| Brought to you this hour by |  | Advertising and Web Hosting on Woodwind.Org! |
Doublereed Archive - Posting 000035.txt from 2002/11
From: herb fawcett <herbgosia@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [Doublereed-l] Diets and Practicing
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2002 13:39:01 -0500
I have heard that proteins are hard to digest, but research doesn't support
the idea. When proteins are "denatured" by the action of HCl from the
stomach or in cooking, they are easily digested, as are fats when acted on
by adequate bile etc. in a healthy body. When I have experienced digestive
problems, it has almost always been from highly fibrous vegetable matter. We
are all familiar with the fermentation of undigested beans, cabbage, and
broccoli. Why does the myth of indigestibility of protein and reasonable
amounts of fat persist?
Mothers' milk is intensely fat and protein. Most babies thrive on it and
most do not have digestive problems until we introduce fruits and vegetables
to their diet. I agree that we probably need some vegetable fiber and some
carbohydrate in our diet, but I would prefer to see some science in the
popular diatribe against animal protein.
What makes you believe that enzyme-free food will be harder to digest? Our
normal bodies produce the all the enzymes necessary to convert our food to
the tiny molecules which will pass through the gut wall, and I think the pH
in the stomach will destroy most externally introduced enzymes. The rotting
of fruit on the shelf is often due to bacterial action; radiation will kill
that bacteria, both friendly and very unfriendly, which can be found in
food. Your concerns would better be directed to the careful washing of food
to remove agricultural poisons and nitrites applied to slow the degradation
of green produce on the shelf or in restaurant salads.
What a steer eats, other than the aforementioned poisons and hormones, will
be converted in its body to what the steer needs to survive, the same as
what we eat does for us. Cattle convert indigestible cellulose to proteins
and fats so we can utilize them. We humans are not well disposed to a diet
of grass, in spite of the popular macro-biotic or vegetarian, junk science
in the health-food press. The steers may be more or less fat, depending on
inadequate or excess caloric intake, but I suspect the protein is the same.
I don't suggest that the hormones, antibiotics and other junk cattle are fed
is good for us, just that proteins are not different because of grass or
grain feeding. In fact, if it is shown that radiation destroys the hormones,
including bovine growth hormone, I will feel a lot more comfortable eating
beef and feeding it to my kids. The junk that is fed to poultry is
positively frightening. I will welcome the destructive effects of radiation
on that and the salmonella they often carry.
It is not unnatural to rest for a few moments after a meal. Most of the
other animals on the planet do the same. Mother warned about swimming after
eating; she might well have said the same for intense practicing.
BTW Dr. Atkins does not propose complete avoidance of carbohydrates, just
the reduction of the proportion in one's diet.
Like a lion, take a short nap,
Herb
