Protein Complementing - By: Spice Williams, The Spice of Life Column

First, meat is extremely hard to digest. The amount of hydrochloric acid required to breakdown flesh will practically burn a hole in a plate glass window.

Second, meat is loaded with antibiotics, chemicals, hormones and pesticides that are often far more dangerous than those used on plants. This is because the residues that bio-accumulate in animal flesh are also likely to bio-accumulate in human flesh (after all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander), and become even more carcinogenic by virtue of the fats they're stored in.

Third, animal proteins such as ham, bacon and sausage almost always contain sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite which have been proven over and over to cause cancer.

Fourth, the raising of cattle puts a tremendous burden on the environment. Feedlots and slaughterhouses are notorious for filling rivers and streams with poisonous residues and animal waste. Billions of gallons of water are used to process animal bodies, and groundwater depletion for cattle grazing has caused numerous growing and intractable water problems.

And fifth, the inhumane conditions under which farm animals are raised disgusts me. Besides the physical abuse involved, modern animal raising methods, like modern farming methods, rely far too heavily on chemical intervention.

Cattle and hogs are given hormone implants to increase their growth, and these chemicals, when improperly used, have a tremendous effect on humans. In fact, the European common market recently banned the import of U.S. Grown beef that has been treated with hormones. And there's a serious problem with routine use of antibiotics and sulfa medicines in animal feed to combat diseases caused by overcrowding. These drugs have and will continue to harm consumers, and they have helped create many superstrains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which are affecting our health and even causing some deaths.

It wasn't that long ago, the United States witnessed the sad event of two children dying, and over 300 people becoming sick from eating hamburger meat swarming with the deadly bacteria Escherichia (aka E-coli). C'mon, people, it's time to wake up! This micro-organism lives in the intestinal tract of a cow! Not only that, how can the American people, with the amount of literature available to them today, continue to eat flesh knowing that it's a major contributor to obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer? And how many times does the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have to find dangerous carcinogens and neuro-toxins (including BHC, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, dioxin and heptachlor) in meat, fish and poultry before we do something about it?

Well, for those who would like to make a change, I'd like to introduce you to an exciting array of foods free of poisons, sugars, sodium and saturated fats. They look and taste like traditional animal proteins, but they're made from plants and are nutritionally superior. Most of these foods are made from tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein (TVP) or seitan (pronounced "say-tan"). Tofu hot dogs, tempeh burgers, TVP chili, seitan sausages, soy cheeses, and rice and soy ice creams are only a few of the choices available. With today’s technology, there is virtually nothing your can’t find in a meat analogue representing what used to be made out of meat or flesh.

Tofu, a mainstay in the Orient for over two thousand years, is the curd that results when ground soybeans are cooked, drained and pressed into cubes. Besides being a versatile and economical food, tofu is also high in protein and low in calories. Tofu assumes whatever flavor is added to it, and readily lends itself to hot dogs, cheeses, ice creams and burgers.

Tempeh, cracked whole soybeans that have been cooked, fermented and steamed, originated several hundred years ago in Indonesia. Tempeh is 20% high-quality protein. Meat substitutes made from tempeh include bacon and burgers.

Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) is made from soy flour after the soybean oil has been extracted. It comes in granules, flakes, chunks and slices, and can be used in a variety of recipes to add texture, fiber and protein to meals. TVP has zero cholesterol, is low in sodium, and has almost no fat. TVP works well in chili, tomato sauce, sloppy joes, sausages and burgers. For those of you who might be interested, I manufacture my own product line called "Spice of Life Meatless Meats & Jerky." If you can't find it at your local store yet, you can order direct by calling 800/256-2253.

Seitan, a Japanese word, was originally made in the Orient from whole wheat, tamari and spices thousands of years ago. The dough is continually kneaded and rinsed until it becomes glutenous, then it's shaped into any form and cooked in a flavorful broth. Seitan is a high-protein food that's a good source of energy. It contains no cholesterol, but has the consistency and flavor of meat. Its versatility lends itself to traditional recipes such as roast beef sandwiches, stroganoff, meatballs, stir-fries and meatloaf.

DAIRY PRODUCTS

We seem to be the only species on Earth that continues to drink milk after weaning. Cow's milk to boot! To me, that's like an adult dog craving the milk of a feline.

We've all been told that milk has the calcium and protein that we need to build strong and healthy bodies. But why don't the same people ever tell us about all the sugar found in milk -- the "lactose" that requires "lactase" for proper digestion. The majority of adults do not produce an adequate amount of the lactase enzyme in their intestinal lining, so consequently, when consumed by them, dairy products cannot be properly digested, and they begin to rot and putrefy over a course of 12 to 15 hours. At the same time, they coagulate, forming curds around other particles of food in the stomach, thus insulating them from gastric juices.

I've always found it interesting that doctors recommend milk for ulcers, yet they are the first to tell you not to drink it with certain medications. Doesn't that tell you something? Milk is not only responsible for mucus buildup, it can actually irritate ulcers due to the fact that your stomach pours out more than ten times its normal amount of hydrochloric acid just to digest it. Also, ulcers have been linked to Helicobacter pyloris; Bacterium commonly infecting the gastric mucosa in patients with ulcers. H. pyloris is the underlying cause of ulcers and implicated in the development of gastric cancer. Milk will just help this bacteria grow!

Unfortunately, 1936 gave birth to a tremendous marketing campaign that hyped the dairy business. It has continued to brainwash people into believing that "everybody needs milk," and that it's the best source of calcium available. Well, it's simply not true. You get far more digestible calcium from broccoli, carrots, grains and beans, which is why the National Dairy Association was finally forced to change it's slogan to "milk does a body good."

