Protein for Healing and Regeneration
Ah, protein. The macronutrient that in modern American culture has become synonymous with "nutrition". Of course, there are a lot of other things we need in our diet besides protein, and we've discussed them in previous sections. Protein is important, but nothing to get obsessed over. Protein does not provide "power" or energy, despite what the protein bar industry wants you to think. Carbs and fats provide us with energy. Protein is for healing and building new tissues. This is a very important thing for CFers, because chronic inflammation and bacterial infection can damage tissue, requiring us to constantly repair and rebuild ourselves at the cellular level.
What are proteins?
Protein is the basic component for many different substances in the body, including hormones, cells, antibodies, and enzymes. Proteins are made up of smaller components called amino acids. Both plant and animal cells are made up of protein, so we can get adequate amounts of protein from both animal and vegetable sources, although there are marked differences in digestibility and nutrient bioavailability between them.
There are twenty commonly recognized amino acids, yet eight of these are essential amino acids that, like essential fatty acids, cannot be synthesized in the body and must be obtained through food. Most whole foods (plant and animal sources) have all eight of these EAAs. When eating a vegetarian source of protein, there is really no need to combine foods like rice with beans because a whole vegetable contains within it "complete" protein [1]. If a wider range of amino acids is desired within a vegetarian diet, it is fine to eat one type of vegetable protein (e.g. a grain) in one meal and another type of protein (e.g. nuts/seeds or legume) in another meal because our body stores a pool of these animo acids to be used as needed. Eating both a legume and a grain in one meal (e.g. rice and beans) is not necessary and is a poor food combination and very difficult to digest for those with compromised digestive capacity. Animal proteins do, however, have more of these twenty amino acids than vegetable sources, and this is why some think animal proteins are more "complete". In reality, you can get what you need in terms of amino acids from both plant and animal sources, but vitamin and mineral content is a whole different story.
Animal vs. Vegetable
All traditional diets since the beginning of human speciation have included some form of animal protein, whether meat, fish, milk, eggs, or insects. Most healthy people with good digestion need relatively little animal protein in their diets, just enough to provide them with the important vitamins and minerals that they can't get anywhere else (e.g. vitamin B12). But for folks with poor digestion and a significant disease burden, the need for easily digestible and nutrient-dense animal proteins is greater.
The amino acid and vitamin/mineral profiles of animal proteins more closely mimic the amino acid and nutrient profiles of human tissues, since we are just animals after all. This means that if we are trying to repair our tissues, eating the tissues of another animal that closely resembles us, biologically, ensures optimal absorption of the nutrients we need to get the job done. In Chinese medicine there is a concept of "like heals like". If someone has a liver problem, a common prescription would be to eat the liver of an animal, or if there is a bone problem, to drink bone broth. From a purely reductionisitic medical point of view, this makes complete sense because the amino acid and nutrient profile of the animal organ is likely very similar to the analogous human organ, and so the right nutrients are available in the right quantities to optimize healing and tissue growth in that organ. This is why every culture on earth has emphasized the use of all parts of the animal, from snout to tail. Each part has its medicinal value because humans are biosimilar to all other animals. Organ meats like liver, kidney, heart, and glands are generally higher in nutrients than muscle meats, so it's important to eat these regularly (or eat whole small animals, like anchovies). For those with a need for extra vitamin A and other fat-soluble vitamins, it is often recommended to eat liver at least once a week (usually beef or chicken liver). However, we must only eat organ meats from organic, free-range/pastured, grass-fed, and humanely raised animals because otherwise these organs could be filled with toxins and disease. Furthermore, different animal meats have different benefits on certain organs and conditions. In Five-Element Chinese Medicine, the lungs are benefited by eating fish, the spleen-pancreas (digestive complex) is benefited by eating beef, the liver is benefited by eating poultry, the kidney benefited by eating pig, and the heart benefited by eating sheep [1]. For CFers, eating fish is very important for the lungs and for many other reasons, and eating beef may be a good idea to benefit our digestive organs.
Omnivorous Digestion
Humans are omnivores, meaning that our digestive systems are designed to break down and absorb both plant and animal foods. This doesn't mean we can eat all foods, however. Our evolutionary history has designed us for efficient digestion of some foods, less efficient or less complete digestion of other foods, and almost no ability to digest others. In a state of good health, humans can digest and assimilate almost all animal foods well (besides dairy, where lactose intolerance is a limiting factor), given traditional knowledge and preparations. Plant foods are a little trickier. Most green vegetables are well-digested with a small bit of cooking to break down the fibers and carbohydrates (e.g. kale or dandelion greens), and some other green vegetables and fruits can be eaten raw without any problems (e.g. lettuce or cucumbers). There are other plant foods that cannot be digested at all without extensive cooking and these include grains, legumes, starchy vegetables (e.g. winter squash), and tubers (i.e. potatoes and other root veggies).
Being omnivores, our digestive tracts are kind of a hybrid of carnivorous and herbivorous digestive systems. Carnivores have comparatively short digestive tracts with larger, more acidic stomachs and less length in the intestines. Since meat proteins digest more quickly in the stomach there is less need for the absorptive capabilities of the intestines. Plus, a lengthy intestinal tract could cause stagnation and possible putrefaction of poorly digested meat. Herbivores have very long and complex digestive systems in order to convert plant nutrients and plant proteins into the animal proteins they need to comprise their tissues. No animal can break down plant material (cellulose) on its own, so we must harness the digestive power of microorganisms to do it for us. The herbivorous digestive system is designed so elaborately specifically to harness the digestive power of these cellulose-fermenting microorganisms. The multiple stomach chambers and the extra-long colons of herbivores provide ample space for certain bacteria to live, and to ferment and break down the plant material into something easier to assimilate into the blood stream. Ruminants like cows, sheep, and goats do this fermentation in their multi-chambered stomachs, whereas horses and rabbits conduct fermentation in their very large colons [2]. Humans also conduct our plant-material fermentation primarily in the colon, but since it is a lot smaller we cannot extract as much nutrition from the raw plant material as a horse or rabbit could. Through cooking plants we've been able to expand our dietary options beyond what we digest only through colonic fermentation, and this is great. But again, we have to adhere to the ancient knowledge developed over millennia regarding the correct processes needed to adequately break down plant foods outside the body (through cooking and fermentation) for optimal assimilation inside the body. The new raw food movement is cool and makes sense for short-term cleansing of toxins accumulated over years of eating the Standard American Diet, but because we're not designed to digest raw plant foods completely, a raw (plant-only) food diet cannot be sustained for a very long time without the development of serious nutritional deficiencies and subsequent disease.
