Protein

First of all, let me begin by apologizing for my lack of entries. I am trying to finish up things here at my other school, so I haven't really had the time or effort to invest in it. But that will come back once I graduate (May 3rd - day of celebration indeed).

Next, remember how I said I would test the Vitamin C theory out for the next "aunt flow" visitation? Well, I am walking proof that it is effective. I usually want to tear open my abdomen with an old, rusty knife in order to take out my uterus on the first day. That is the pain I experience. I am happy to report it has been two days and I have not ingested even one pain killer (by now it would be at least 12 that I have taken! I know, excessive). I have taken approximately 4,000mg of Vitamin C each day and some extra Calcium and Magnesium. Don't get me wrong, I can still feel what is going on in my body, but it is not a debilitating pain. Thank God.

Moving on, protein. Protein is essential to your body - for rebuilding tissues, making enzymes and hormones and many other things. The thing is, some people think eating a lot of protein is beneficial. Unfortunately that is an incorrect assumption. The excess protein gets in the way of ones health. Protein naturally leaves an acidic ash when broken down, so too much of it will cause the acid in your body to build up and become toxic. The best way to keep your body on the alkaline end of things is to eat 80% alkaline foods - so plants/fruits/veggies/grains - and 20% acid foods - any animal products and a very FEW fruits. That would go on to show that those high protein diets do not much more then make you acidic inside and much more susceptible to disease.

Excess protein also disrupts the osmotic balance of the cells. Osmotic balance is essentially the equality of pressure between the fluids on either side of the cell membrane - inside and outside of the cell. When it is out of balance - because of an excess of protein inside the cell - the cell brings in more fluids. This is done in order to re-balance, but also to dilute the intracellular ("inside the cell") protein. This process of dilution is a "standard procedure" the body has for dealing with abnormally high amounts of any substance inside the cells. When a cell brings more water into it (and it is not usually just one cell doing this, several cells in an area will all have an excess of protein so will all bring in extra fluid), it results is something far too familiar for some of us - fluid retention (or edema). That would explain why someone I knew went on a cruise and ate a lot of different meats and proteins that his body wasn't used to and his legs swelled up. Makes sense now, doesn't it?

Next time, we will talk about how protein makes you feel like you have more energy. But is it really giving you energy? We will also discuss how excess protein is potentially hazardous paired with exercise.

School next weekend, that means another class to come soon! =]