Happy and Healthy 2011!

It’s a New Year and time for new decisions. Many people will get back on the diet bandwagon; a decision which will be bitter-sweet for most of them. Personally, I hate the word “diet”. It is a misconstrued four-letter word which evokes visions of supermodels dancing through one’s head. Since the majority of us fall under the shorter than 5’10” category and check the older than 25 box, we can do ourselves a favor and put the supermodel image to bed already. We cannot, however, put to bed our health.
Make a decision this year to be healthy, not “skinny”! Make healthy choices and your body will follow. Make your insides happy and you will be happy – it’s as simple as that.

As a vegan, I’m frequently asked how I get my protein. The recommended dietary allowance for both men and women is 0.8 grams of protein for every 2.2 pounds of body weight (people with special needs, such as pregnant women, are advised to get a little more).
Our bodies – hair, muscles, fingernails, etc... – are made up mostly of different kinds of protein that consist of varying combinations of amino acids. In much the same way that the 26 letters of the alphabet can form millions of different words, 20 amino acids serve to form different proteins. Half these amino acids can be manufactured by the human body, the other 10 cannot. These remaining amino acids are easily obtained by eating a balanced vegan diet.
I always stress how careful you must be when ingesting animal proteins. The consumption of animal protein has been linked to some types of cancer, Alzheimer’s and other avoidable diseases. Plant-based protein sources contain healthy fiber and complex carbohydrates.

So, here is your Easy Protein Formula:
Your Weight ÷ 2.2 x 0.8 = Your recommended per day protein amount.


My recommended intake is around 44 grams. I was curious to see how many grams of protein I was actually getting, so I tracked my meals for a couple days and found I could use a bit more. I was getting between 26-38 grams of protein per day, so I need to try to work in about 10 more grams per day. I stocked up on beans, grains and tofu at the store and will try to whip together some tasty vegan dishes over the next few days.
 

Here’s to getting as healthy and happy as we can be! Happy 2011!