Put your hand on your chest and feel your heart beat. Now put your hand where you can feel your pulse. That pulse is the signature of your being. Your heart , creating that pulse, is working for you every minute of the day, every day of the year, every year of your entire life. If you live an average lifetime , your heart will beat about 3 billion times.
Now take a moment to realize that during the time it takes you to read the above an artery in the heart of roughly one Australian clogged up, cut of blood flow and started a rapid process of tissue and cell death. This process is better known as a heart attack. By the time you finish reading this blog four Australians will have had heart attack, and another four will have fallen prey to a stroke or heart failure Over the next twenty four hours 3,000 Australians heart attack this is roughly the same number of people who perished on 911.
The heart is the centerpiece of life and more often than not in Australia it is the centerpiece of death. Malfunction of the heart and/or circulation system will kill 30% of Australians more than those killed by any other injury or ailment, including cancer. Heart disease has been our number one cause of death for almost one hundred years. This disease does not recognize gender or race boundaries, all affected. If you were to ask women what disease poses the greatest risk to them heart disease or breast cancer, many would undoubtedly say breast cancer. But they would be wrong. Women death rates from heart disease is eight times higher than death rates from breast cancer. If this is an Australian game it is rugby an Australian dessert Pavlova . if there is an Australian disease its heart disease.
So why all the Animal Protein?
That’s for next week.
If you do not want to be a stat email me back and learn how not to be one.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Protein: Facts & Fallacies
Protein: Facts & Fallacies
Enter any fitness center today and ask the first gym enthusiast you see, "what should I eat to build lean muscle?" Nine times out of ten, they will say protein. "Eat loads of protein mate"....... Stimulants, amino's, shakes and sports drinks that look like techno colored cocktails are all the go, but the main mantra is protein.
Supplement stores are packed to the roof with tubs that resemble garbage bins full of whey protein; a cheap byproduct of dairy. Slap a 20 inch bicep on the label, a cheesy slogan that says "GET MASSIVE GET RIPPED," throw in an extra 500 grams FREE and that's all it takes to influence the impressionable and sometimes ignorant consumer dollar.
Nutrition is a complicated subject. Due to the lack of formal training available on nutrition science within the fitness industry, it makes this environment a marketers paradise!
There is a kernel of truth to the whole protein campaign, that is, protein is a building block and it is essential to health. Although how much is necessary for optimal functioning has truly been blown out of proportion, way out. Gym goers today religiously weigh their protein portions daily, gram for gram with a rigid belief that maximizing protein intake will truly make the difference in physical appearance and performance.
However, do we really need to stuff ourselves full of protein to achieve peak performance? Thousands of professional sports stars know the importance of balanced nutrition in health and performance. Olympic champion Carl Lewis crowned his career with his best long jump in two years to win a record-tying ninth gold medal. Lewis, of course, is a longtime plant based eater, for sometime Leroy Burrell and Carl Lewis traded titles back and forth when they were being hailed as the fastest sprinters in the world - both thrived on low protein plant based diets. Dr. Benjamin Spock
Carl Lewis said: "Your body is your temple. If you nourish it properly, it will be good to you and you will increase its longevity."
A large majority of fitness trainers, especially body builders are convinced that protein is the secret to building a muscular physique. A training program and consuming sufficient calories builds bigger muscles, not protein consumption. Anyone exercising or strength training will need more protein, but only as a percentage of total calories, as all nutritional requirements increase, not just protein!
"I have not seen one paper demonstrating that if I take a 'super dooper, max power, protein shake,' that an individual will put on an extra kilo of muscle. If you want to put on an extra kilo of lean muscle, eat 2500 extra calories than you need in one week, have a real good training program and the rest is up to genetics." Jack Medina, Exercise Physiologist/ Olympic Coach
Can we be getting too much of a good thing? The old paradigm, if a little bit is good, then a lot must be even better, couldn't be further from the truth. Take a peek behind the veil of tricky marketing campaigns that use sports stars, among other clever tactics that sell and you will find that human protein needs are actually quiet low and excess protein has disastrous consequences to long-term health.
'Facts'
Protein is used to build healthy cells, tissue and organs, immune cells such as antibodies, enzymes and hormones. Protein isn't a very efficient fuel source and is better used as a building block. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that human protein needs are only 2.5% of total calories and set the standard at 5% to ensure that people safely consume enough.
There are 22 amino acids, 8 are essential, meaning that you need to acquire them through your diet because your body can't synthesize them on its own. The 8 essential amino acids can all be found in animal based protein. Most plants do not contain all eight, however, protein is abundant in plant-foods and all the essential amino acids are obtained while an individual is eating varied diet surrounding complex carbohydrates. Plants contain a perfect mixture of macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals), delivered in sink with our bodies energy needs.