Nutrients in Animal Protein
Animal protein is high is bioavailable forms of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, phosphorus, zinc, iron, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, selenium, and copper. The higher quality, humanely-raised, grass-fed animals have significantly higher vitamin and mineral levels, as well as a beneficial balance of omega-3's to omega-6's (i.e. grass-fed meat contains anti-inflammatory omega-3's while grain-fed/CAFO meat does not) [9]. This is because these animals are eating their natural diet (nutrient-dense grasses, shrubs, leaves, etc. grown in good soil) and not some CAFO concoction of GMO corn, agribusiness byproducts, hormones, and antibiotics. Animals raised in confined animal feeding operations (CAFO) or fed grain for the majority of their lives are significantly higher in inflammatory fats (omega-6’s) and compounds, even if they are not fed growth hormones and antibiotics, which most conventional animals are. They are also very stressed and sickly, making their meat full of inflammatory compounds and toxins. Studies have shown that eating meat from animals raised in unnatural and stressful circumstances will raise a person’s levels of C-reactive protein and IL-6, two markers of systemic inflammation. CAFO-raised poultry and eggs that are not “pastured” (“cage-free” and “free-range” are essentially meaningless terms) are also highly inflammatory [10]. Farmed fish are also to be avoided, as they are fed unnatural diets and exposed to toxic chemicals and pollution, in addition to the environmental destruction that fish farms cause.
Bioavailability of vitamins and minerals is really important to keep in mind, and this is why animal sources of vitamins and minerals are best - they are already in the forms that our body needs and can be quickly absorbed without wasting digestive energy. Sure, carrots are high in beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor, but even healthy people have a low rate of beta-carotene to vitamin A conversion. It's been found that 47% of European women completely lack the enzyme needed to convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, and that children and diabetics also cannot make this conversion [3]. Oh, and guess what form of "vitamin A" is in our CF-specific AquaDEK softgels: beta-carotene. Yeah, that's pretty much useless. So you can see why we can't rely on pharmaceuticals to provide us with adequate nutrition, we must get it from the original source: food. You may ask, why don't pharmaceutical companies use bioavailable forms of vitamin A, especially for sick people with bad digestion? The answer is that beta-carotene is cheaper and making all vitamin supplements with optimally-bioavailable ingredients would hurt corporate profit margins. So read the nutrient facts very thoroughly on your supplement bottles, and know which forms of what nutrients are most useful (I will discuss this more in the Supplements and Natural Medicine section). Maybe if enough of us put enough pressure on CF vitamin companies they'll start putting real vitamins in them. Maybe.
Bioavailability of nutrients in animal protein is highly dependent on how well we digest that protein. Protein digestion is done primarily in the stomach through the use of hydrochloric acid and the enzyme pepsin. When stomach acid is too low, protein is not properly broken down, pathogens are not destroyed, and we can get other G.I. complications such as acid reflux, gas, constipation, and bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and intestines. I discuss this more in-depth in this blog post.
If animal flesh is fresh and from a healthy, grass-fed/pastured and humanely raised animal, it should be minimally cooked. Actually, high-quality animal flesh should be eaten raw whenever possible and safe, as there are many naturally-occurring vitamins and enzymes that are destroyed by heat. This is especially true for organ meats like liver, which are high in fat-soluble vitamins that are destroyed in cooking. Eating fresh, raw fish from a safe and trustworthy source is by far the healthiest animal protein you can consume. That's one reason why I'm such as huge fan of sushi. The essential fatty acid DHA, so abundant in seafood, is destroyed by heat. Grass-fed meats also have DHA, but in smaller amounts. Only raw animal protein has vitamin B6 [4]. Similarly, raw milk is high in vitamin C, but it is destroyed by heat in the pasteurization process. All traditional cultures eat some of their animal protein raw. When animal protein is cooked it becomes harder to digest because the molecules become denatured, and because the naturally occurring enzymes that would help you digest it are destroyed. If you are concerned about parasites or pathogens, freeze your meat for at least two weeks before thawing and consuming it raw. Freezing for long periods of time kills most pathogens. You can also make dishes that "cook" meats in an acidic substance, like lemon juice (e.g. ceviche). Another important thing to keep in mind when consuming raw meat is that in order to kill any potentially harmful pathogens contained in it, you must have adequate stomach acid. This is another reason to make sure you have adequate stomach acid levels and to supplement with Betaine HCL if you need it.
Protein and Vitamin/Mineral Imbalances
There is a limit to how much protein we can digest in one sitting and in a day. Eating too much protein can cause imbalances in the vitamins and minerals in our bodies. Vitamin A is need to metabolize protein, and if we eat too much protein without adequate intake of fat-soluble vitamin A (in raw animal fats) we can deplete our body's vitamin A stores, leading to reduced immunity, autoimmune disorder, and kidney/eye problems [5].
