High Protein Diet for Weight loss…Stay Cautious

——–TO GOOD TO BE TRUE—–
If you follow an Atkins, Paleo or Dunkan diet, you may want to reconsider it! Eating too much protein can increase our risk for a variety of different health conditions – in fact, a new study has shown that they could be as bad for you as smoking! Not only did animal proteins (meat, eggs, and dairy) increase participants’ risk of death by up to 74% (compared to their more low-protein counterparts), but even when controlling for a high amount of fat and carbs in their diet, consuming a high amount of animal protein had negative health effects. These individuals were also several times more likely to die of diabetes. Aim for around 10% of your total calories coming from protein. As long as one is eating a variety of plant foods in sufficient quantity to maintain one’s weight, it is nearly impossible to be protein deficient (yes, even on a raw vegan or vegan (cooked) food diet). The body gets plenty of protein from the amino acids in fruit and vegetables, just enough to create a healthy, strong body. So how does a high-protein diet affect the body?

High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets, like The Atkins Diet, have been widely promoted as effective weight loss plans. These programs generally recommend that dieters get 30% to 50% of their total calories from protein.

By comparison, the American Heart Association, the National Cholesterol Education Program, and the American Cancer Society all recommend a diet in which a smaller percentage of calories come from protein.
One should not ignore health in the name losing pounds, losing pounds in a non-scientific way can lead to so many health problems in later stage of life.

How Do Low-Carb Diets Work?

Normally your body burns carbohydrates for fuel. When you drastically cut carbs you lose water, the body goes into a metabolic state called ketosis, and it begins to burn its own fat for fuel. Ketosis may make dieting easier because you feel less hungry. But ketosis can cause headaches, irritability and nausea.

The Risks of High-Protein, Low-Carb Diets

Some experts have raised concern about high-protein, low-carb diets.

High cholesterol. Some protein sources — like fatty cuts of meat, whole dairy products, and other high-fat foods — can raise cholesterol, increasing your chance of heart disease. However, studies showed that people on the Atkins diet for up to 2 years actually had decreased “bad” cholesterol levels.

Kidney problems. If you have any kidney problems, eating too much protein puts added strain on your kidneys. This could worsen kidney function.
Osteoporosis and kidney stones. When you’re on a high-protein diet, you may urinate more calcium than normal. There are conflicting reports, but some experts think this could make osteoporosis and kidney stones more likely.
Unhealthy metabolic state (ketosis). During ketosis, the body forms substances known as ketones, which can dull appetite and cause nausea and bad breath. Ketosis can be prevented by eating at least 100 grams of carbohydrates a day.

How does a high-protein diet affect the body functioning ?

Brain:High-protein diets have been linked with lighter brain weight (neurodegeneration), and large protein concentrations circulating in the blood make the brain more vulnerable to the devastating effect of plaques, speeding up cell death. Diseases like Alzheimer’s may be avoidable simply by eating a low-fat plant-based diet, rich with a variety of ripe fruit and vegetables (which has been found to actually reduce our risk of dementia). Consuming diets high in animal protein also makes us more susceptible to brain fog, lack of mental clarity and dampened memory.

Liver: The liver is our filter. Everything you eat and breathe passes through the liver to be cleared of toxins. When we continuously eat protein-heavy foods like meat, eggs, and dairy, and reduce our consumption of carbs, our body goes into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is when the liver converts fats into fatty acids for use as energy and the by-product, ketones. Ketones increase blood acidity, which is the complete opposite of alkalinity, and can lead to a diseased body (and a particularly stressed liver). A high protein diet, particularly derived from animal protein, is not the best for the liver. Certain proteins are converted into ammonia (a toxic metabolic product) by the bacteria in our intestine, and this ammonia must be broken down by the liver and made into urea which is then excreted by the kidneys. Too much ammonia (aka. too much protein-heavy foods) can lead to a weak liver, or certain liver disorders.

Lymphatic System: According to Dr. Vodder (writer of Manual Lymph Drainage: A Practical Guide), “all protein molecules leave the bloodstream within 24-48 hours, enter the connective tissue, and most of them are returned to the bloodstream via the lymphatic vascular system, so the term “protein circulation” is justified.” “..the protein circulation needs a properly functioning lymphatic vascular system: otherwise there will be blockages and build-ups in the connective tissue, that is, the concentration of protein in the tissue will rise. This will lead to chronic inflammation, which in its turn will result in cell proliferation (fibrosis).”

Protein in your diet is blamed as a contributing factor: “If the blood protein concentration is too high, e.g., due to a protein-rich meal, various mechanisms of the endothelial cells of the blood capillaries will cause the protein to be released into the tissue in order to maintain homeostasis.”

Thus, during digestion, the molecules of protein go to your connective tissue via the bloodstream, which is next absorbed by the lymphatic system. This is a major reason to avoid high-protein diets

Teeth and BonesToo much protein is not good for our bones. Meat and other protein-heavy animal products like eggs and dairy, contain high levels of sulfur-containing amino acids which promote acid production. This increases acidic load in the body, and to help buffer the acid, the body naturally draws on alkaline reserves in our bones to balance our pH level. These alkaline reserves include things like calcium and magnesium, which are needed to help keep our bones and teeth healthy and strong. Essentially, a high-protein diet is a high-acid diet, which sets us up for weak and brittle bones, and developing osteoporosis later in life.

Stomach:Stomach pain and acid reflux are two common issues of consuming a diet high in animal-derived proteins. Consuming too much protein (whether from animal or vegetable sources – aka. seeds, nuts, beans and grains) will result in decomposition in the stomach, converting into poisonous ammonia. This ammonia in turn produces nitrosamines which are one of the most “potent, cancer-causing chemicals known.” (Dr. Lijinsky)

Intestine: Too much protein and not enough fibre can cause incredible amounts of constipation. Dehydration caused by ketosis and limited carbs, combined with lack of fibre will have you squatting on the toilet for days. Not only can that, but diets high in meat cause hemorrhoids. High protein diets also put you at risk for developing colon cancers and polyps in the intestine. If you want to have smooth bowel flow, consume a high-raw, plant-based vegan diet.

Is a Low-Carb Diet Right for You?

If you’re still considering a high-protein diet, just for weight loss, check with your doctor or a nutritionist to see if it’s OK for you. They can help you come up with a plan that will make sure you’re getting enough fruits and vegetables, and that you’re getting lean protein foods.
Nutritionist and scientist all over the recommend a disciplined solution to fat loss, they avoid short cuts and wrong methods.
Remember, weight loss that lasts is usually based on changes you can live with for a long time, not a temporary diet.

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Nishant Joshi

Nishant Joshi

is a National level Sportsman and a certified Fitness, Nutrition & Wellness Expert with Master ‘s degree in Exercise Science (Corrective Exercises). PG Diploma in Therapeutic Nutrition. Bachelors in PE and Sports Sciences. Yoga Therapy Instructor Course from SVYASA. Certificate in Group Exercise (ACE). Certificate in Aerobics ( AFAA). Certificate in Mind conditioning and Pranic Energizing Technique - PET. Certificate in Energy Channelization and SMET - Stress Management. Art of Living Instructor Course . Meditation course from Preksha Meditation. Course in Vedanta under guidance of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Coimbatore. Course in Cyclic Meditation under guidance of Shri Dr Nagendra.