Wellness

The word “protein” comes from Greek meaning “primary” or “of first quality or importance”.  When one has seen the difference in health and well-being between those who take adequate protein and those who don’t, the choice of name for this nutrient group becomes obvious.

Most of what you see when you look at a body is protein!  It is essential in the building and repair of cells.  In a healthy person, the digestive process breaks proteins down into amino acids that pass into the blood and are carried throughout the body. The cells select the amino acids they need and use them to construct new body tissue, antibodies, hormones, enzymes and blood cells.
 
As your digestive enzymes are protein, if you have enough, and of the right quality, your digestive system can function properly; if not, it can become a gamble as to what part of your food intake you are using and what will hang around without function, perhaps as excess fat or tissue or sediments that clog up the natural flows of the body.
 
Throughout life, protein is broken down by enzymes in your cells and if you want to maintain health, new amino acids must be present for replacement by the cells, using enzymes. The waste products are excreted by the kidneys.  If the diet is adequate, all this can happen smoothly.
 
When excess protein is eaten, the liver withdraws amino acids from the blood and changes them into storage protein.  As your cells use amino acids, they are replenished from the stored protein. When other calorie producing food is used up, the body will also convert the storage protein to glucose and fat for energy production and excrete the nitrogenous part (nitrogen in the diet comes only from protein). In times of stress, protein is used up faster and replacement needs can be greatly increased.
 
If the stored protein is depleted in these processes (normal replacement of protein and also energy production when other calorie-producing foods have been used up) then less important body tissues are broken down to replace the amino acids in more vital structures. That is when problems start setting in as blood proteins, hormones, enzymes and antibodies cannot be produced in needed amounts.  When this happens muscles will lose tone, wrinkles will appear, aging will accelerate and the body will be exposed to unnecessary risks of infections. Thus it is not difficult to understand why various nutritionists have predicted in writing for the last several decades that immune systems will be inadequate in parts of the world where protein intakes are traditionally low.  Possibly it explains some of the controversies that rage around the world regarding the causes and correct handlings of diseases and syndromes related to the immune system.
 
Protein quality is expressed in terms of the number of amino acids present. There are 22 amino acids that the body needs under usual circumstances.  Of these, 8 are called “essential” amino acids. This does not mean the others are less important, rather it is a term meaning that they are not produced by the body so have to come from the diet.  Foods containing all 8 essential amino acids in adequate amounts are called COMPLETE protein.

Enough complete protein can support health and, for the most part, it seems that only complete proteins are used by the liver to make storage protein.  The liver does not seem to be able to make storage protein from a combination of plant foods which contain amongst them all the essential amino acids if they are taken simultaneously – that is, it does not work to take some of the essential amino acids in one meal and the balance in another meal, they must be taken together for the liver to be able to make storage protein.
 
Complete proteins are: muscle meats (e.g. red meats, fish and chicken), whole eggs, soy beans, wheat germ and certain nuts.
 
More foods that contain essential amino acids in abundance and are thus considered high quality: raw (un-pasteurized) fresh milk, liver, kidneys, egg yolk, brewer’s yeast. Modernly, whey proteins are specially prepared for people who have poor appetites or those who wish an easy supplementation for body-building and so forth.
 
Some common incomplete proteins are: peas, beans, lentils, cereals, flour with germ removed. These cannot, on their own, support life adequately.
 
Some protein foods are borderline - peanuts can support growth and maintenance but not reproduction; in roasting nuts, lysine is harmed. Bread and baked beans taken together may barely supply enough complete protein.
 
Protein intake should be adequate to providing stored protein for replacement of amino acid breakdown by the cells. It would be wise to go more than a minimum in this respect to cope with high stress levels.  Protein should be used as the basic foundation of a meal and then moderate use of carbohydrates and fats should be taken care of that would provide calories for energy in proportion to one’s activity level. Used like this,  if calorie producing foods are used up then there would still be energy production from stored protein when needed and excess carbs and fats would not be problem in as far as unwanted fat build-ups are concerned.
 
Also one should not be too anxious that meat causes high cholesterol and gout and such. Generally gout attacks are preceded by stress. Stress would cause the breakdown of cells thus releasing the acid from many cell nuclei.  It takes something of that order of magnitude to produce the excessive acidity associated with gout. Reducing intake of protein at such a time would cause more stress and thus worsen the situation and not allow the body to cope in producing new storage protein to keep pace with the breakdown of cells. Cholesterol, generally speaking, becomes a problem when too many heated fats are taken and not enough of the B vitamins choline (used in major oil-utilization enzymes) and inositol (natural emulsifier) are taken.  Non-hydrogenated fats containing essential fatty acids and cholesterol alike are needed by the body in adequate amounts but they need to usable. Heating them alters the chemical structure and contributes to clogging up blood vessels.  The method of heating is not as important in this change as the degree of heat and the length of time they are heated. The hotter an oil gets and the longer it is heated the more likely it is that it becomes unusable or even toxic to the body.

Dr Gatza has found that it is often the case that if people are sensitive to the foods that they eat with their meat – bread, butter, potatoes, cheese, etc, etc., they cannot properly digest all the food.  So, it is very likely these other foods that are causing their health problems and not the meat.

Total Shake contains no additives, stimulants or food allergens and a unique, high quality rice protein concentrate, produced through a patented process and fortified with the amino acids threonine and lysine, resulting in a complete and easily digested vegetable protein.

Here’s to your Total Health!
Leila
082 809 1024   leila@totalshake.co.za