Eating too much protein can also cause an imbalance of calcium in the body and can lead to bone loss. Eating a lot of protein, more than about 75g per day, causes the body to excrete more calcium in the urine than is absorbed from your food [1]. However, studies have shown that supplementing with calcium while on a high protein diet can actually improve bone mass. When the body begins to excrete calcium in the urine after a high-protein meal it triggers a cascade of reactions in a variety of organ systems that enhances calcium absorption. If not enough calcium is taken in through the diet, the body starts to reabsorb the calcium in the bones, leading to bone loss. The solution to this is to eat more calcium in the diet along with proteins so that we can take advantage of the body's natural inclination to upregulate calcium absorption [6]. We can also take calcium pills, but this is an inferior source to food. Traditional diets had all of this figured out. Bone broths and/or raw dairy were an important part of most traditional diets, and there was heavy emphasis on eating the whole animal, including the bones. Calcium is in its most absorbable form in raw dairy and in animal bones or shells. Modern nutritionists love to tout dairy as the best source of calcium, and while there is certainly calcium present in it, if the dairy is pasteurized very little of that calcium gets absorbed into the bones [7]. Pasteurization reduces the bioavailability of calcium in dairy so that instead of getting absorbed into the bones to build bone mass, it can get deposited in the soft tissues and in the blood, where it can cause a number of serious problems including arthritis and heart disease [3].
The conclusion to this section is to eat protein in moderation (not more than about 75g per day or 35% of daily calories [11]) and to eat it in the presence of calcium, ideally from animal food sources.
Plant Proteins
While plant proteins are harder to digest, they certainly have value and should be included in the diet. All chlorophyll-rich vegetables have protein in them, so eat your leafy greens! While I consider nuts and seeds to be fats for the purposes of food combining, they are also a good source of protein. Due to the risks of rancidity, their high phytic acid content, their ability to cause allergies or sensitivities, and their higher omega-6 content, nuts and seeds should be eaten in moderation and with a lot of care to ensure quality and proper preparation. Find a safe source of nuts or seeds and stick with that. For me, I have found that I tolerate sunflower seed butter and macadamia nuts very well, as well as the few almonds that are contained within my favorite Cherry Pie Larabar.
Spirulina is a wonderful plant protein and a fantastic source of vitamins and nutrients. I add spirulina to all of my smoothies, and I used to add it to juice (which I rarely drink anymore, too much sugar). Spirulina is a primitive micro-algae that grows on the surface of ponds. Micro-algae are very ancient organisms that exists on the border of the plant and animal kingdoms, giving them unique nutritional properties. Spirulina is very high in chlorophyll, which is purifying (i.e. promotes wound healing through anti-microbial activity, detoxifies and deactivates carcinogens), anti-inflammatory, and improves organ function and cellular regeneration (i.e. builds blood, promotes beneficial intestinal flora, improves liver function, activates enzymes for better absorption of vitamins A, E, and K). It has a very high beta-carotene content. Spirulina is also very high in nucleic acids (RNA and DNA) which help with cellular regeneration. Per gram it has the highest protein content of pretty much any whole food on earth. It also contains plant-form omega-3's and the anti-inflammatory omega-6, GLA. Much of its carbohydrate and protein content is in forms that are essentially pre-digested and rapidly assimilated, so spirulina has been used to treat people suffering from extreme deficiencies or recovering from starvation [1]. Spirulina is a really incredible food, and its dual qualities of cleansing and regeneration make it a very beneficial supplement to a healing diet.
If you're the kind of person that works out or does intense exercise and takes protein as a supplement for building muscle, it's important to find the right kind of protein supplement. Protein powders are often used in shakes and in protein bars. I have done a lot of research and experimentation recently with protein powders, as I am hoping to gain weight through gaining muscle mass. It's pretty hard to find protein powders out there that are not completely denatured, dairy-based, or loaded with sugars, chemicals, and unabsorbable synthetic vitamins and minerals. We cannot eat whey protein because it is dairy-based (may contain lactose and casein) and is most likely denatured and over-processed to the point of being toxic. We cannot eat soy-proteins because of their hormone-mimicking qualities and their high content of anti-nutrients such as phytic acid. Grain proteins, such as brown rice bran powder, are also not recommended because of their possible impact on a leaky gut. So what I've come to settle on is hemp protein. Hemp protein powder is a whole food, it has a wide amino acid profile, contains omega-3's (including GLA), and has a good amount of calcium and iron along with other vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, it is low in anti-nutrients that block uptake of minerals, unlike many other nut or seed proteins. Also, it's relatively inexpensive, cheaper than a lot of regular old whey proteins. If you decide that taking a protein powder supplement is important for your diet, I think hemp is the best choice. Make sure that when you make your protein shakes that you adhere to the food combining rules, or it will make it very hard to digest. I use this brand of hemp protein, as it's raw, cold-milled (minimizing rancidity), and minimally processed.
The Problem with Legumes
The fruits or seeds of legume plants (i.e. beans, peas, lentils, carob, vanilla, peanuts, soybeans) are similar to grains in that they are the reproductive organs of plants made up of complex carbohydrates and proteins. Like grains, they use self-defense mechanisms such as enzyme inhibitors and anti-nutrients (e.g. phytic acid) to deter predation. Legumes, grains, nuts, dairy, and nightshade plants contain proteins called lectins. Lectins are bound to carbs in these foods and are very hard for our bodies to break down. Digestive enzymes only do a partial job on them, and that is why traditional cultures developed techniques such as soaking and fermenting to pre-digest these proteins before ingesting them. The modern diet doesn't do any of this pre-digestion, and so our society is now rampant with auto-immune diseases, leaky gut syndrome, and food allergies. As it turns out, GMOs may be higher in lectins than their peers because they are spliced into plants to further deter predation. Like prolamins discussed in the carbohydrate section, lectins can cause openings between the cells of the intestinal wall, allowing lectins and other proteins, bacteria, and toxins to leak into the blood stream, triggering an immune response, which can lead to an autoimmune response [8]. Furthermore, it is possible that because the lectin is essentially undigestible, the carb bound to the lectin goes undigested as well and can therefore feed bacterial fermentation in the gut, further contributing to leaky gut syndrome. Essentially, it's your best bet to stay away from legumes, at least until you are absolutely sure you've healed your gut and no longer have leaky gut syndrome (this usually takes years). The most important legumes to stay away from (in addition to grains) are soybeans and peanuts, which are highest in lectins.