The fact that animal foods contain all 8 essential amino acids has formed popular belief that plants are an inferior source of protein. This is not true. Unlike animal foods, acquiring nutrients through vegetation not only delivers adequate protein for optimal functioning and health, but also delivers thousands of other essential nutrients and non-caloric food factors. Whole plant foods provide more bang for your nutrient buck! It is an absolute fallacy that one needs to eat large quantities of animal based protein or practice food combining to achieve protein completeness at each meal.
"On average 25% of calories in vegetables are from protein. A banana is about 3.5 % protein, about the same as mothers milk. Fruit and starchy vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, corn, carrots and butternut squash are predominately carbohydrates but also contain some fat and protein. Green vegetables are about half protein, quarter carbohydrate, and a quarter fat. Legumes and beans are about half carbohydrate, a quarter protein, and a quarter fat" Eat to Live Dr. Joel Fuhrman MD
"An individual would have to be suffering from a calorie deficiency to not be getting enough protein, meaning, they are not eating any food, such as those people starving in third world countries."
Dr. Pam Popper PhD ND
So, why do the advertising messages fail to tell us this? You don't need to be clever to work it out. "Money." People, while remaining uncertain about their best health practices, will continue to present a big market for pills, potions, supplements and gadgets that make some people financially rich, but most people health poor.
Today people consume far too many daily calories from protein and the majority of those calories are of animal origin. Because protein isn't a very efficient fuel, excess protein must be eliminated from the body. The organs for excretion for animal protein are the liver and kidneys and this continual elimination of waste prematurely ages these organs.
Professor W. G. Robertson from the Medical Research Council in Leeds England, is one of the worlds foremost experts on dietary kidney stones. Dr. Robertson's and his team started to investigate the relationship between food and kidney stones with some depth over 30 years ago and to-date have published over 100 papers since the 1960's. Robertson's work illustrates a clear relationship between animal protein consumption and kidney stone formation, especially when animal protein exceeds 21g per person, per day. Although his team have developed a model for identifying over 6 risk factors for kidney stone formation, animal protein remains the major culprit.1,2
Other studies have clearly demonstrated that low protein diets delay the end stage of renal failure.3 Research conducted in Asia has shown that when animal protein exceeds 10% of total weekly calories, the rates of heart disease and cancer run parallel with increased protein intake.4 Well designed animal experiments also confirm animal protein to be a powerful cancer promoter at levels consistent with the average daily intake in the West. 5,6
Protein is essential to health, however, it must be eaten in natures balance with all other nutrients. Consuming a balanced diet that comprises primarily of complex carbohydrates, small amounts of organic lean meats (if you choose to include them) will provide all the protein one needs to play, perform and be healthy. If an individual chooses to run the gauntlet by fueling their body with lopsided nutrition, strong evidence suggests your dietary preferences will wear you down prematurely. Cultures who eat low protein, vegetable based diets do not succumb to cancer, heart disease, renal failure or many other diseases of affluence.7,8,9,10,11
References:
1. Robertson WG, Peacock M, Heyburn PJ, et al. "Risk factors in calcium stone disease of the urinary tract." Brit J. Urology 50 (1978):449-431
2. Robertson WG, Epidemiological risk factors in calcium stone disease." Scand. J. Urol. Nephrol. Suppl. 53 (1980)15-30
3. Fouque, D., P. Wang, M. Laville, and J.P. Boissel. 2000. Low protein diets delay end-stage renal disease in non-diabetic adults with chronic renal failure. Nephrol. Dial. Transplant 15 (12): 1986-92.
4. Campbell TC, Chen J, Brun T, et al. "China: from diseases of poverty to diseases of affluence. Policy implications of the epidemiological transition." Ecol. Food Nutr. 27 (1992): 133-144.
5. Appleton BS, and Campbell TC. "Inhibition of Aflatoxin-initiated preneoplastic liver and Aflatoxin by low dietary protein."Nutr. Cancer 3 (1982) 200-206
6. Dunaif GE, and Campbell TC. "Relative contribution of dietary protein level and Aflatoxin B dose in generation of presumptive preneoplastic foci in rat liver." J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 78 (1987): 365-369
7. Li J-Y, Liu B-Q, Li G-Y, et al. "Atlas of cancer mortality in the People's Republic of China. An aid for cancer control and research." Int. Epid. 10 (1981): 127-133
8. Connor WE, Cerqueira MT, Connor RW, et al. The plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and diet of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico. Am J Clin Nutr 1978;31:1131-42.
