ANIMAL PROTEIN: DISEASES FROM HEAD TO TOE
This is an excerpt from Basic Diet Rules in this website.
20 Grams: Maximum Animal Protein Per Day
People, by design, must rely on a plant based diet to remain healthy. The daily protein requirement is 4% of one’s diet. For a person using 2000 calories per day, this is 80 calories or 20 grams of protein. The ideal is 20 grams or less. This amount is about 2 level tablespoons. The average daily protein intake is over 100 grams (3.5 ounces) per day and many people eat as much as 256 grams (9 ounces or 200 lbs. per year). What happens to our body when we eat over excessive animal protein?
The leading causes of death in the U.S. and Canada are: heart disease, cancer, and stroke. If the number of deaths are counted from all causes, the third would be death caused by the administration of pharmaceuticals either properly or improperly dosed.
Americans and Canadian consume the most animal based food on earth. The population is sick. Lawyers, doctors, and accountants wrestle with the diseases and death caused by people eating animal based diets. Here are the facts:
- 82% of adults have at least 1 risk factor for heart disease
- 81% take at least 1 medication during any given week
- 50% take at least one prescription during any given week
- 65% are overweight
- 31% are obese
- 1 in 3 youths are overweight or at risk of overweight
- About 105 million Americans have dangerously high levels of cholesterol (200 mg/dl or higher)
- 63 million have lower back pain (related to overweight and poor circulation both influenced by diet and lack of activity) during any 3 month period
- Over 33 million have a migraine or severe headache during any given 3 month period
- 23 million Americans had heart disease in 2001
- At least 16 million Americans have diabetes
- Over 700,000 Americans died from heart disease in 2000
- Over 550,000 Americans died from cancer in 2000
- Over 280,000 Americans died from cerebro-vascula diseases (stroke), diabetes, or Alzheimer’s in 2000
There is now a deep and broad range of evidence showing that a whole foods, plant based diet is best for the heart, kidneys, bones, and brain, and the prevention of diabetes and autoimmune diseases.
The following is a description of diseases where excess animal protein is demonstrated, documented, and /or proven as a major cause (2).
Heart Disease
Ongoing research has shown that:
1. Excess fat and cholesterol consumption caused atherosclerosis (the hardening of the arteries and formation of plaque) in experimental animals.
2. Eating cholesterol in food (milk, eggs, meat, fish, cheese, saturated fat, other animal proteins) causes a rise in cholesterol in the blood
3. High blood cholesterol might predict and/or cause heart disease
4. Most of the world’s population does not have heart disease and disease free populations have radically different dietary patterns, consuming less fat and cholesterol
5. Heart disease can be prevented and even reversed by a healthy diet.
6. Lowering the risk of blood cholesterol and blood pressure and you lower the risk of heart disease
Cancer
In the U.S. the chances of a male getting cancer are 47%, and females 38%: common cancers are breast, prostate, and large bowel (colon and rectal).
A high protein diet increases the development phase of cancer. Investigations found that Initial cancer development was almost entirely dependent on how much animal protein was consumed. Nutrients from animal based foods increased tumor developmentbased nutrients decreased tumor development. In these experiments plant protein did not promote cancer growths, even at high levels of intake.
The results of many studies show that nutrition to be a more important in controlling cancer promotion than the dose of the initiating carcinogen.
Multiple observations show that animal based foods are strongly linked to breast cancer, and breast cancer occurred when unusually low intakes of animal based foods were consumed.
Cholesterol
As intakes of meat, milk, eggs, cheese, fish, fat and other animal protein goes up, blood cholesterol goes up. As intakes of plant based foods and nutrients (including plant protein and dietary fiber) goes up, blood cholesterol goes down. See “Plugging the Cardiovascular System” in Section 3.
Lower blood cholesterol levels are linked to lower rates of heart disease, cancer, and other Western diseases, even at levels far below those considered “safe” in the West. while nutrients from plant
High fiber intake was consistently associated with lower levels of cancers of the rectum and colon, and lower rates of blood cholesterol. High fiber consumption reflected high plant based food consumption; foods such as beans, leafy vegetables, and whole grains which are high in fiber.
Bacterial Infections and Antibiotic Resistance
Approximately 70% of the antibiotics produced in the U.S end up in animal feed to promote growth in cattle, hogs and poultry, and to compensate for unsanitary housing conditions. This practice inadvertently promotes the reproduction of antibiotic-resistant strains, which reaches humans through air and soil, but most often through eating the food animals which were treated with antibiotics.
