Maurice Pierce April 17, 2024
● When we consume dietary protein, our body breaks it down into amino acids. This is the end result of protein digestion. Our liver produces about 80 percent of all the amino acids we need. For this reason, those amino acids are considered non-essential. The remaining 20 percent has to come from a dietary source, which is why they are essential.
Food that provides all the essential amino acids our body needs is called complete protein food. Food that needs to be combined with another food in order to supply an adequate amount of all the essential amino acids are called partial-protein foods. Protein is essential for repairing and maintaining all tissues in the body.
After the dietary protein is broken down into individual amino acids, it is absorbed through the small intestine into the bloodstream. Amino acids travel directly to the liver and what the liver doesn’t use is released back into the bloodstream for systemic circulation. The amino acids circulating in the blood are then taken up by other tissues and used for the building of proteins.
The liver acts as a gatekeeper, monitoring and regulating the systemic concentration of amino acids, ensuring a steady supply for tissues. Excess amino acids are broken down in the liver and converted into urea, which is transported via the blood to the kidneys for excretion. The body can’t store protein in the same way it does fat or carbohydrates.
As a result, eating a regular diet that contains protein is necessary. There is a limit to how much protein our bodies can use per meal/per day. IMO, eating around 20 grams of protein per meal — give or take a few grams, is sufficient.
In developed and increasingly in developing countries, the population is consuming way more protein than they need. This is because of the widespread availability of super-sized, ultra-processed and fast foods. Excessive protein from long-term overconsumption can cause side effects such as constipation, dehydration and kidney pain.
Getting your protein from ultra-processed and fast foods which are loaded with fat and sugar, leads to obesity and chronic inflammation. This behavior only further compounds the negative effects of excessive protein intake.
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Maurice Pierce April 2, 2024
● Being physically active decreases stiffness in your joints, reduces muscle soreness and increases our range of motion. Engaging in low-intensity physical activity (LIPA) daily is a cheap and effective way of lowering our risk of physical injury. LIPA like walking, Tai Chi, and stretching are essential for maintaining health and reducing the risk of chronic illnesses.
Simply put, being physically active, need only be daily movements that allow you to comfortably talk without sweating. This is enough to reduce sedentary behavior. Moderate-intense physical activity is the same as LIPA but with a little more oomph. Intense physical activity (IPA) includes rapid body movements that significantly raise heart rate and breathing.
IPA prolongs calorie burning, improves heart health and boosts mood via endorphins — chemical messengers/hormones that create feelings of pleasure. Unlike low or moderate physical activities, IPA can stimulates free radical production and lead to oxidative stress by depleting the body’s antioxidants. Oxidative stress happens when there are imbalances – free radicals in excess of antioxidants in the body.
Cell damage, premature aging and many illnesses are the result of uncontrolled free radicals. Research has shown that low or moderately intense physical activities don’t exhaust all the antioxidants in the body. Therefore, balance is maintained, and oxidative stress won’t occur.
Antioxidants help to neutralize free radicals, thereby preventing oxidative stress. They also enhance our body’s ability to regenerate. If you’re overwhelming your body with toxins from a toxic lifestyle, then it can already be suffering an imbalance and vulnerable to oxidative stress.
IPA will only serve to stimulate more free radical production and lead to accelerated physical injury. So, first work on detoxifying your life and add food rich in antioxidants to your diet. Antioxidants taken before and after intense physical activities will help you achieve and maintain balance, as a result, preventing oxidative stress
Antioxidants increase and improve endurance by boosting blood flow. As a result, accelerating muscle recovery by helping to clear inflammatory by-products (free radicals). You are more likely to enjoy being physically active if you choose activities you enjoy rather than forcing yourself to do activities you dislike.
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