The Best Meats to Eat
So given all this information, what proteins should we be eating? Each animal has its own characteristics based on its energy signatures, its intelligence and behavioral patterns, its lifestyle, how and where it was raised, and its spiritual qualities. Therefore, I have chosen to emphasize certain meats in my diet based on their healing properties. Paul Pitchford [1] goes into great detail about this, but I will briefly go through what I feel to be the best sources of protein we should eat.
Seafood - By far the healthiest protein source out there. Includes, fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. Choose the fattiest fish you can afford (salmon, char, mackerel, herring, anchovies, sardines, etc.) as these contain the highest amounts of the anti-inflammatory omega-3's EPA and DHA. Shrimp and clam also have healing properties that treat inflammation and relieve mucus conditions. In Chinese Medicine, seafood is prescribed to treat lung ailments [1]. There is concern over the sustainability of our global fisheries, as they are being overharvested to the brink of collapse in many regions. Therefore, I suggest you regularly refer to the guide that the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch puts out. They also have a free guide that you can download to your smart phone, so you can be sure to buy the most sustainable fish while strolling through the grocery store. There is also some concern about toxic contaminants and heavy metals in seafood. Chris Kresser did a wonderful piece on this issue, so I will refer you to his article. Seafood is my favorite animal food for a million reasons, but one of them is that it tastes fantastic raw.
Pastured, Humanely-raised Pork - In Chinese medicine, pork is a meat with neutral thermal characteristics (thus not contributing to inflammation or internal heat as much as warming meats, like lamb and chicken) and is used medicinally to lubricate the body, build the yin fluids, and treat dryness. This last aspect, the building of yin fluids, is very important for CFers, as our mucus is too thick and must be lubricated and thinned out. Pig meat and pig fat (lard) do a very good job of this. Pigs are naturally very fatty animals, which is fantastic for CFers who need more calories than other people. Pork does contain more omega-6 fatty acids (the inflammatory kind) than grass-fed beef, but less than chicken. However, the role it plays in building the yin fluids may outweigh the drawbacks of its higher omega-6 content. Lard is a saturated fat and very good to cook everything with, plus it adds a great flavor. I get my lard by saving the oil left over in the pan when I fry bacon. Put it in a glass jar and keep it in the fridge. Pork is also a salty meat, which is beneficial for CFers who need a higher-salt diet. Choose the fattier cuts of meat, like pork belly, as they are more nutritious and higher-calorie. Bacon is a great meal or snack, and it can be added to lots of recipes for extra flavor. However, make sure your bacon is uncured, contains no nitrates, and uses minimal sugar or a natural sweetener, like maple syrup. You may be able to talk to your local farmer and order sugar-free bacon. Never eat conventional or CAFO-raised pork. It is inhumane, unsafe, and unhealthy. Make sure your pork is pastured, organic, certified human, and/or organic. For more info on food labels and what they mean see my page How to Buy Food.
Grass-fed, organic, local beef - Second to pork, beef can also be healing, yet it is considered to be more warming and thus not as good for inflammatory diseases like ours. Yet it can be medicinal for other reasons. I've discussed this extensively, but grass-fed beef contains a beneficial balance of omega-3's to 6's, has a lot of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, and when properly pastured can actually improve the health of a rangeland ecosystem. Furthermore, in Chinese Medicine, beef is prescribed to treat digestive issues of the pancreas and small intestines. The organs and bones of beef are also beneficial and full of vitamins and minerals. Beef liver is particularly nutritious and very high in absorbable vitamin A, an immune-booster. Buy grass-fed beef from your local farmer or farmer's market. If you don't have access to these, it should be available at your local coop or health food store. A few smarter grocery stores might carry it too, but make absolutely sure it says "grass-fed" and organic.
There are many other types of meat to choose from that may be more or less helpful for your particular body, but seafood, beef, and pork are what I choose to use as medicinal meats. Some other animal foods are contraindicated for mucus conditions such as eggs (although just the egg whites might be beneficial). Chicken is higher in inflammatory omega-6's so it is not recommended unless you use the whole bird in a soup or broth. Just eating the meat is not particularly beneficial compared to the higher nutrient profiles of other meats.
How Much To Eat
As far as protein goes, we need varying levels depending on how much healing or growing we are doing at the time. Folks who work out more need more protein as they are building muscle, and folks who are sick need more protein for tissue healing. Healthy people can do very well on 10-15 grams of protein per day. I would think that CFers need a bit more than that. I get about 15-25% of my daily calories from protein, which usually amounts to somewhere between 60 and 80 grams per day. This is not to say that this is ideal for you, it's just what I do, and I'm still experimenting. I am constantly battling serious infections, so my protein needs are pretty high all of the time. Experiment and see what works best for you.
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[1] Healing with Whole Foods. Paul Pitchford.
[2] Digestive Physiology of Herbivores. <http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/herbivores/>
[3] Lecture by Sally Fallon at the Traditional Foods Symposium at Shelburne Farms. June 15, 2013.
[4] Lecture by Dr. Terry Wahls on the Mitochondrial Diet. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg216KCuXSM>
[5] http://www.westonaprice.org/basics/adventures-in-macro-nutrient-land?qh=YTo4OntpOjA7czo3OiJwcm90ZWluIjtpOjE7czo5OiJwcm90ZcOvbmUiO2k6MjtzOjEwOiJwcm90ZcOvbmVzIjtpOjM7czo4OiJwcm90ZWlucyI7aTo0O3M6OToicHJvdGVpbidzIjtpOjU7czo5OiJwcm90ZWlucyciO2k6NjtzOjg6Iidwcm90ZWluIjtpOjc7czo5OiJwcm90ZWluZXIiO30%3D
[6] Protein and Calcium: Antagonists or Synergists? <http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/4/609.full>
[7] Nourishing Traditions. Sally Fallon.
