WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT A HIGH-PROTEIN DIET? PLENTY!

  By Cyndi Thomas ND

   Just the other day, a friend asked me, "Can't I go on a high-protein diet for just a couple of weeks without it hurting me in any way? Isn't it worth it, to get the weight off?"  My answer: "No! It is not worth it. You might lose a few pounds but it will cost you... and the price will be high!"  The body must have energy to survive. Energy is everything.  Every organ, muscle, and tissue must have energy to function.  The body likes fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies can be broken down into glucose very easily and quickly.  The body MUST have glucose to survive. Glucose is the only thing the body can use for energy. If the body doesn't have energy, it will wither and die.

   When we quit eating the complex carbohydrates and substitute protein, where is the body supposed to get its glucose?  You might ask, "Can it get glucose from protein?" Yes, it can.  But it won't do this as long as there is any fat in the body.  The process of breaking down protein into glucose is very costly  and hard for the body to do.  So because it is easier on the body to break down fat than it is protein, it will do so -- and you will lose weight.

   So if the fat is being used for energy, where is the protein going? Good question.  The protein will be stored as a toxin within the tissues and organs. This will cause the following problems:

Adrenal gland fatigue

Adrenals are the glands that keep the body running while attempting to process the excess protein.

Liver congestion

Much of the excess protein is trapped in the liver in an attempt to keep it out of the body.

TPP (trapped plasma protein)

The majority of the excess protein is trapped in and around the cells of the body causing a state of disease.

Kidney stress

The kidneys will attempt to eliminate what excess protein they can from the blood stream. And since kidneys are not  designed for this, they are stressed.

An acidic body

A high protein diet is highly acid ash. It provides no alkaline for the body so it robs what alkaline it can from the body to burn it while processing the protein.

Vitamin/mineral depletion

A high-protein diet is highly deficient in vitamins and minerals. It forces the body to burn reserves of these  nutrients to both convert fat to glucose and to process the excess protein.

    Every day I talk to people coming off a high protein diet because of health problems. Some of their most common ailments:

Kidney infection , Gallbladder problems , Gallstones , Severe constipation (emergency room situation) , Excess gas and bloating , Migraine headaches , Rashes , Weakness , Fainting , Nausea , Arthritis , PMS or lack of a menstrual cycle , Depression.

     I see and hear such complaints on a regular basis. Because the victims were losing weight on their high-protein diet, the majority overlooked the physical problems. They were too caught up in dropping pounds.  One woman overlooked her constipation and ended up in the emergency room. One man ignored his gallbladder troubles and ended up losing his. A couple hoping to have a baby cannot conceive. Her monthly cycles stopped after one year on a high protein diet -- they have yet to come back.

   Is it worth risking your health to lose weight? If it is, then the high-protein diet is for you. But, if you want weight loss and health, there are more efficient and health-producing ways to go about it.

   We all need protein for growth, and repair and replacement of tissue. But we need complete proteins, a single food that contains all eight essential amino acids.

   Do fruits and vegetables have complete proteins? Yes, they do.  Some of the best ways to stock up on complete proteins:  

*  FRUIT: Bananas, tomatoes, dates

*  NUTS: Almonds, coconuts, filberts, sunflower seeds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans (all raw)

*  VEGGIES: Alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, carrots, eggplants, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cabbages, corn, okra, squash

     You can also obtain complete proteins by eating meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products and soybeans. 

Meat is fine on a "now-and-then" basis, but eating meats and dairy at the exclusion of the fruits and vegetables will only bring you sickness and disease.

   It's important to remember that people suffering from hypoglycemia and diabetes need a protein everyday to help normalize their blood sugar.

   But Dr. Thomas, is it necessary to have a complete protein at every meal?

   No. The body has an "amino acid pool" in the blood and liver. It is here that the excess amino acids -- both essential and non-essential -- are stored for use by the cells as needed. When the body is in need of protein, it will pull what it needs from the pool.

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