Creating balanced diet plans for the New Year
Athletes know how important protein is in their diet with regard to keeping the muscles in good condition, good performance and building up the body. The mix of protein and carbohydrates is also important and unfortunately sometimes we can overdo the amount of protein we eat which in the long term can have serious repercussions on the body. Alternatively many people don’t eat enough protein and also become very ill. It therefore becomes important to know how much protein is right for you and why.
Often young teenagers attempting to train and build muscle can overdose on protein which puts a strain on the organs in their body. The opposite is also not advisable. In my clinic I see both extremes. Either people are overdoing the protein and exercise with imbalanced diet plans which risk messing up their hormone levels, thyroid and liver or, in an effort to lose weight; they do the opposite and don’t eat enough protein or even enough food, which slows down their metabolism. This means they lose even less weight and the body store fat and fluid thinking it is about to starve.
It is important to realise that different blood types and different. Either people are overdoing the protein and exercise with imbalanced diet plans which risk messing up their hormone levels, thyroid and liver or, in an effort to lose weight; they do the opposite and don’t eat enough protein or even enough food, which slows down their metabolism. This means they lose even less weight and the body store fat and fluid thinking it is about to starve. Nationalities have different predispositions in their genes which could mean their body reacts in different ways to different foods. There is no one particular ‘norm’ so to speak so you need to consult a professional regarding what is right for you. Essentially, what is important is a balance of protein and carbohydrate.
I often come across people who do not pay attention to their diet plans enough and tend to under-eat protein foods. The effect of this on women (and women tend to do this more than men I find) is that it messes up their hormone levels, affects their iron levels and has the effect of slowing down their metabolism keeping the weight on despite the fact they may be eating almost nothing and exercising. It can also extend from this to make for unhealthy thyroid and liver.
As a general rule, if you are not body building, it is important to have at least one serving of protein daily – about the size of your hand if its meat or about the size of a fist if its vegetable protein. Opt for fish and white meats which are better than high fat meats and remember if you do eat dairy that dairy products contain protein however they are not really good for you, especially if you have sinus conditions and many people are lactose intolerant these days. If you are vegetarian then you can eat the equivalent in beans, nuts, lentils and soy foods (like tofu) rather than opting for a dairy replacement.
Low fat protein is quite easy to include in your diet plans with a mix of carbohydrates which will speed up the manufacture of glycogen (the carbohydrate stored in muscles that supplies energy) and also increase the hormones which we need for muscle growth and repair. Remember also that you can have soy milk, yogurt or eggs as well as a protein drink which will give you a measured amount in one hit.
However, you must always remember that too much protein in your diet for a long period of time will put a strain on your adrenals and kidneys so you should not go on high protein diets for too long. If there are problems in your family with kidneys then it is best to steer clear of too much protein and high calcium foods as a general rule. This needs to be monitored by a natural practitioner because as we age and our hormones change our need for calcium increases yet too much will have a negative effect on some. It is always best to let a professional decide the balance for your diet plans and not just guess regarding the amount you specifically need.
