Protein
This blog post is a love letter to protein. Protein is incredibly important for building a healthy life, especially for women. Protein helps us build and retain muscle. We already covered that women, as we age, lose lots of muscle mass over time. Muscle mass helps us stay fit enough to get up off the floor when we fall. Muscle mass improves our metabolism and insulin resistance (ability to process sugar). Muscle mass makes us look great in our clothes and feel good when we move our bodies. Protein also helps the brain! In his book You, Happier, Dr. Amen says “Proteins contain important amino acids that your body needs, but is unable to produce on its own. These are called essential amino acids, and they are precursors (necessary for production) for neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine, which play an important role in mood and emotional health.” Don’t we need a good brain? I don’t know about you, but I’m not interested in returning to my 20-year-old brain who made crazy decisions without thinking them through. I want the wise brain of an experienced old woman who has seen everything and lives in a cottage in the woods. Protein helps me feel full, especially when combined with far. I can go longer in between meals and snacks, and I don’t have as many cravings.
If you workout, (please workout! It will help you!), eat some protein within 30 minutes of finishing your workout. This will help your body build muscle, instead of using muscle as an energy source and breaking it down in the body.
My favorite proteins for meals:
· Pulled pork put in the crockpot,
· Chicken breast salad with herbs and broccoli sprouts
· Eggs! I eat so many eggs. I make frittatas or eat a veggie omelet with 3 to 4 eggs.
· Ground beef w/taco seasoning - Yes, I use actual beef and I don’t buy ground turkey. I think that I need the vitamin A and iron from eating ground beef. Also, when I took a food sensitivity test in 2024, turkey showed up as one of my food sensitivities. I still eat it at holidays, but I limit it in every day life.
· Beef pot roast,
· Chicken thigh meat.
· Fruit smoothies with Protein powder, Greek yogurt, and almond butter
· Nuts! Nuts are excellent sources of Protein, Fat, AND Fiber. I eat almonds and pistachios. I get the shelled pistachios because I find shelling them to be soothing to my anxiety and it slows down my eating. I have been buying Wonderful Pistachios Salt & Pepper flavor. I recently checked the label and there is sugar in them! Not much, but man sugar is in everything! Crazy! No wonder they are so good. I buy all nuts roasted and salted.
I need to eat more fish. There are so many benefits to eating fish. My favorite fish is shellfish, which I am also sensitive to. I have a bag of frozen cod in my freezer, and I resolve to eat it! Unfortunately, I don’t care for the taste of salmon. I know crazy. However, if you love salmon, go crazy! Salmon, mackerel, and sardines are incredible sources of Omegas which our body needs!
For snacks, I love Almond butter on rice cakes or crackers. Chomps makes a great low sugar meat stick (bonus it is diverse owned!), and Country Archer makes great beef jerkey (also diverse owned!). My favorite is Teriyaki flavor. From the deli, I buy an all-natural, no nitrates Pepperoni which is delicious, but I use this as a treat and don’t eat it every week.
What is your favorite source of protein? Try increasing your protein and see how you feel!
Link to Book Quoted: https://www.amazon.com/You-Happier-Neuroscience-Secrets-Feeling/dp/1496454529
My favorite Protein Powder by Be Well By Kelly, some Butcher Box chicken thawing to cook later, and a homemade, gluten-free, dairy-free granola bar with 10g of Protein per serving.