According to panelists (1), there are currently more deaths resulting from antibiotic resistant bacterial infections than from HIV-AIDS. Of the 2 million Americans who contract bacterial infections which are antibiotic resistant, 90,000 will die annually. The panelists also discussed simple actions animal producers could take, such as better ventilation, the sanitizing of animal houses, and better animal husbandry, which could reduce or eliminate the need for antibiotics.
(1) Policy Briefing on Antibiotic Resistance: The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future sponsored a Capitol Hill briefing on antibiotic resistance last Wednesday, December 2, 2009.
Diabetes
Diabetes is caused by eating sugar and refined carbohydrates (junk food). Complications of diabetes are: heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, nervous system disease, amputation, dental, pregnancy complications, increased susceptibility to other disease, and death.
Autoimmune Diseases
With autoimmune diseases, the body systematically attacks itself. Some people put the total number of sufferers at 10-12 million people in the U.S. Women are 2.7 times more likely to be affected than men. The following comprise 97% of all autoimmune diseases from the most to least common; hyperthyroidism (Grave’s disease), rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, Vitiligo (smooth white patches on the skin), pernicious anemia, glomerulonephritis (kidney inflammation), multiple sclerosis (MS), Type 1 diabetes, and lupus. Others which are studied a great deal are: rheumatic heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, and (possibly) Parkinson’s disease. The afflicted patient is almost guaranteed to lose.
Foreign invaders are protein molecules called antigens, which can be a bacterium or virus. It’s the job of the immune system to destroy them. Each of the foreign antigens has a separate identity which is the sequence of amino acids that comprises its proteins. Our immune system must customize its defense to each attack. It does this by creating a mirror image or “mold” protein for each attacker. The mirror image fits into the protein of the antigen and destroys it. The mold may be in the form of a B cell antibody or a T cell receptor protein.
Antigens that trick our body into attacking itself may be in food. During the process of digestion, some proteins slip into our bloodstream from the intestine without being fully broken down into amino acids. These bits of undigested protein are treated as foreign invaders by our immune system, which starts making molds (antibodies) to destroy them. The trouble starts when the proteins mimic our own body tissues. These tissues can be any site in the body and this is why the symptoms are varied and puzzling. But the cause is the same.
One of the foods that supply many of the foreign proteins that mimic our own body protein is cow’s milk. Casein is a major constituent of milk and this is a protein. The immune system uses a delicate process to decide which proteins to attack and which to leave alone. Sometimes the immune system loses its ability to distinguish between foreign antigens and the body’s cells.
For example, Type 1 diabetes where the immune system attacks the pancreas cells responsible for producing insulin. The ability of cow’s milk to initiate Type 1 diabetes is well documented. The initiation starts with undigested cow’s milk, and small amino acid chains or fragments of the original protein remain in the intestine and are absorbed through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. The immune system starts to destroy them, but unfortunately these fragments look exactly like the cells of the pancreas that make insulin. The immune system destroys them both. If this is happens to an infant, the infant remains a Type 1 diabetic for the rest of its life. This is one of the most contentious nutritional issues today.
Multiple sclerosis is a particularly difficult autoimmune disease, both for those who have it, and for those who care for its victims. The “multiple” symptoms of MS represent a nervous system in chaos. The electrical signals carrying messages to and from the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and out through the peripheral nervous system to the rest of the body are not well coordinated and controlled. This is because the insulating cover or sheath of the nerve fibers, the myelin, is being destroyed by an autoimmune reaction. Wayward signals may destroy cells and “burn” patches of neighbouring tissue, leaving little scars or bits of sclerotic tissue. These “burns” can become serious and ultimately destroy the body.
It is a lifelong battle involving a variety of unpredictable and serious disabilities. MS sufferers often pass through episodes of acute attacks while gradually losing their ability to walk or to see. After 10 to 15 years they are often confined to a wheelchair, and then to a bed for the rest of their lives. About 400,000 people in the U.S. alone have the disease. It is diagnosed between 20-40 years of age and strikes women about 3 times more often than men.
Multiple studies over 40 years confirm that saturated fat, animal protein, and especially milk, is strongly associated with MS. It has been demonstrated the progression of the disease was greatly reduced even for people who had initially advanced conditions.