Just as we discussed the toxins used in the processing of meat, don't forget that milk comes from a cow, and whatever is in its flesh, is in its milk. This is why people who are intolerant to penicillin have to be careful not to ingest dairy products, for the antibiotics in them can and will cause allergic reactions.

Another thing to consider is how the antibiotics in dairy products contribute to the multiplication of "candida albicans" (yeasts), which we'll talk about later. These are single cell organisms that normally live within your body, but if they begin to outgrow their space, they will switch to a branching fungal form and can make you "sick all over". They love the fats and sugars in milk, and once out of control, will begin to bore holes in your gut lining and find their way into your blood stream. This is called "systemic candida albicans."

At any rate, there's a whole world of dairy alternatives out there waiting to be explored. There's rice milk, soy milk, soy cheeses (including sour cream and cream cheese), almond cheese, ice creams made from rice and soy beans, even holiday egg nogs. They're really terrific and there's no excuse for feeling deprived or unfestive simply because you want to eat right.

Just remember: "If you eat a cow, you'll look like a cow!"

For more info on just how bad milk/dairy is for you…Please look at my article called, “Milk, recipe for cancer.”

SUGAR

Sugar and other refined carbohydrates (including white flour products) are the ultimate forerunners of bad health. Candy for instance, converts to glucose in the mouth and is immediately absorbed by the bloodstream. It's an instant high, followed by a depressing low, which only triggers a craving for more.

Almost like a narcotic, sugar is aggressively habit-forming. Not only does it sap your energy, it contains no vitamins or minerals, depletes your B-vitamins and leads to an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus. Think back. Have you ever been around a kid with a sweet tooth? They're nervous, high-strung, impatient and irrational. Sugar also contributes to obesity, diabetes (the body's inability to breakdown carbohydrates), arthritis (inflammation and soreness of the joints), tooth decay, pyorrhea (disease of the gums and tooth sockets), asthma, mental illness, nervous disorders and low blood sugar (hypo-glycemia).

On the other hand, honey and natural syrups (including black strap molasses) are healthy pick-me-ups, full of God-given nutrients. The problem is, if you ingest them with other foods, they begin to ferment which is why I try to have them with herbal teas or by themselves.

Most healthy cells in your body are oxygen-breathing powerhouses. When a cell becomes diseased, it no longer breathes oxygen. It goes from an aerobic cell to an anaerobic cell. It now consumes sugar for its energy and its growth. When looking for cancer, the body is injected with dextrose and the cancer cells run to it for fuel. Don’t feed CANCER CELLS! Stop eating sugar and foods that are refined. A bagel, saltine crackers, pretzels, white bread and almost all foods that are white, are close enough to be called “SUGAR.”

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

Remember, anything unnatural to the body isn't good for it! If the body doesn't recognize a substance, then how's it supposed to know what to do with it? It's been ten years since the FDA proposed banning saccharin (there's 40 milligrams in Sweet n' Low), yet it continues to flourish despite the fact it poses a significant cancer risk.

Aspartame (selling under such brand names as NutraSweet and Equal) is another destructive compound found in Kool-Aid, diet soft drinks, chewing gum and puddings, and is responsible for severe gas, bloat, diarrhea, anxiety attacks and mild depression. Then there is splenda which is chlorinated sugar. Ask yourself, why do they put chlorine into swimming pools? To kill bacteria! Also, chlorine is right next to iodine on the periodic chart. So, the thyroid gland can confuse Splenda with the much needed iodine. That’s what Splenda is doing inside of your body. Killing important bacteria and destroying your thyroid. In short, stay away from products containing artificial ANYTHING!!! -- they're bad news.

HYDROGENATED OILS

Hydrogenation (one of the major problems today with vegetable oils used in food preparation) is the process by which hydrogen atoms are added to unsaturated fats to make them semi-solid saturated fats. It's true that margarine is able to spread because of hydrogenation, however, this man-made monster not only promotes arterial plaque, but also reduces our body's ability to rid itself of carcinogens, drugs and toxins.

Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oil, unfortunately, is used in many products: i.e., baked goods, potato chips, peanut butter, frozen dinners, candy and breads. So be careful. Labels often, but not always, tell when hydrogenated oils are being used. If you're not sure, don't buy them.

The healthy alternative would be to look for the same foods made with "fractionated oil," a process wherein oil is first melted under low heat, then chilled, during which time manufacturers separate and remove the oil's fatty acids that solidify at room temperature. In deference to what happens during the hydrogenation process, the nature of these so-called "fractions" of fatty acid chains remain unaltered. As such, they're more stable and less affected by exposure to light and oxygen, and make it much easier for us to break down and digest.

SALT

Too much use of table salt (sodium chloride) may cause mineral imbalances due to the fact that excess sodium upsets the potassium and calcium levels in the body. These minerals are known as "electrolytes" (solutions that conduct electricity by means of their ions), and when they're out of balance, it's equivalent to trying to drive your car with weak spark plugs.

The thing to consider is that when salt enters your body, it forces water out of your cells, and pushes it into the surrounding tissues causing unwanted bloat, weight and high blood pressure.

And don't forget your body normally uses most of the water it gets from food to help in the digestion process (especially elimination). But when you consume too much salt, the water thickens, and the food and wastes get stuck, and can't pass out the way they should.

At any rate, if you do decide to use a little salt for seasoning, choose brands without aluminum-based compounds, or use natural sea salt (unrefined salt from evaporated seawater).