 servings of colorful, cruciferous vegetables, greens, beans, fruits and freshly preserved juices keeps your system alkaline and greatly helps detoxification. They soothe the gut mucosa and enhance the function of GALT. Carrying a junky green juice is a status 

      symbol in fitness circle. The ABC Juice ( Apple + Beet +Carrot) 

      is an excellent liver de-tox drink.

3.       Grocery and Shopping list- Keep a close eye on your shopping list. Go for organic animal products and foods and avoid GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) foods. Remember the slogan ‘Go fresh, Go Local, Go Organic’  

4.       Sweat it out- Helps elimination of toxins through skin by exercising at least 5 days of the week. Have a scientific

      fitness program incorporating conditioning, strengthening

      and stretching. Steam bath and sauna bath can also help cleansing. 

5.   Oxygenate- Deep breathing exercises, yogic breathing (kapaala bhati) strengthen the diaphragm , heart and lungs, clears stale residual air containing carbon dioxide and toxins and saturates body cells with oxygen and life force energy

6.       Bowel Habits- Regular bowel habits with 1-3 bowel movements is good. If you are ‘not going’ support your mornings with lemon and hot water or previous nights with 2 table spoons of ground flax seeds/ pro-biotics/ magnesium citrate/ fiber supplements/ enzymes/ thriphala/ senna tea. Colon cleansing is extremely important in detoxification. 

7.       Body Massage and rubs- At least once a week do a self body massage with coconut oil or castor oil. It improves lymphatic flow, relieves muscle stiffness and fluid retentions. Dry body brushing once a week is also a lymph care method. 

8.       Tongue Scraping- Clears food coatings, bacteria, fungi, dead cells and toxins. Improves breath, taste and oral health. In Ayurveda, the practice is called JIHWA PRAKSHALAMA. 

9.       Elimination Diet- Avoid or reduce gluten (present in wheat), white sugar, white flour, milk (lactose intolerance), alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and trans-fat containing foods. Avoiding consumption of large fishes can reduce toxicity of mercury, lead and arsenic.

10.   Include herbs, spices and supplements- De-tox Green tea, Milk thistle, dandelion, turmeric, ginger, garlic and neem can help the body clear out toxins. Include a high quality multi-vitamin- mineral supplement, Vitamin C supplements, lipoic acid and N-acetylcysteine as a part of a regular nutritional supplementation program

11.       Probiotics – Even though many fermented foods contain good and friendly bacteria needed for our gut its better to have regular probiotic supplement containing lacto bacillus and bifido bacteria taken in capsule or powder form. Improves digestion, immunity and provides healthy skin and joints

12.       Adequate sleep- Sleep is a time for the body to repair and de-tox. Try to keep the biological clock intact

13.       De-tox Mind and Spirit- Guilt, fear, anxiety, grudge, and worry are all toxin emotions that need to be addressed. Meditation, Yoga, Nature walk, reading etc can recharge your mind and enhance your spiritual energy. Living in the present, forgiveness, gratitude, socializing are all great acts of detoxification. 

A detox program is like your monthly defragmentation and clean-up performed on your computer or your smart phone. It speeds up the system, clears unwanted data, corrects errors and adds life to your years and years to your life.

STAY HYDRATED

We can go without food for months but not more than 2-3 days without water. With hundreds of medical data, the impact of water on human health is proven, yet majority of the population remains unaware and uneducated about the subject. Most take too little water that they are in Chronic Unintentional dehydration (CUD). Similar to our planet Earth, 75% of human body is water. Water is crucial for life and survival. Sign of life in any planet is water.

In his sensational book titled ‘Your body’s many cries for water’ (1992) Dr Fereydoon Batamanghelidj goes to the extent of stating that “you are not sick, but thirsty”. As a physician who was a political prisoner for 3 years, he treated 3000 fellow prisoners with peptic ulcers with drinking water, dedicated his life to explore the role of water metabolism in human body. He suggested that the body indicates water shortage by pain (back pain, rheumatoid pain, migraine etc) He has emphasized the medical significance of water in the treatment and prevention of multiple sclerosis, high BP, depression, peptic ulcers, cravings, premature ageing, weight gain, asthma and allergies.

Many health challenges can be corrected by enough water intake and hence “don’t treat thirst with medication”. Adequate water intake helps clensing by regular flushing out of toxins from the body. Water maintains high energy, ensures strong immune system and keeps the skin vibrant.

How much?

How much water you need to consume depends on body size, age, physical activity, climate and overall health. As a thumb rule we can say that you need 8-10 glasses of water (2lit/day), but what I would suggest is to start listening to your body. Dry mouth is not always the first indication of dehydration. So don’t wait until you feel thirsty. CUD is indicated by tightness, contracted feel, headaches, tensed feel, cravings and sweating. On the other hand sufficient hydration is indicated by light, airy and expanded energy feel of the water system. Your body also has a HYDROSTAT (similar to the thermostat). Chronically Dehydrated people have a low hydrostat. Hence when you initially  increase your water intake, you may produce more urine/output but don’t worry,  slowly the body will tune your hydrostat to a more healthy level, retaining more water.

Note- Too much of water in the evenings can disrupt your sleep and can affect mind balance.

What to drink?

From the different options we have like well water, tap water, bottled, mineral and filtered water, the best bet is boiled filtered water. Bottled water has seen a surge in popularity recently but we need to consider the plastic bottle’s impact on the environment. Soda, tea, coffee, alcohol and energy drinks contain dehydrating agents and thus produces the opposite of the desired result. Toxicity with chlorine, fluoride, lead, mercury, cadmium etc need to be considered while selecting the water source.

1. Start a day with 2 glasses of water. You may add a squeeze of lemon, cucumber, mint, herbs, pineapple or honey.
2. Keep hydrated by regularly sipping from morning to night. Your body cells need to be always bloated with water. Avoid water intake ½ hours before and after meals
3. Carry a good quality water bottle while you travel and work.
4. Include more green tea, juices of fruits and vegetables, soups in your daily diet. Water present in vegetables and fruit juices have a higher electronic charge

Many times, myself and my clients have experimented this mega nutrient named water. The single and simplest change in the daily routine that one can make is to STAY HYDRATED and it can bring in profound improvements in your health.