For many years I ignored the importance of protein in my diet.  I naturally prefer to eat grains and plant based foods and can happily walk away from the high proteins at a meal.  After years of constant pregnancy and nursing my body hit the wall.   I was surviving at minimal health until a car accident sent my body into trauma.  There just wasn’t enough protein available to heal and I spiraled into a critical health dive.  As my body harvested my own muscle to repair the damage to my body, I lost muscle mass.  I gained over a pound of fat a week as my brain sent the starvation signal to my metabolism which held onto every calorie I consumed as fat. 

My response to the weight gain was to eliminate meat, eggs, and cheese and to favor raw veggies.  My health took a second dive.  I was at the point where I couldn’t stand for more than a few minutes without fainting.  I spent much of my time flat on the couch trying to manage my household from a sick bed.  Finally my doctor recommended a full blood panel which showed I was severely deficient in protein, fat, cholesterol, sodium, iron, b vitamins….and more!  I was constantly choosing healthy whole grains and veggies, so I was flabbergasted for malnutrition to be the root of my health problems.

The doctor put me on a weekly visit program where they provided my food each day in dry prepackaged form that I reconstituted at home.  It was formulated to have the appropriate amount of proteins and nutrients to put me back on the road to health.  I turned up my nose at his fake food but decided to give it a try since my way wasn’t working.  After a few days, I stopped fainting.  Then my energy came back and I started to lose fat and gain muscle.  I was convinced.  After I completed my program with the Doctor, I took the nutrient profile from his powdered food and applied it to healthy real foods. 

Shrimp Spinach Stir-Fry: High Protein, High Nutrition, Low Calorie

My new eating cycle included 6 small meals a day with 15 grams of protein at each meal, a very small amount of fat, a small amount of whole grain, and ample veggies.  I also ate 2 whole pieces of fruit a day and salted everything to taste.  (More on salt another day.) 

So why was ample protein the key?  Our bodies cannot create protein.  It must come from the food we eat or be harvested from our own bodies.  Protein is essential for muscle repair and formation; it also makes up many enzymes, hormones, and immune system components.   Our bodies are 45% protein and it is required for proper blood and heart function!  If we take in too little protein, our body won’t function properly.  If we take in too much, we can use it for an energy source (or store it as fat.) 

Can I Eat Too Much Protein?

There are some studies that show that taking in too much protein can contribute to cancer or osteoporosis.  Both of these conditions are linked to the fact that the digestion of protein creates an acidic environment in the body.  Too much acidity can create a favorable environment for the development of cancer, but the body will naturally correct this imbalance by using calcium to neutralize the acid.  If there isn’t enough calcium in the diet for this, then the body will take it from the bones.  Over time this may lead to osteoporsis.  The levels of protein that create this environment in the body are disputed among researchers.  Having an ample supply of calcium in the diet is a great idea, and calcium abounds in green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and kale in addition to the better known dairy products.

It is interesting to note that the protein/cancer link research is documented in The China Study.  In this study the protein studied was milk casein which was shown to cause cancer in rats when eaten in large quantities in  isolated form.  Later studies showed that milk whey protein can protect from cancer.  I thought this was interesting because God created the proteins to be eaten together in balanced form where the whey will balance the casein and protect the body from cancer.  The China Study takes the casein study to imply that all animal protein causes cancer, when other research shows this is not the case. For more information read here and here.

I believe that eating 5-6 meals of 15 grams of protein each or (75-90 grams of protein) a day to be a safe amount.

(Disclaimer: I am writing this off the top of my head based on books and articles I have read previously, and have no sources to offer you. It’s a great idea to do your own reserach on these matters.)

P.S.  After getting on an adequate protein and hydration level, I didn’t need my glasses anymore!  We had previously thought that my decline in vision was age related, but now know it was caused nutritionally.