I need more protein. When I increase the amount of raw vegan foods I am eating, initially I feel better, but as my blood protein level drops, I get incredibly fatigued. If I continue, muscle loss follows. I have had some very serious (life threatening, chronic) health problems in the past. I'm ok now. Not currently actively suffering from anything except the usual. Since I have had regular blood work for over ten years, I have been able to correlate the change in my blood protein levels with my dietary changes.

Even when eating a lot of animal proteins, such as organic chicken breast or organic turkey or organic free range eggs, my blood protein level is just below normal. When I lower the animal protein and increase the raw vegan stuff I am eating, my blood protein level drops a lot.

Is there something I can do to get more protein from raw vegan sources? What do body builders do?

My body just does not process protein properly so I need to eat more than most people. I'm willing to try food combining or different foods... I just don't want to have to eat loads of nuts or other high fat stuff. I also have a problem digesting a lot of fats. (Gall bladder damage...)

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

The best protein sources are seeds, algaes, and leafy greens juiced or blended.

I love the raw hemp protein powder:

Living Harvest-
[www.sunfood.com]

Nutiva
[www.sunfood.com]

Spirulina is around 60% protein by weight and has around 20 amino acids-

[www.sunfood.com]

[www.sunfood.com]

Raw organic bee pollen is also an excellent source of protein-

[www.sunfood.com]

Mike

Nutribiotic, Jarrow, and NOW foods all do rice protein powders, low temperature process.

I think that nuts and sprouts are high in protein.

Check www.nutritiondata.com ! Its a great tool!

I have to admit that I have not been eating as much greens and sprouts as I would like. I love the stuff but it is so much easier for me to pick up a piece of fruit. I crave salad. Thanks for the tips about greens and sprouts. Funny... I just bought some sprouting equipment and am awaiting its arrival. I love the stuff.

Also... algae/spirulina... I have heard mixed reports about the stuff ranging from that it is pond scum to that it is a true miracle food. Anyone using it? If so, what brand and how much of the stuff for how long? What kind of results?

I will check out the rice protein powder brands too.

THANK YOU for responding. Eating animal protein really goes against what I believe in my heart. I would like to eliminate it. I have no problem staying away from junk food in general (cookies, bread, candy, ice cream, etc.) but my medical issues make it necessary for me to get more protein than most people.

I appreciate the help. Any more ideas, details, or thoughts are always welcome.

Thanks again.

There are no known medical issues that necessitate using animals for food. None.

arugula Wrote:
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> There are no known medical issues that necessitate
> using animals for food. None.

Okaaaay. Umm... I didn't see anyone advocating eating animals. I was simply asking for suggestions. Got any?

> algae/spirulina... Anyone using it?

I eat spirulina, chlorella, and Klamath blue-green algae almost every day. I love it!

> I will check out the rice protein powder brands too.

The rice protein powder is cooked and processed. It is not an ideal food. It is better than soy or whey protein but nowhere near as good as hemp. Hemp seeds are one of the best foods for humans. It is in my top 5 essential foods for optimal health.

Mike

I just read Doug Graham's chapter (6) on protein and the misconceptions about it in his new book. It's one of the most concise and sensible explanations I've read. His information is footnoted or source quoted.

I especially liked his section on Athletes and Bodybuilders where he states that the only thing that really works to build muscle mass is weight bearing exercise and that 10% of daily calories from protein is still plenty of protein for increased muscle building in most conditions. I guess you can't escape the old "no pain, no gain" homily. He also says that if insufficient carbs are being supplied that the body uses protein to convert into fuel.

I guess everytime someone mentions Graham on this forum these days, the Graham Bashing Brigade Springs into action, but I don't mind. A big house with a few raucous children is just part of the human condition.

My experience has been that as I have shifted my diet that periods of toxic release occur and that physical activity can speed the toxic release up to the point where I feel really crappy, but grateful for the house cleaning that's going on. I've also experienced the low energy and lower oxygen adsorbtion effect when I have eaten too much fat and protein and not enough carbs.
----Uti

>The rice protein powder is cooked and processed. It is not an ideal food. It is better than soy or whey protein but nowhere near as good as hemp.

They are similar regarding processing temps but hemp is usually more expensive and processing temperatures can reach 95F. With hemp, the oil is pressed and the remaining seed cake or meal is filtered. The rice protein I use is processed at 90F. Enzymes are used to separate the protein. They claim that the result is not denatured. I don't know if this claim is true, but anecdotally, it seems to agree with my skin.

There isn't a real reason to choose one hemp protein powder over another. They are all processed by the same manufacturer (Hemp Oil Canada) and distributed among different suppliers. The cheapest one I think is proteinfactory.com.

I am not sure if it's a good idea to rely heavily on hemp protein. It contains albumin, which might interfere with biotin uptake.

Usually it's safer to use a wide variety of foods, a little bit from each one, rather than a lot from one.

Are any of you using fitday.com or other sites to track your intake of nutrients or calories, etc.?

I realized, from reading your suggestions, that I crave raw fruits and veggies... but that I am eating much more fruits than veggies. Maybe I need more seeds and greens.

I was thinking of tracking things on one of those sites or maybe there is some software.

The comment about not enough carbs got my interest. It made me realize how ignorant I am about the makeup of what I eat.