's motd Friday June 11, 2010

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PROTEIN

Friday, 11 June 2010

Protein is one of the six food groups your body needs everyday. Protein helps build so many parts of your body. It helps build the muscles in your arms and legs. Protein also builds strength in your bones. Do you want healthier skin? Well, you'll need enough protein in your diet for that. And wait, I'm not finished. Protein also gives you healthier, shinier hair. (Why do you think some shampoos claim to be "protein-enriched"?)

Now if you don't get enough protein, it'll cost your body. Your muscles will grow weaker, your bones won't be as strong and may even become brittle as you get older. Your skin ages faster and oh, you can just forget about your hair!I've told you before that there was a time in my life where I very unwisely starved myself to lose weight. I'm telling you, I'd go for months without eating substantial amounts of food. So obviously, I wasn't getting enough protein either. And sure enough, as a result of my unwise eating habits, my hair began falling out! In fact, I've had to have hair transplants several times so my afro can have its shiny glow.

So consider this a friendly reminder. Protein is an essential food group that you really need to respect. When you're not getting enough protein, you may compromise your immune system and even weaken your heart and respiratory system. (See how important those proteins are?)Now there are two kinds of protein. One comes from animals, (meat), and the other comes from plants...vegetables and some starches. Let's talk about the animal proteins first.There are your lean meat proteins like chicken, tuna, ham, fish and shellfish like crab or shrimp. But there're also the high-fat proteins that come from meat. These proteins contain a lot more fat. And oh, I think you know them well. Pastrami, short ribs, prime rib and sausage, to name a few. Then there're the very high fat sources of protein you have to be extremely careful with. You know the culprits, among them are bacon, hot dogs and choriso, (which is a very spicy Mexican sausage). Your job is to stay away from the high fat and very high fat proteins.

Some vegetables and starches are also good sources of protein and without the fat. Vegetables like artichokes, cauliflower, eggplant, beets and cabbage are included in that group. Beans are another good source for protein. (And you know I love beans.) There are so many you can try...lentils, spilt peas, red beans and garbanzo beans are all excellent sources of protein. Nuts also contain quite a bit of protein but remember, you've got to be careful with the nuts because they're so high in calories.And let's not forget our dairy products as a protein source, from milk to cheese. Just be sure to choose from those dairy foods that are low-fat. I don't know if you have my FoodMover yet. But the FoodMover comes with an excellent food exchange guide. It lists foods in all six food groups and tells you how much of those foods you should be eating on your weight-loss program. It's like an encyclopedia of the six food groups.I hope you enjoyed today's educational message on the importance of protein. Now, start strengthening your bones and muscles and get your skin glowing by making the best food choices, being sure you get enough protein...everyday!Love,