Beware of Eating Too much Protein

Protein is an essential nutrient, and is vital to your health. It is used to build muscles, skin, hair and nails. However, many people put their health at risk by eating too much protein.
The typical American diet already provides plenty of protein and there is no point in adding any more, unlike fat cells, there is no place in the body to store protein so the excess is eliminated or is seen as fat rather than muscle.
So what you need to do is to consume just enough protein to allow your muscles to be healthy, perform work and grow. But how much is just enough?
You only use protein for about 15% of your energy use, the majority of energy comes from fats and carbohydrates. Exercising doesn抰 necessarily mean that you require more protein but more carbohydrates to stop your body breaking down protein and using that for energy.
Try to make sure that 70% of your protein comes from sources such as meat, fish, eggs or poultry. The complete protein provided by these foods combines with incomplete protein consumed from other food sources. So your body makes the best of all the protein that you consume.
If you are consuming too much protein, you are probably consuming too many calories over your maintenance levels and this will show as an increase in your body fat levels. And with the advent of the latest fad high protein diets, not enough carbohydrates are being consumed so the protein is converted to glucose and not converted into muscle growth.
What is needed for muscle growth is not more protein but high intensity strength training with the required amount of time for rest and recovery between sessions. Because that major bodybuilding star you saw in the latest magazine requires 300 grams of protein a day doesn't mean that you have to. What he won't tell you is that taking Steroids is behind his muscle gains and not his diet.
High intensity strength training and not food stimulates muscle growth.
Consuming excessive amounts of protein is not only bad for your liver and kidneys but also promotes vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It is also linked to osteoporosis and some forms of cancer.
One way to overcome the need to eat large quantities of protein is to increase the consumption of protein in stages until a maximum efficiency point is reached and then to drastically reduce it again. This obliges the body to over-compensate by increasing the efficiency for the absorption of protein into the body.

An example of a Protein Loading diet is found below.



Week One


Breakfast: Poached egg on toast, cereal with fruit and milk.

Snack: Fruit and protein shake.

Lunch: Chicken, potato, and vegetables. Fresh fruit salad.

Snack: Nuts, fruit, and biscuits with cheese.

Dinner: Fish any style, rice, vegetables, whole meal bread and fruit salad.

Week Two


Breakfast: Two poached eggs on toast, cereal with fruit salad and milk.

Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.

Lunch: Chicken with potatoes and vegetables (any style)

Snack: Nuts, fruit, biscuits with cheese.

Dinner: Roast Beef with vegetables, brown rice, whole meal bread.


Week Three


Breakfast: Three eggs any style on toast, cereal with fruit and milk.

Snack: Nuts, fruit, and protein shake.

Lunch: Turkey with potatoes and vegetables, brown rice, whole meal bread.

Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.

Dinner: ?Chicken, potatoes, veggies, brown rice, whole meal bread.

Before Bed: Protein shake.


Week Four



Breakfast: Four eggs any style on toast, cereal with fruit and milk.

Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.

Lunch: Spaghetti with meat sauce, potatoes, brown rice, whole meal bread.

Snack: Nuts, fruit, protein shake.

Dinner: Roast Pork, potatoes, brown rice, whole meal bread.

Before Bed: Protein shake.



After week four of this protein loading diet, move from the max intake of protein to the lowest. So in the fifth week go back to week one menu, in the sixth week, week two menu and so on.

This protein loading diet provides a balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates and combined with high intensity strength training will be very effective in increasing muscular bodyweight without the need to ingest large quantities of protein.

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C-Reactive Protein, the New Testing Standard

The latest factor to determine your risk of a heart attack is the C-Reactive Protein (CRP) test. CRP is a molecule produced by the liver in response to an inflammatory response. A simple blood test can check your CRP level. A reading of 3.0 or higher triples your risk for a heart attack.

Under normal circumstances, inflammation is a short term condition; signs include swelling, redness, and warmth. The swelling and redness are caused by extra blood flow to the injured area. This brings in more infection fighting white blood cells to the area. The warmth is another of your body抯 defense mechanisms. Microbes are killed by heat. In the short term, this is not a problem.

When chronic inflammation is present, the CRP levels increase. Chronic inflammation can be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, long-term infections, smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure. It is also caused by plaque buildup in the blood vessels. There is now evidence that chronic low-grade inflammation causes atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.

Here are ways to lower CRP:

1. Lower Your Stress ?proven methods include exercise, meditation, laughter, and having pets

2. Diet ?olive oil, walnuts, salmon, mackerel, herring, tomatoes, blueberries, eggplant, grains, whole grain foods, fruits, and vegetables all have an anti-inflammatory effect

3. Smoking ?just another reason to stop

4. Dental Hygiene ?science has linked cavities, gingivitis, and missing teeth to cardiovascular disease; the same bacteria that causes tooth decay, causes inflammation in the blood vessels

5. Lose Weight ?fat cells secrete inflammation causing proteins into the bloodstream

6. Air Pollution ?long-term exposure to car exhaust and coal power plants provokes inflammation

7. Alcohol ?one drink per day has an anti-inflammatory effect

The following medications are being studied for their cardiovascular anti-inflammatory effect:

1. Statins ?aside from lowering cholesterol, they may reduce CRP levels in just two weeks

2. ACE Inhibitors ?lowers blood pressure as well as CRP

3. Diabetes Meds ?Actos and Avandia have been shown to lower CRP

4. Aspirin ?current research looks promising, another reason to take a daily aspirin

5. Multivitamins ?showen to reduce CRP by 1/3 after six months


Researchers are still studying the exact connection between inflammation and heart disease. I would recommend adding a CRP test next time you are getting a routine blood test. It is rather inexpensive and could shine some light on a possible problem before it is too late.