Bone Disease: Osteoporosis
Animal protein, unlike plant protein, increases the acid load in the body through the addition of amino acids in protein. An increased acid load means that our blood and tissues become more acidic. The body functions best in an alkaline environment and fights the acidity. In order to neutralize the acid, the body uses calcium, which acts as an effective base that neutralizes the acid. The calcium is excreted in the urine. Doubling protein intake (mostly animal protein) from 35 to 78 g / day causes an alarming 50% increase in urinary calcium. The average American intake is 70-100 g / day. This calcium is sourced from our bones and the calcium loss weakens them, and putting them at risk for fracture. There has been evidence for over 100 years that animal protein decreases bone health. It was first suggested in the 1880’s and documented in the 1920’s. It has also been known that animal protein is more effective than plant protein at increasing the acid load in the body.
Kidney Disease
Kidney stones are probably one of the worst pains a person can experience (another is trigeminal neuralgia – another suspected autoimmune disease). Unfortunately up to 15% of Americans, more men than women, will be diagnosed with having a kidney stone in their lifetime. It may cause the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, restlessness (trying to find a comfortable position), dull pain (ill defined, lumbar, abdominal, intermittent pain), urgency (to empty bladder), frequency (frequent urination), bloody urine with pain (gross hematuria), fever (when complicated with infection), acute renal colic (severe colicky – in the colon or parts adjacent – flank pain radiating to groin, scrotum, labia)
There is a stunning relationship between kidney stones (renal colic) and animal protein consumption. Formation starts at consumption levels above 20 g / day. It has been shown that when people had recurrent kidney stones, the problem was resolved by shifting away from animal protein foods.
Gout
Gout is a common type of arthritis caused by an increased concentration of uric acid in body fluids. Uric acid is the final breakdown product of purine metabolism. Purines are made in the body and are also ingested in foods. In gout, uric acid crystals are deposited in joints, tendons, kidneys, and other tissues, where they cause considerable inflammation, damage, and pain. Often the first joints to exhibit gout are big toes and knees. They swell, redden, and cause excruciating pain when moved or touched. It is serious because it can cause immobility, and when you try to move, the pain is unbearable.
Meats (especially organ meats) are high purine foods, while alcohol inhibits uric acid secretion by the kidneys. Gout is primarily a disease of adult men; over 95% of gout sufferers are men over the age of 30. The incidence of gout is approximately 3 adults in 1,000, although as much as 10-20% of the adult population may have elevated uric acid levels in the blood.
Several dietary factors are known to cause gout: consumption of alcohol, high purine containing foods (organ meats, meat, yeast, poultry), fats, refined carbohydrates (junk foods), and over eating. The dietary treatment of gout involves the following guidelines: 1) elimination of alcohol intake, 2) low purine diet, 3) achievement of ideal body weight, 4) diet high in vegetables, 5) low animal protein intake, 6) liberal fluid intake. Various anti inflammatory drugs (Indocid for one) are available for short term relief, but the long term solution is diet control.
Eye Disease
Cataracts and macular degeneration afflict millions of older people. Macular degeneration is the destruction of the macula which is the biochemical intersection of the eye, where light energy is transformed into nerve energy. Around the macula there are fatty acids that can react with incoming light to produce a low level of highly reactive free radicals. These free radicals (see section) can destroy or degenerate neighboring tissue, including the macula. But the formation of free radicals can be suppressed due to the antioxidants in vegetables and fruits. Carotenoids are especially important. Cataract formation involves the clouding of the eye lens. Corrective surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens.
These two conditions can be prevented by consuming adequate amounts of antioxidants found in colored, and green leafy vegetables. In both cases, excess free radicals, increased by animal based foods and decreased by plant based food, are likely to be responsible for these conditions.
Mental Health
Dementia and Alzheimer’s are tragic, imposing almost impossibly heavy burdens on victims and their loved ones. Alzheimer’s disease is also related to diet and often found in conjunction with heart disease, which suggests they share the same causes. Experiments have shown that a high cholesterol diet will promote the production of beta-amyloid which results in neural tangles common to Alzheimer’s. In confirming these experimental animal results, a study of more than 5,000 people found that greater dietary fat and cholesterol intake tended to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease specifically, and all dementia in general. In another study, it was shown that the combination of a diet high in animal based foods and low in plants based foods raises the risk of Alzheimer’s.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers among men in the U.S. representing about 25% of tumors. As many as half of all men over 70 years old have latent prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is not only extremely prevalent but extremely slow growing. Dairy intake is one of the most consistent dietary predictors for prostate cancer in the published literature and those who consume the most dairy have double to quadruple the risk. An enormous body of evidence shows that animal based foods are associated with prostate cancer. In the case of dairy, the high intake of calcium and phosphorous also could be partly responsible for this effect.
