bodybuilding

Obesity and Protein

Obesity is an extremely big problem in the United States and all over the world. In America, around 2/3 of the population is overweight or obese, meaning that they have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or greater. In our society, being overweight or obese is easier than ever before. There are fast food restaurants stationed on every corner, portion sizes that are larger than necessary and unhealthy food that is less expensive than quality food. Our poor diets and lack of exercise are the main causes of the rising obesity epidemic that is plaguing the country.

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The Benefits of Protein for Good Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a condition that affects millions of Americans every year. Approximately 27% of all American women are affected by high blood pressure, usually between the ages of 18 and 74, and around 70% of woman who are over the age of 65 have high blood pressure to some extent. The condition is even more prevalent in African-American women. Currently, there are approximately one billion people worldwide with high blood pressure, a number which is expected to double within 15 years.

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Fatty Liver and the Need for Good Nutrition

Medically known as steatosis, fatty liver is an accumulation of fat cells in the liver which can be caused by many factors. There are many types of fatty liver, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Each type of fatty liver is typically asymptomatic and is usually found in the course of normal or routine blood screenings or in the course of ruling out another disease or condition. It is thought that fatty liver sometimes occurs as a result of a faulty fat transfer from one part of the body to another, but may also be caused by increased fat extraction of fat presented to the liver from the intestine. Another cause for fatty liver is a decrease in the rate at which the liver breaks down and removes fat from the system.

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Do Bariatric Surgery Patients Need Extra Protein in Their Diets?

If you are thinking about undergoing bariatric surgery for weight loss, you probably have a lot of questions. Some of the first questions you should be asking will concern your dietary needs following the surgery. Obviously, you won’t be able to eat the same way that you did prior to your operation, but there are many nutrients that you will still need, especially protein.

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Protein for Good Skin, Hair and Nails

It might seem strange, but the foods that you eat can help keep your skin, hair and nails looking great and healthy. Protein is vital to every cell and function in the body. Your body uses protein to make your skin by replenishing skin cells as they die and slough off. Without enough protein in your system, your nails can become brittle and weak. Protein is also important as the body works to heal the effects of too much sun exposure. Protein should be increased whenever you are healing from trauma, illness or burns. However, make sure that you are not adding or changing the amounts of protein in your diet without discussing it with your doctor or your nutritionist.

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Food Research Expands, While Food Shrinks

Remember George and Jane Jetson? These fictional cartoon characters had two children, a dog “Astro” and the somewhat obsolete robot, Rosie. By all accounts, Jane was an excellent wife and mother, but we are led to believe that she never slaved over a hot stove cooking meals; she simply pressed a button and dinner was ready. On occasion we saw her son, Elroy, zoom in and consume an entire meal by ingesting a pill no larger than a normal vitamin before zooming out again.

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Bone Up on Your Protein

Do you remember your mother telling you to finish your glass of milk before you could be excused from the dinner table? Did she also tell you to finish your plate of spinach if you wanted muscles like Popeye? Good old Mom; she was right, you know! Research has always supported the health benefits of including calcium and certain nutrients into our daily meals. Research findings also support the role that protein plays for living a healthy lifestyle. As we age, keeping adequate amounts of protein in our diets is necessary for bone health.

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Why Do Humans Need Protein?

There are many reasons that humans need to consume enough protein in their daily diets. Proteins play a vital role in virtually every function of the body, including a major role in the building, repair and maintenance of the muscles. Without protein, we would have a serious lack of the eight essential amino acids that are not made by the body, but must instead be supplied by adequate protein consumption or supplementation. And finally, we need to consume protein in adequate amounts or face increasing weight gain because of the role that protein plays in our feelings of satisfaction. It’s not like it would even be possible to eliminate all sources of protein from our diets in the first place, and humans would be very miserable if they could.

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Protein, Energy Production and Heat Generation

The biological need for food is simple – we need to eat so that we have energy. Even if the goal is only to sit on the couch and watch a hockey game, we still need energy to exist. The human body is an amazing machine, but it needs fuel even when it is doing nothing at all, even when it is sleeping. Every function of the human body requires energy, from the beating of our hearts to the expanding of our lungs. Our body also uses energy to grow our skin, hair and nails. If we do not have the right kind of energy in our system, then these functions will cease, not only affecting the way that we look, but also how we feel. If the deficiency continues for long enough, our health will suffer as well.

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