[8] http://www.marksdailyapple.com/lectins/#axzz2Ah7hSjy4
[9] http://eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm
[10] http://www.marksdailyapple.com/human-interference-factor/#axzz1kPKpqtUA
[11] http://chriskresser.com/fukushima-radiation-cavities-and-liver-disease
What are proteins?
Protein is the basic component for many different substances in the body, including hormones, cells, antibodies, and enzymes. Proteins are made up of smaller components called amino acids. Both plant and animal cells are made up of protein, so we can get adequate amounts of protein from both animal and vegetable sources, although there are marked differences in digestibility and nutrient bioavailability between them.
There are twenty commonly recognized amino acids, yet eight of these are essential amino acids that, like essential fatty acids, cannot be synthesized in the body and must be obtained through food. Most whole foods (plant and animal sources) have all eight of these EAAs. When eating a vegetarian source of protein, there is really no need to combine foods like rice with beans because a whole vegetable contains within it "complete" protein [1]. If a wider range of amino acids is desired within a vegetarian diet, it is fine to eat one type of vegetable protein (e.g. a grain) in one meal and another type of protein (e.g. nuts/seeds or legume) in another meal because our body stores a pool of these animo acids to be used as needed. Eating both a legume and a grain in one meal (e.g. rice and beans) is not necessary and is a poor food combination and very difficult to digest for those with compromised digestive capacity. Animal proteins do, however, have more of these twenty amino acids than vegetable sources, and this is why some think animal proteins are more "complete". In reality, you can get what you need in terms of amino acids from both plant and animal sources, but vitamin and mineral content is a whole different story.
Animal vs. Vegetable
All traditional diets since the beginning of human speciation have included some form of animal protein, whether meat, fish, milk, eggs, or insects. Most healthy people with good digestion need relatively little animal protein in their diets, just enough to provide them with the important vitamins and minerals that they can't get anywhere else (e.g. vitamin B12). But for folks with poor digestion and a significant disease burden, the need for easily digestible and nutrient-dense animal proteins is greater.
The amino acid and vitamin/mineral profiles of animal proteins more closely mimic the amino acid and nutrient profiles of human tissues, since we are just animals after all. This means that if we are trying to repair our tissues, eating the tissues of another animal that closely resembles us, biologically, ensures optimal absorption of the nutrients we need to get the job done. In Chinese medicine there is a concept of "like heals like". If someone has a liver problem, a common prescription would be to eat the liver of an animal, or if there is a bone problem, to drink bone broth. From a purely reductionisitic medical point of view, this makes complete sense because the amino acid and nutrient profile of the animal organ is likely very similar to the analogous human organ, and so the right nutrients are available in the right quantities to optimize healing and tissue growth in that organ. This is why every culture on earth has emphasized the use of all parts of the animal, from snout to tail. Each part has its medicinal value because humans are biosimilar to all other animals. Organ meats like liver, kidney, heart, and glands are generally higher in nutrients than muscle meats, so it's important to eat these regularly (or eat whole small animals, like anchovies). For those with a need for extra vitamin A and other fat-soluble vitamins, it is often recommended to eat liver at least once a week (usually beef or chicken liver). However, we must only eat organ meats from organic, free-range/pastured, grass-fed, and humanely raised animals because otherwise these organs could be filled with toxins and disease. Furthermore, different animal meats have different benefits on certain organs and conditions. In Five-Element Chinese Medicine, the lungs are benefited by eating fish, the spleen-pancreas (digestive complex) is benefited by eating beef, the liver is benefited by eating poultry, the kidney benefited by eating pig, and the heart benefited by eating sheep [1]. For CFers, eating fish is very important for the lungs and for many other reasons, and eating beef may be a good idea to benefit our digestive organs.
Omnivorous Digestion
Humans are omnivores, meaning that our digestive systems are designed to break down and absorb both plant and animal foods. This doesn't mean we can eat all foods, however. Our evolutionary history has designed us for efficient digestion of some foods, less efficient or less complete digestion of other foods, and almost no ability to digest others. In a state of good health, humans can digest and assimilate almost all animal foods well (besides dairy, where lactose intolerance is a limiting factor), given traditional knowledge and preparations. Plant foods are a little trickier. Most green vegetables are well-digested with a small bit of cooking to break down the fibers and carbohydrates (e.g. kale or dandelion greens), and some other green vegetables and fruits can be eaten raw without any problems (e.g. lettuce or cucumbers). There are other plant foods that cannot be digested at all without extensive cooking and these include grains, legumes, starchy vegetables (e.g. winter squash), and tubers (i.e. potatoes and other root veggies).
Being omnivores, our digestive tracts are kind of a hybrid of carnivorous and herbivorous digestive systems. Carnivores have comparatively short digestive tracts with larger, more acidic stomachs and less length in the intestines. Since meat proteins digest more quickly in the stomach there is less need for the absorptive capabilities of the intestines. Plus, a lengthy intestinal tract could cause stagnation and possible putrefaction of poorly digested meat. Herbivores have very long and complex digestive systems in order to convert plant nutrients and plant proteins into the animal proteins they need to comprise their tissues. No animal can break down plant material (cellulose) on its own, so we must harness the digestive power of microorganisms to do it for us. The herbivorous digestive system is designed so elaborately specifically to harness the digestive power of these cellulose-fermenting microorganisms. The multiple stomach chambers and the extra-long colons of herbivores provide ample space for certain bacteria to live, and to ferment and break down the plant material into something easier to assimilate into the blood stream. Ruminants like cows, sheep, and goats do this fermentation in their multi-chambered stomachs, whereas horses and rabbits conduct fermentation in their very large colons [2]. Humans also conduct our plant-material fermentation primarily in the colon, but since it is a lot smaller we cannot extract as much nutrition from the raw plant material as a horse or rabbit could. Through cooking plants we've been able to expand our dietary options beyond what we digest only through colonic fermentation, and this is great. But again, we have to adhere to the ancient knowledge developed over millennia regarding the correct processes needed to adequately break down plant foods outside the body (through cooking and fermentation) for optimal assimilation inside the body. The new raw food movement is cool and makes sense for short-term cleansing of toxins accumulated over years of eating the Standard American Diet, but because we're not designed to digest raw plant foods completely, a raw (plant-only) food diet cannot be sustained for a very long time without the development of serious nutritional deficiencies and subsequent disease.