For more free information, free articles, and free newsletter, visit www.rxcostcutters.com

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Protein: Your Plate Is The Key To A Healthier You

Sixty percent of Americans say they'd like to lose 20 pounds, according to a new 2006 survey. If you are one of the tens of millions of Americans looking to take a few inches off your waistline, protein may help your weight loss program.

Protein, an important nutrient and fuel for the body, also aids in weight loss, according to researchers who have found a link between protein and hunger. French scientists from Lyon University found a potential new target for the treatment of eating disorders. "It is well known that protein feeding decreases hunger sensation and subsequent food intake in animals and humans," said study author Gilles Mithieux. Protein not only provides satiety, but aids in maintaining lean muscle mass while losing unwanted fat.

Another recent study demonstrated the beneficial impact of protein. People following lower-carbohydrate/higher-protein diets lost more weight than those on a low-fat/low-cholesterol/low-calorie diet over a six-month period, although differences in weight loss after one year were similar for both diets. Improvements in some risk factors for coronary heart disease were seen in the low-carbohydrate/higher-protein diet group, including greater decreases in triglycerides and greater increases in HDL cholesterol (also referred to as good cholesterol) levels.

Including lean meat and poultry in your diet can be healthy as well as convenient. "Certain cuts or parts of beef, chicken, pork and turkey are all packed with protein, low in fat and saturated fat, and have an excellent nutrient profile," notes nutrition expert Michelle Tuttle, R.D. Look for lower-fat meat and poultry choices such as:

• Lean beef cuts such as round steaks and roasts (round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.

• Lean pork such as pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.

• Extra-lean ground beef. The label should say at least "90% lean." You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean.

• Ground white meat turkey (99% fat free).

• Skinless poultry-chicken or turkey-or take off the skin before eating.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets or turkey tenderloins are the leanest poultry choices.

• Choose lean turkey, roast beef, ham, or low-fat luncheon meats for sandwiches instead of luncheon meats with more fat, such as regular bologna or salami.

While there are both animal and plant sources for protein, meat products such as lean meat and poultry offer essential vitamins and minerals that are often lacking in the American diet. Mix in some physical activity and you have a great recipe for a healthier lifestyle in 2006. Bon Appetit!

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All About Protein

Proteins are very important to our bodies. It isn't just for bodybuilders who use them to gain muscle mass. Those who are sick use them to rebuild damaged tissue and even in normal states, our body uses protein for many different tasks.

Proteins are made of amino acids that are folded together. There are essential amino acids - those that our body cannot make, and non essential amino acids - those that our body can make. Proteins that are made up of all the essential amino acids are said to be complete while those that lack in one or more essential amino acid are incomplete. Complete proteins come from sources such as meat, eggs, cheese, dairy and soy. Incomplete proteins come mainly from vegetable sources with the one exception being soy.

The ideal source should be complete proteins. For most people that isn't a problem. If you are worried about fat intake, try lean cuts of beef, chicken and turkey. For vegetarians whose main source comes from incomplete proteins, getting a variety of vegetables and whole grains throughout the day will ensure that all essential amino acids are consumed. Also, using soy protein (which is the only complete vegetable source of protein) is very beneficial.

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Nutritional Benefits of Whey Protein

Adequate nutrition for your body before and after strenuous work-outs is important in order for you to reap the maximum benefits from your efforts. An increasingly popular way of achieving this is through the use of natural Whey Protein supplements.

Nowadays many athletes, especially Body Builders, are utilizing natural Whey Protein supplements to replenish protein levels that are burned off through hard-core exercise routines. Amino Acids prevent deterioration in muscle tissue as well as provide endurance and assist in building mass. Proteins help supply these amino acids.

- So what exactly is Whey Protein?

Whey Protein is derived from cow's milk and is also a by-product of making cheese, which in the past was typically thrown out as a waste product. We now know that Whey Protein is rich in amino acids essential for building muscle and overall good health.

Whey Protein is also naturally found in breast milk as well as some types of baby formula. Although protein is also found in other foods such as meats and vegetables, Whey Protein is known to have the highest digestible levels of protein that the body can use.

Whey Protein offers several other health benefits like a healthier immune system, stronger bones, weight loss, and just plain overall better well being. Whey Protein is also sometimes used to help speed the healing of wounds or burns.

- Are there risks or side affects?

Since Whey Protein is derived from food it doesn't have any of the risks associated with man-made supplements. However, you can even have too much of a good thing if you're not careful. Extreme high use can be more than your liver can handle. Moderation is always best.

For those who are lactose intolerant, there is Whey Protein Isolate which has less than 1% lactose.

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