9.Sinnett PF, Whyte HM. Epidemiological studies in a total highland population, Tukisenta, New Guinea. Cardiovascular disease and relevant clinical, electrocardiographic, radiological and biochemical findings. J Chron Diseases 1973; 26:265.
10. Campbell TC, Parpia B, Chen J. Diet, lifestyle, and the etiology of coronary artery disease: The Cornell China Study. Am J Card 1998;82(10B):18T-21T.
11. Miller K. Lipid values in Kalahari Bushman. Arch Intern Med 1968; 121:414.
Sincerely,
Sean Kirsten
Transformation creating Life Styles that work
Enter any fitness center today and ask the first gym enthusiast you see, "what should I eat to build lean muscle?" Nine times out of ten, they will say protein. "Eat loads of protein mate"....... Stimulants, amino's, shakes and sports drinks that look like techno colored cocktails are all the go, but the main mantra is protein.
Supplement stores are packed to the roof with tubs that resemble garbage bins full of whey protein; a cheap byproduct of dairy. Slap a 20 inch bicep on the label, a cheesy slogan that says "GET MASSIVE GET RIPPED," throw in an extra 500 grams FREE and that's all it takes to influence the impressionable and sometimes ignorant consumer dollar.
Nutrition is a complicated subject. Due to the lack of formal training available on nutrition science within the fitness industry, it makes this environment a marketers paradise!
There is a kernel of truth to the whole protein campaign, that is, protein is a building block and it is essential to health. Although how much is necessary for optimal functioning has truly been blown out of proportion, way out. Gym goers today religiously weigh their protein portions daily, gram for gram with a rigid belief that maximizing protein intake will truly make the difference in physical appearance and performance.
However, do we really need to stuff ourselves full of protein to achieve peak performance? Thousands of professional sports stars know the importance of balanced nutrition in health and performance. Olympic champion Carl Lewis crowned his career with his best long jump in two years to win a record-tying ninth gold medal. Lewis, of course, is a longtime plant based eater, for sometime Leroy Burrell and Carl Lewis traded titles back and forth when they were being hailed as the fastest sprinters in the world - both thrived on low protein plant based diets. Dr. Benjamin Spock
Carl Lewis said: "Your body is your temple. If you nourish it properly, it will be good to you and you will increase its longevity."
A large majority of fitness trainers, especially body builders are convinced that protein is the secret to building a muscular physique. A training program and consuming sufficient calories builds bigger muscles, not protein consumption. Anyone exercising or strength training will need more protein, but only as a percentage of total calories, as all nutritional requirements increase, not just protein!
"I have not seen one paper demonstrating that if I take a 'super dooper, max power, protein shake,' that an individual will put on an extra kilo of muscle. If you want to put on an extra kilo of lean muscle, eat 2500 extra calories than you need in one week, have a real good training program and the rest is up to genetics." Jack Medina, Exercise Physiologist/ Olympic Coach
Can we be getting too much of a good thing? The old paradigm, if a little bit is good, then a lot must be even better, couldn't be further from the truth. Take a peek behind the veil of tricky marketing campaigns that use sports stars, among other clever tactics that sell and you will find that human protein needs are actually quiet low and excess protein has disastrous consequences to long-term health.
'Facts'
Protein is used to build healthy cells, tissue and organs, immune cells such as antibodies, enzymes and hormones. Protein isn't a very efficient fuel source and is better used as a building block. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that human protein needs are only 2.5% of total calories and set the standard at 5% to ensure that people safely consume enough.
There are 22 amino acids, 8 are essential, meaning that you need to acquire them through your diet because your body can't synthesize them on its own. The 8 essential amino acids can all be found in animal based protein. Most plants do not contain all eight, however, protein is abundant in plant-foods and all the essential amino acids are obtained while an individual is eating varied diet surrounding complex carbohydrates. Plants contain a perfect mixture of macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals), delivered in sink with our bodies energy needs.
The fact that animal foods contain all 8 essential amino acids has formed popular belief that plants are an inferior source of protein. This is not true. Unlike animal foods, acquiring nutrients through vegetation not only delivers adequate protein for optimal functioning and health, but also delivers thousands of other essential nutrients and non-caloric food factors. Whole plant foods provide more bang for your nutrient buck! It is an absolute fallacy that one needs to eat large quantities of animal based protein or practice food combining to achieve protein completeness at each meal.
