De-mystifying Protein

De-mystifying Protein

by Dr Nance MacLeod-Lutchin

Food is fuel to our body and each of us need a certain type of fuel to run our body at an optimal level. Knowing your own nutritional type is a great start to creating the best environment for your body’s optimal health. At the end of this article you will find a link to the nutritional typing test. No matter what type you are you will need protein in your diet.

High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets are the hottest thing since sliced cheese and every food merchant in the world appears to want a portion of the protein pie.

Body builders are frantically drinking down protein shakes, believing that they need one gram of protein for every pound they weight.

Dieters are trying the Dukan Diet, the Akins diet, the 4 hour body diet and living on meat, protein bars and shakes. Dieters are staying away from bread, rice, pasta, vegetables, and fruit in hopes of quick weight loss.

How much protein do we really need?

Each person needs a minimum of 40 grams of protein a day and the latest studies have shown that women over 40 years old need at least 80 grams a day. Some women have found that they feel best and lose weight when they have 100 to 125 grams of protein a day. If you are feeling fatigued all the time, have aches and pains and you cannot seem to lose pounds, you may need more protein. To find your ideal amount you need to pay attention to your body.

Is protein good for us?

Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Everyone needs protein.

What are the good proteins?

Fish, seafood’s, white meat (skin removed), lean beef and pork, farm fresh eggs, Greek yogurt, organic or drug free low fat diary products, hemp hearts, algae, sea vegetables, legumes, brown rice, nuts and seeds.

Is Soy good healthy protein?

Please note I do not recommend soy products. All soy foods are not health foods in fact I believe promoting soy as a health food is a crime.

There are many dangers of eating soy, including the fact that soy inhibits assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc. Soy stunts growth in children, has been linked to breast cancer, negatively affects the endocrine system, and may cause pancreatic disorders just to name a few. To learn more I suggest you Google the dangers of soy.

Are protein shakes really the answer to weight loss?

Please remember that a lot of the information being provided about protein comes from companies that sell protein supplements and they want you to buy their product. I do not have an endorsement contract with anyone. I just want to help you make informed decisions. The main reason I like protein powders is that they are easy and fast meal replacements. I have a shake with in 30 minutes of waking every morning and if I am tight for time at lunch or supper I will have another one. Protein shakes and be can help you loss weight, get extra protein, help you eat less if you choose the right ones.

When you read the ingredients in a protein shake, the least amount of ingredients is usually the best. A good protein shake is whey protein isolate (either cold cross-flow filtered or micro filtered), chocolate or raw vanilla, and a natural low calorie sweetener like Xylitol or stevia. Some may add fiber, juice powder, powdered greens and vitamins which is okay but not really needed. You can even purchase unflavored and use in smoothies. All ingredients should be natural, drug free, and/or organic.

I prefer whey protein isolates over whey protein concentrates because the isolate is lower in calories, and has less lactose, fat and cholesterol. If you are lactose intolerant or you have problems with gas and bloating, then the whey protein isolate may be a better option. All whey is an extremely good source of protein. Whey has a high biological value (BV). A high BV means that the amino acid ratio is exceptional for building muscle and that a large proportion of the protein consumed is absorbed and utilized by the body. Building muscle of course increases your metabolism which helps your body become it ideal weight and shape.

There are also many vegan protein shakes made with brown rice protein, hemp protein, pumpkin seed protein, and pea protein. I personally have found the ones I tried gritty and unpalatable. They also did not shake up as smoothly as whey protein isolate.

This has been my experience with the vegan protein shakes, please keep if you are vegan keep trying different ones as I have not tried them all, The same rules apply the least amount of ingredients the better and all natural sweeteners like Xylitol and stevia is best.

I hope this information will help you choose the best protein shake for you and your lifestyle.

As promised below is the link for Dr Mercola’s

Nutritional Typing test.

http://products.mercola.com/nutritional-typing Pay attention to your body. Do you have more energy? Are you sleeping better? Are you finally losing excess pounds?

Knowing your nutritional type is a great first step to your perfect health and body weight.

Below are the 3 types:

Mixed Types

Mixed Types require food combinations somewhere between carb and protein type groups. This type requires quite a bit of fine-tuning and listening to your body, making it the most challenging type of the Nutritional Typing types.

Protein Types

Protein Types operate best on a low-carbohydrate, high-protein and relatively high-fat diet (healthy fat that is). These ratios are detailed for you in your Nutritional Typing profile to help you make the wisest food choices.

Carb Types

Carb Types normally feel best when most of their food is healthy carbohydrates. Yet, there are major differences between classes of carbs such as vegetables and grains. With Nutritional Typing you will discover which carbs are best for your unique physiology

Dr MacLeod-Lutchin is a proven expert on Natural Pro-active Health Services, International Speaker, Professor, and Retreat Facilitator. She accepts new patients at the Eagle Valley Health Centre, 2334 St Paul Ave, Niagara Falls & at Dundas Hygiene & Wellness Studio, 155 King Street West, Dundas ON.

To book an appointment or more information

CALL 289-669-0015 or email her at drNanceMacleod@gmail.com

Web sites are www.thewellnessdiva.org or www.schoolofnewmedicine.com