Nutrients in Animal Protein
Animal protein is high is bioavailable forms of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, phosphorus, zinc, iron, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, selenium, and copper. The higher quality, humanely-raised, grass-fed animals have significantly higher vitamin and mineral levels, as well as a beneficial balance of omega-3's to omega-6's (i.e. grass-fed meat contains anti-inflammatory omega-3's while grain-fed/CAFO meat does not) [9]. This is because these animals are eating their natural diet (nutrient-dense grasses, shrubs, leaves, etc. grown in good soil) and not some CAFO concoction of GMO corn, agribusiness byproducts, hormones, and antibiotics. Animals raised in confined animal feeding operations (CAFO) or fed grain for the majority of their lives are significantly higher in inflammatory fats (omega-6’s) and compounds, even if they are not fed growth hormones and antibiotics, which most conventional animals are. They are also very stressed and sickly, making their meat full of inflammatory compounds and toxins. Studies have shown that eating meat from animals raised in unnatural and stressful circumstances will raise a person’s levels of C-reactive protein and IL-6, two markers of systemic inflammation. CAFO-raised poultry and eggs that are not “pastured” (“cage-free” and “free-range” are essentially meaningless terms) are also highly inflammatory [10]. Farmed fish are also to be avoided, as they are fed unnatural diets and exposed to toxic chemicals and pollution, in addition to the environmental destruction that fish farms cause.
Bioavailability of vitamins and minerals is really important to keep in mind, and this is why animal sources of vitamins and minerals are best - they are already in the forms that our body needs and can be quickly absorbed without wasting digestive energy. Sure, carrots are high in beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor, but even healthy people have a low rate of beta-carotene to vitamin A conversion. It's been found that 47% of European women completely lack the enzyme needed to convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, and that children and diabetics also cannot make this conversion [3]. Oh, and guess what form of "vitamin A" is in our CF-specific AquaDEK softgels: beta-carotene. Yeah, that's pretty much useless. So you can see why we can't rely on pharmaceuticals to provide us with adequate nutrition, we must get it from the original source: food. You may ask, why don't pharmaceutical companies use bioavailable forms of vitamin A, especially for sick people with bad digestion? The answer is that beta-carotene is cheaper and making all vitamin supplements with optimally-bioavailable ingredients would hurt corporate profit margins. So read the nutrient facts very thoroughly on your supplement bottles, and know which forms of what nutrients are most useful (I will discuss this more in the Supplements and Natural Medicine section). Maybe if enough of us put enough pressure on CF vitamin companies they'll start putting real vitamins in them. Maybe.
Bioavailability of nutrients in animal protein is highly dependent on how well we digest that protein. Protein digestion is done primarily in the stomach through the use of hydrochloric acid and the enzyme pepsin. When stomach acid is too low, protein is not properly broken down, pathogens are not destroyed, and we can get other G.I. complications such as acid reflux, gas, constipation, and bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and intestines. I discuss this more in-depth in this blog post.
If animal flesh is fresh and from a healthy, grass-fed/pastured and humanely raised animal, it should be minimally cooked. Actually, high-quality animal flesh should be eaten raw whenever possible and safe, as there are many naturally-occurring vitamins and enzymes that are destroyed by heat. This is especially true for organ meats like liver, which are high in fat-soluble vitamins that are destroyed in cooking. Eating fresh, raw fish from a safe and trustworthy source is by far the healthiest animal protein you can consume. That's one reason why I'm such as huge fan of sushi. The essential fatty acid DHA, so abundant in seafood, is destroyed by heat. Grass-fed meats also have DHA, but in smaller amounts. Only raw animal protein has vitamin B6 [4]. Similarly, raw milk is high in vitamin C, but it is destroyed by heat in the pasteurization process. All traditional cultures eat some of their animal protein raw. When animal protein is cooked it becomes harder to digest because the molecules become denatured, and because the naturally occurring enzymes that would help you digest it are destroyed. If you are concerned about parasites or pathogens, freeze your meat for at least two weeks before thawing and consuming it raw. Freezing for long periods of time kills most pathogens. You can also make dishes that "cook" meats in an acidic substance, like lemon juice (e.g. ceviche). Another important thing to keep in mind when consuming raw meat is that in order to kill any potentially harmful pathogens contained in it, you must have adequate stomach acid. This is another reason to make sure you have adequate stomach acid levels and to supplement with Betaine HCL if you need it.
Protein and Vitamin/Mineral Imbalances
There is a limit to how much protein we can digest in one sitting and in a day. Eating too much protein can cause imbalances in the vitamins and minerals in our bodies. Vitamin A is need to metabolize protein, and if we eat too much protein without adequate intake of fat-soluble vitamin A (in raw animal fats) we can deplete our body's vitamin A stores, leading to reduced immunity, autoimmune disorder, and kidney/eye problems [5].
Eating too much protein can also cause an imbalance of calcium in the body and can lead to bone loss. Eating a lot of protein, more than about 75g per day, causes the body to excrete more calcium in the urine than is absorbed from your food [1]. However, studies have shown that supplementing with calcium while on a high protein diet can actually improve bone mass. When the body begins to excrete calcium in the urine after a high-protein meal it triggers a cascade of reactions in a variety of organ systems that enhances calcium absorption. If not enough calcium is taken in through the diet, the body starts to reabsorb the calcium in the bones, leading to bone loss. The solution to this is to eat more calcium in the diet along with proteins so that we can take advantage of the body's natural inclination to upregulate calcium absorption [6]. We can also take calcium pills, but this is an inferior source to food. Traditional diets had all of this figured out. Bone broths and/or raw dairy were an important part of most traditional diets, and there was heavy emphasis on eating the whole animal, including the bones. Calcium is in its most absorbable form in raw dairy and in animal bones or shells. Modern nutritionists love to tout dairy as the best source of calcium, and while there is certainly calcium present in it, if the dairy is pasteurized very little of that calcium gets absorbed into the bones [7]. Pasteurization reduces the bioavailability of calcium in dairy so that instead of getting absorbed into the bones to build bone mass, it can get deposited in the soft tissues and in the blood, where it can cause a number of serious problems including arthritis and heart disease [3].
