Are you eating enough protein?
The other day, someone ask me at our last healthy, happy hour, why she needed to eat more protein vs. carb. Check this out if you are wondering! Also what is your favorite protein?
You must have enough protein to heal
Next to water protein is your body’s most plentiful substance, its primary source of building material for:
· Muscles
· Blood
· Skin
· Hair
· Nails
· heart
· Brain
All body tissues depend on protein. Blood can’t clot without protein. Protein and its precursors, amino acids, work at hormonal levels to control basic body functions like growth, sexual development and metabolism. The enzymes for immune and antibody response are formed from protein, also.
The human body doesn’t make protein, it must be obtained through foods. But since protein is available from a wide range of sources, usually only people with severe malnutrition are protein deficient. Vegetarian get plenty of protein from foods like lentils, tofu, nuts, peas, seeds and grains.
Protein deficiency usually mean:
· Low stamina
· Mental depression
· Low immune response
· Slow wound healing
How much protein do you really need?
It’s simple divide your body weight by 2; the result is the number of grams of protein you need each day. An easy way to know how much to eat is to consume protein the size of your palm at each meal; vegetarians double the amounts to two handfuls.