Dr. Frlan:

Thank you for your e-mail.  I'm in agreement with you that the good 
carbohydrate sources are fruits and vegetables.  In fact if one would live on 
organically grown fruits and vegetables with a little bit of nuts and seeds, 
most degenerative diseases would not exist.  I'm also in agreement that 
simple carbohydrates such as processed sugars and starches (bread, pasta, 
cakes,....etc.) should be avoided and I did mention that in the article on 
protein.  In fact they are the main contributors to high cholesterol levels 
and many health problems today including obesity. 

However,  I don't agree with you that it is "very important to eat high 
quality meat," and that "give or take 10% is safe".  I do believe that 
vegetable source proteins, which includes proteins and/or amino acids found 
in fruits and nuts, are the most efficient for us to break down and 
assimilate.

We are told we need between 70 and 100 grams of protein daily.  This is way 
too much.  If we look around the world, we find that the high protein-eating 
nations are the sickest nations in the world.  Idealy human protein needs are 
25-30 grams daily.

My health mentor is Dr. Joel Robbins. I'd like to share with you some of the 
information that comes from his writings re. protein:

•   A baby will double in body weight in the first six months living on 
mother's milk alone.  Mother's milk consists of 1.6% protein only.  After six 
months, a baby still continues to grow, but not so rapidly.  After adulthood, 
one stops growing, thus the need for protein, percentage-wise, decreases.   

Meat and dairy have too much protein for human consumption-even for a growing 
infant.

Protein source                              Percentage protein

Mother's milk                                   1.6%
Meat                                        18 - 24%
Dairy                                       12 - 18%
Fruits and vegetables                               0.5 - 6%
Nuts and seeds                                   up to 12%
(vegetable source protein)

•   Every day we break down millions of cells and replace them.  The body 
retains 2/3 of the protein from these broken-down cells and recycles it.

•   A big bull grows to his size and muscular stature on vegetable source 
intake only.

•   The gorilla, the strongest animal per body weight, lives on fruits and 
nuts (some vegetables at times).  The digestive system and physiological 
make-up of a gorilla is the same as that of a human.

•   High protein or concentrated protein foods (meat, diary, protein powders) 
are actually negative energy foods.  This means that they require more energy 
and nutrients from the body to digest and assimilate, than the body gets in 
return.  High protein foods cost the body health.

It is interesting to note that:

-   A person can eat a protein breakfast, and feel an energy lift within 15 
minutes that will last all morning long.
_   It takes  4-5 hours before high protein foods are digested enough to 
realize any benefit from them in the blood stream.
–   The body only converts protein into energy under extreme circumstances, 
such as starvation.
–   After a high protein meal is eaten, the blood glucose (sugar) level will 
go up almost immediately and maintain for 4-5 hours.  

Where does the body get the energy from which makes the person feel good all 
morning long?  Stimulation.  Concentrated proteins are stimulatory-they cause 
adrenaline to flow which causes the liver to put glucose in the bloodstream.  
Stimulation makes us feel good, but robs the body of nutrients-mainly 
calcium-and energy.

•   Animal source proteins are very difficult to digest.  When we compare the 
digestive physiology of carnivorous animal to that of humans, we are no match 
in the protein digestion department.  As a result the protein of a high 
protein meal is not totally broken down in the digestive process. It is then 
absorbed into the bloodstream in a form that cannot be used by the body.  It 
is now considered a foreign substance by the body, and is stored in and 
around the cells of the body as a toxin.  This of course causes the cells to 
react to it or slow down in normal functioning, producing a state of dis-ease.

Medical science is recognizing that this excess protein is stored and is not 
usable by the body.  They call it Trapped Plasma Protein (TPP) and 
Mucoprotein.  Vegetable source proteins, which includes proteins and/or amino 
acids found in fruits, vegetable and nuts, are the most efficient for us to 
break down and assimilate.

 •  We often hear that all meats and dairy products are complete protein 
foods.  Most fruits and vegetables are incomplete protein foods.  This means 
that generally any one fruit or vegetable does not contain all essential 
amino acids.  But, all essential amino acids are contained within the variety 
of fruits and vegetables.  Is it necessary to eat complete protein 
combinations each meal?  The answer is no.

It so happens that the body has something called an amino acid pool.  This is 
located in the liver and bloodstream.  The purpose of the amino acid pool is 
to store amino acids-all amino acids-so that as the body needs them to 
manufacture protein, they are available.  Therefore, if our breakfast 
contains only 3 of the essential amino acids- not enough to make a complete 
protein, these 3 are put into the amino acids pool.  Next meal we may eat 2 
additional of the essential amino acids, these too are sent to the amino acid 
pool.  Then at supper we may eat another variety of fruits which will make up 
the missing 3 essential acids.  Now the body can draw from the amino acid 
pool all that it needs to make up a complete protein.  

It so happens though that there are some fruits and vegetables that do, 
within  themselves, contain complete proteins.  Some of these are:

Almonds, coconuts, squashes, bean sprouts, filberts, okra, carrots, sunflower 
seeds, walnuts, brazil nuts, corn, eggplants, pecans, tomatoes, cabbages, 
alfalfa sprouts, dates, bananas and broccoli.

Ideal Diet:

Forget protein, carbohydrates and fatty acids.  Think in terms of alkaline 
and acid foods.

An ideal diet should consist of: 

80% alkaline foods and 20% acid foods.

Alkaline foods:
Raw fruits, dried fruits, raw vegetables, frozen fruits/vegetables, lightly 
steamed fruits and vegetables and almonds.

Acid foods:
Raw nuts (except almonds), raw seeds (sesame, pumpkin, squash, sunflower), 
some raw fruits and vegetables (cranberries, blueberries, plums, prunes, 
squash), whole grains, overcooked fruits/vegetables, dairy products (cheese, 
eggs, milk),sugar and refined grains, white meats (fish, fowl),fried 
pastries, red meats, herbs, spices, condiments, spicy foods (garlic, hot 
peppers, onions), coffee and tea, salt, alcohol, drugs/medications, tobacco.

Now chose your 20% acid foods..........and make sure the other 80% are 
organically grown fruits and vegetables 

My personal diet consists of raw fruits in the morning (alkaline), cooked 
meal for lunch (acid) and raw vegetables at night (alkaline).  

The concept of alkaline and acid foods and its impact on our health is one of 
the most important concepts I've learned in my quest to understand what 
health is all about.  An excellent source for this subject is  Dr. Ted 
Morter's book, Your Health, Your Choice.  I will expand on the concept of 
acid and alkaline foods in some upcoming articles.  

When it comes to health, I think in terms of alkaline and acid foods, not 
protein, carbohydrates or fats.  We know for a fact that all these three 
macro nutrients are found in all natural foods.  Now, let's make sure that 
the majority of the natural foods we eat are alkaline foods (raw fruits and 
vegetables) and the minority are acid foods.  Health is to maintain an 
alkaline body through alkaline foods.  Long live fruits and vegetables!!!!! 

Donia