The conclusion to this section is to eat protein in moderation (not more than about 75g per day or 35% of daily calories [11]) and to eat it in the presence of calcium, ideally from animal food sources.
Plant Proteins
While plant proteins are harder to digest, they certainly have value and should be included in the diet. All chlorophyll-rich vegetables have protein in them, so eat your leafy greens! While I consider nuts and seeds to be fats for the purposes of food combining, they are also a good source of protein. Due to the risks of rancidity, their high phytic acid content, their ability to cause allergies or sensitivities, and their higher omega-6 content, nuts and seeds should be eaten in moderation and with a lot of care to ensure quality and proper preparation. Find a safe source of nuts or seeds and stick with that. For me, I have found that I tolerate sunflower seed butter and macadamia nuts very well, as well as the few almonds that are contained within my favorite Cherry Pie Larabar.
Spirulina is a wonderful plant protein and a fantastic source of vitamins and nutrients. I add spirulina to all of my smoothies, and I used to add it to juice (which I rarely drink anymore, too much sugar). Spirulina is a primitive micro-algae that grows on the surface of ponds. Micro-algae are very ancient organisms that exists on the border of the plant and animal kingdoms, giving them unique nutritional properties. Spirulina is very high in chlorophyll, which is purifying (i.e. promotes wound healing through anti-microbial activity, detoxifies and deactivates carcinogens), anti-inflammatory, and improves organ function and cellular regeneration (i.e. builds blood, promotes beneficial intestinal flora, improves liver function, activates enzymes for better absorption of vitamins A, E, and K). It has a very high beta-carotene content. Spirulina is also very high in nucleic acids (RNA and DNA) which help with cellular regeneration. Per gram it has the highest protein content of pretty much any whole food on earth. It also contains plant-form omega-3's and the anti-inflammatory omega-6, GLA. Much of its carbohydrate and protein content is in forms that are essentially pre-digested and rapidly assimilated, so spirulina has been used to treat people suffering from extreme deficiencies or recovering from starvation [1]. Spirulina is a really incredible food, and its dual qualities of cleansing and regeneration make it a very beneficial supplement to a healing diet.
If you're the kind of person that works out or does intense exercise and takes protein as a supplement for building muscle, it's important to find the right kind of protein supplement. Protein powders are often used in shakes and in protein bars. I have done a lot of research and experimentation recently with protein powders, as I am hoping to gain weight through gaining muscle mass. It's pretty hard to find protein powders out there that are not completely denatured, dairy-based, or loaded with sugars, chemicals, and unabsorbable synthetic vitamins and minerals. We cannot eat whey protein because it is dairy-based (may contain lactose and casein) and is most likely denatured and over-processed to the point of being toxic. We cannot eat soy-proteins because of their hormone-mimicking qualities and their high content of anti-nutrients such as phytic acid. Grain proteins, such as brown rice bran powder, are also not recommended because of their possible impact on a leaky gut. So what I've come to settle on is hemp protein. Hemp protein powder is a whole food, it has a wide amino acid profile, contains omega-3's (including GLA), and has a good amount of calcium and iron along with other vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, it is low in anti-nutrients that block uptake of minerals, unlike many other nut or seed proteins. Also, it's relatively inexpensive, cheaper than a lot of regular old whey proteins. If you decide that taking a protein powder supplement is important for your diet, I think hemp is the best choice. Make sure that when you make your protein shakes that you adhere to the food combining rules, or it will make it very hard to digest. I use this brand of hemp protein, as it's raw, cold-milled (minimizing rancidity), and minimally processed.
The Problem with Legumes
The fruits or seeds of legume plants (i.e. beans, peas, lentils, carob, vanilla, peanuts, soybeans) are similar to grains in that they are the reproductive organs of plants made up of complex carbohydrates and proteins. Like grains, they use self-defense mechanisms such as enzyme inhibitors and anti-nutrients (e.g. phytic acid) to deter predation. Legumes, grains, nuts, dairy, and nightshade plants contain proteins called lectins. Lectins are bound to carbs in these foods and are very hard for our bodies to break down. Digestive enzymes only do a partial job on them, and that is why traditional cultures developed techniques such as soaking and fermenting to pre-digest these proteins before ingesting them. The modern diet doesn't do any of this pre-digestion, and so our society is now rampant with auto-immune diseases, leaky gut syndrome, and food allergies. As it turns out, GMOs may be higher in lectins than their peers because they are spliced into plants to further deter predation. Like prolamins discussed in the carbohydrate section, lectins can cause openings between the cells of the intestinal wall, allowing lectins and other proteins, bacteria, and toxins to leak into the blood stream, triggering an immune response, which can lead to an autoimmune response [8]. Furthermore, it is possible that because the lectin is essentially undigestible, the carb bound to the lectin goes undigested as well and can therefore feed bacterial fermentation in the gut, further contributing to leaky gut syndrome. Essentially, it's your best bet to stay away from legumes, at least until you are absolutely sure you've healed your gut and no longer have leaky gut syndrome (this usually takes years). The most important legumes to stay away from (in addition to grains) are soybeans and peanuts, which are highest in lectins.