"On average 25% of calories in vegetables are from protein. A banana is about 3.5 % protein, about the same as mothers milk. Fruit and starchy vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, corn, carrots and butternut squash are predominately carbohydrates but also contain some fat and protein. Green vegetables are about half protein, quarter carbohydrate, and a quarter fat. Legumes and beans are about half carbohydrate, a quarter protein, and a quarter fat" Eat to Live Dr. Joel Fuhrman MD
"An individual would have to be suffering from a calorie deficiency to not be getting enough protein, meaning, they are not eating any food, such as those people starving in third world countries."
Dr. Pam Popper PhD ND
So, why do the advertising messages fail to tell us this? You don't need to be clever to work it out. "Money." People, while remaining uncertain about their best health practices, will continue to present a big market for pills, potions, supplements and gadgets that make some people financially rich, but most people health poor.
Today people consume far too many daily calories from protein and the majority of those calories are of animal origin. Because protein isn't a very efficient fuel, excess protein must be eliminated from the body. The organs for excretion for animal protein are the liver and kidneys and this continual elimination of waste prematurely ages these organs.
Professor W. G. Robertson from the Medical Research Council in Leeds England, is one of the worlds foremost experts on dietary kidney stones. Dr. Robertson's and his team started to investigate the relationship between food and kidney stones with some depth over 30 years ago and to-date have published over 100 papers since the 1960's. Robertson's work illustrates a clear relationship between animal protein consumption and kidney stone formation, especially when animal protein exceeds 21g per person, per day. Although his team have developed a model for identifying over 6 risk factors for kidney stone formation, animal protein remains the major culprit.1,2
Other studies have clearly demonstrated that low protein diets delay the end stage of renal failure.3 Research conducted in Asia has shown that when animal protein exceeds 10% of total weekly calories, the rates of heart disease and cancer run parallel with increased protein intake.4 Well designed animal experiments also confirm animal protein to be a powerful cancer promoter at levels consistent with the average daily intake in the West. 5,6
Protein is essential to health, however, it must be eaten in natures balance with all other nutrients. Consuming a balanced diet that comprises primarily of complex carbohydrates, small amounts of organic lean meats (if you choose to include them) will provide all the protein one needs to play, perform and be healthy. If an individual chooses to run the gauntlet by fueling their body with lopsided nutrition, strong evidence suggests your dietary preferences will wear you down prematurely. Cultures who eat low protein, vegetable based diets do not succumb to cancer, heart disease, renal failure or many other diseases of affluence.7,8,9,10,11
References:
1. Robertson WG, Peacock M, Heyburn PJ, et al. "Risk factors in calcium stone disease of the urinary tract." Brit J. Urology 50 (1978):449-431
2. Robertson WG, Epidemiological risk factors in calcium stone disease." Scand. J. Urol. Nephrol. Suppl. 53 (1980)15-30
3. Fouque, D., P. Wang, M. Laville, and J.P. Boissel. 2000. Low protein diets delay end-stage renal disease in non-diabetic adults with chronic renal failure. Nephrol. Dial. Transplant 15 (12): 1986-92.
4. Campbell TC, Chen J, Brun T, et al. "China: from diseases of poverty to diseases of affluence. Policy implications of the epidemiological transition." Ecol. Food Nutr. 27 (1992): 133-144.
5. Appleton BS, and Campbell TC. "Inhibition of Aflatoxin-initiated preneoplastic liver and Aflatoxin by low dietary protein."Nutr. Cancer 3 (1982) 200-206
6. Dunaif GE, and Campbell TC. "Relative contribution of dietary protein level and Aflatoxin B dose in generation of presumptive preneoplastic foci in rat liver." J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 78 (1987): 365-369
7. Li J-Y, Liu B-Q, Li G-Y, et al. "Atlas of cancer mortality in the People's Republic of China. An aid for cancer control and research." Int. Epid. 10 (1981): 127-133
8. Connor WE, Cerqueira MT, Connor RW, et al. The plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and diet of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico. Am J Clin Nutr 1978;31:1131-42.
9.Sinnett PF, Whyte HM. Epidemiological studies in a total highland population, Tukisenta, New Guinea. Cardiovascular disease and relevant clinical, electrocardiographic, radiological and biochemical findings. J Chron Diseases 1973; 26:265.
10. Campbell TC, Parpia B, Chen J. Diet, lifestyle, and the etiology of coronary artery disease: The Cornell China Study. Am J Card 1998;82(10B):18T-21T.
11. Miller K. Lipid values in Kalahari Bushman. Arch Intern Med 1968; 121:414.
Sincerely,
Sean Kirsten
Transformation creating Life Styles that work
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