The Best Meats to Eat
So given all this information, what proteins should we be eating? Each animal has its own characteristics based on its energy signatures, its intelligence and behavioral patterns, its lifestyle, how and where it was raised, and its spiritual qualities. Therefore, I have chosen to emphasize certain meats in my diet based on their healing properties. Paul Pitchford [1] goes into great detail about this, but I will briefly go through what I feel to be the best sources of protein we should eat.
Seafood - By far the healthiest protein source out there. Includes, fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. Choose the fattiest fish you can afford (salmon, char, mackerel, herring, anchovies, sardines, etc.) as these contain the highest amounts of the anti-inflammatory omega-3's EPA and DHA. Shrimp and clam also have healing properties that treat inflammation and relieve mucus conditions. In Chinese Medicine, seafood is prescribed to treat lung ailments [1]. There is concern over the sustainability of our global fisheries, as they are being overharvested to the brink of collapse in many regions. Therefore, I suggest you regularly refer to the guide that the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch puts out. They also have a free guide that you can download to your smart phone, so you can be sure to buy the most sustainable fish while strolling through the grocery store. There is also some concern about toxic contaminants and heavy metals in seafood. Chris Kresser did a wonderful piece on this issue, so I will refer you to his article. Seafood is my favorite animal food for a million reasons, but one of them is that it tastes fantastic raw.
Pastured, Humanely-raised Pork - In Chinese medicine, pork is a meat with neutral thermal characteristics (thus not contributing to inflammation or internal heat as much as warming meats, like lamb and chicken) and is used medicinally to lubricate the body, build the yin fluids, and treat dryness. This last aspect, the building of yin fluids, is very important for CFers, as our mucus is too thick and must be lubricated and thinned out. Pig meat and pig fat (lard) do a very good job of this. Pigs are naturally very fatty animals, which is fantastic for CFers who need more calories than other people. Pork does contain more omega-6 fatty acids (the inflammatory kind) than grass-fed beef, but less than chicken. However, the role it plays in building the yin fluids may outweigh the drawbacks of its higher omega-6 content. Lard is a saturated fat and very good to cook everything with, plus it adds a great flavor. I get my lard by saving the oil left over in the pan when I fry bacon. Put it in a glass jar and keep it in the fridge. Pork is also a salty meat, which is beneficial for CFers who need a higher-salt diet. Choose the fattier cuts of meat, like pork belly, as they are more nutritious and higher-calorie. Bacon is a great meal or snack, and it can be added to lots of recipes for extra flavor. However, make sure your bacon is uncured, contains no nitrates, and uses minimal sugar or a natural sweetener, like maple syrup. You may be able to talk to your local farmer and order sugar-free bacon. Never eat conventional or CAFO-raised pork. It is inhumane, unsafe, and unhealthy. Make sure your pork is pastured, organic, certified human, and/or organic. For more info on food labels and what they mean see my page How to Buy Food.
Grass-fed, organic, local beef - Second to pork, beef can also be healing, yet it is considered to be more warming and thus not as good for inflammatory diseases like ours. Yet it can be medicinal for other reasons. I've discussed this extensively, but grass-fed beef contains a beneficial balance of omega-3's to 6's, has a lot of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, and when properly pastured can actually improve the health of a rangeland ecosystem. Furthermore, in Chinese Medicine, beef is prescribed to treat digestive issues of the pancreas and small intestines. The organs and bones of beef are also beneficial and full of vitamins and minerals. Beef liver is particularly nutritious and very high in absorbable vitamin A, an immune-booster. Buy grass-fed beef from your local farmer or farmer's market. If you don't have access to these, it should be available at your local coop or health food store. A few smarter grocery stores might carry it too, but make absolutely sure it says "grass-fed" and organic.
There are many other types of meat to choose from that may be more or less helpful for your particular body, but seafood, beef, and pork are what I choose to use as medicinal meats. Some other animal foods are contraindicated for mucus conditions such as eggs (although just the egg whites might be beneficial). Chicken is higher in inflammatory omega-6's so it is not recommended unless you use the whole bird in a soup or broth. Just eating the meat is not particularly beneficial compared to the higher nutrient profiles of other meats.
How Much To Eat
As far as protein goes, we need varying levels depending on how much healing or growing we are doing at the time. Folks who work out more need more protein as they are building muscle, and folks who are sick need more protein for tissue healing. Healthy people can do very well on 10-15 grams of protein per day. I would think that CFers need a bit more than that. I get about 15-25% of my daily calories from protein, which usually amounts to somewhere between 60 and 80 grams per day. This is not to say that this is ideal for you, it's just what I do, and I'm still experimenting. I am constantly battling serious infections, so my protein needs are pretty high all of the time. Experiment and see what works best for you.
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[1] Healing with Whole Foods. Paul Pitchford.
[2] Digestive Physiology of Herbivores. <http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/herbivores/>
[3] Lecture by Sally Fallon at the Traditional Foods Symposium at Shelburne Farms. June 15, 2013.
[4] Lecture by Dr. Terry Wahls on the Mitochondrial Diet. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg216KCuXSM>
[5] http://www.westonaprice.org/basics/adventures-in-macro-nutrient-land?qh=YTo4OntpOjA7czo3OiJwcm90ZWluIjtpOjE7czo5OiJwcm90ZcOvbmUiO2k6MjtzOjEwOiJwcm90ZcOvbmVzIjtpOjM7czo4OiJwcm90ZWlucyI7aTo0O3M6OToicHJvdGVpbidzIjtpOjU7czo5OiJwcm90ZWlucyciO2k6NjtzOjg6Iidwcm90ZWluIjtpOjc7czo5OiJwcm90ZWluZXIiO30%3D
[6] Protein and Calcium: Antagonists or Synergists? <http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/4/609.full>
[7] Nourishing Traditions. Sally Fallon.
[8] http://www.marksdailyapple.com/lectins/#axzz2Ah7hSjy4
[9] http://eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm
[10] http://www.marksdailyapple.com/human-interference-factor/#axzz1kPKpqtUA
[11] http://chriskresser.com/fukushima-radiation-cavities-and-liver-disease