Large Bowel Cancer
Because colon and rectal cancers are both cancers of the large bowel, and because of other similarities, they often are grouped together under the term colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide, in terms of overall mortality. It is the second and most common in the U.S., with 6% of Americans getting the cancer during their lifetime. Some even claim that, by age 70, one half of the population of “Westernized” countries will develop a tumor in the large bowel and 10% of these cases will progress to malignancy.
Fiber containing diets prevent colorectal cancer and this is due to the aggregate effects of all fiber types. The data clearly show that a whole foods, plant based diet can dramatically lower colorectal cancer rates. We don’t need to know which fiber is responsible, what mechanism is involved, or even how much of the effect is independently due to fiber. Our small intestines are 26’ long and designed for digesting foods containing fiber. There is no fiber in animal based foods.
Breast Cancer
Women who consume a diet rich in animal based foods, with a reduced amount of whole, plant based foods, reach puberty earlier and menopause later, thus extending their reproductive lives. They also have higher levels of female hormones throughout their lifespan. According to the China Study data (1), lifetime exposure to estrogen is at least 2.5 -3 times higher among Western women when compared to rural Chinese women. To use the words of one of the leading breast cancer research groups in the world, “there is overwhelming evidence that estrogen levels are a critical determinant of breast cancer risk”. Estrogen participates directly in the cancer process. Increased levels of estrogen and related hormones are a result of the consumption of typical Western diets, high in fat and animal protein and low in dietary fiber.
The Cancer Index Equation
Cancer Index = Animal Protein (1) x Stress (2)
Immune Response (3)
Numbers are assigned for animal protein intake, stress, and immune function based on scales described below. In order to use the scales, it is necessary to read the background material in Basic Diet Rules. Any lifestyle can be transferred to the number scales of the index. The outcome is only an indicator of the general direction toward cancer development. A range of numbers for each category is described below and is an attempt to set a frame of reference. When assigning numbers, any number that indicates the degree of wellness or illness within a realistic range will do.
(1) Animal Protein
= 10: 20 grams per day or less and this is any animal protein from anchovies to zebra
= 100: 250 g, ½ lb. or 8 oz of animal protein
(2) Stress
= 10: normal pollution and anxiety; a number above 10 indicates more stress
(3) Immune Response
= 100: normal operation and readiness
= 150: excellent state of readiness and fine tuning: dietary “Yes Rules” are followed
= 50: slow response and in a sub normal state: dietary “No Rules” are followed
Refer to the section on Immunity. A reduction in the function of the immune system will occur if the dietary “No Rules” are followed. The higher the reliance on “No Rules” foods the lower the immune value. An increase in the function of the immune system will happen when following the dietary “Yes Rules”.
The values of (1), (2), and (3) are all relative and number assignment is open to interpretation. This could be less arbitrary with accurate and referable scales of severity and benefit. But here we are dealing with trends, and not details. Its interesting to see what happens when the factors are pushed to high levels.
Standard Example: A normal situation for a person would be calculated with the following values.
Cancer Index = Animal Protein (1) x Stress (2) = 10 x 10 = 1
Immune Response (3) 100
Any number within a realistic range can be put into the equation to describe various lifestyles. The numbers require a scale of reference and reasoning, but for our purposes it gets the point across.
If the same person:
(1) Ate over 100 grams of animal protein per day
(2) Was stressed with traffic, smog, and chemicals, personal anxieties or conflict, and contaminated food
(3) His immune response was low due to a lack of dietary minerals from a diet of junk food, no fresh fruits and vegetables, and exercise which is typical of the “No Rules”
His indicator would look like this:
Cancer Index = Animal Protein (1) x Stress (2) = 100 x 50 = 100
Immune Response (3) 50
This is trouble. It represents the situation of a lot of people in North America and can explain why cancer rates are 1:3 in people and getting worse. The solution for the above person example is to cut back on animal protein, live in a less polluted environment with less personal anxiety, and eat plenty of fresh foods containing an abundance of minerals.
Or this situation: a person who eats lots animal protein per day (8-10 oz.) along with the “Yes Rules” with normal levels of stress.
Cancer Index = Animal Protein (1) x Stress (2) = 100 x 10 = 17
Immune Response (3) 60
Or this situation: a person who follows the “Yes Rules” with low amounts of animal protein, and with higher that normal stress levels.
Cancer Index = Animal Protein (1) x Stress (2) = 2 x 45 = 0.6
Immune Response (3) 150
Or this situation: a person who follows the “Yes Rules” with low amounts of animal protein, normal stress levels.
Cancer Index = Animal Protein (1) x Stress (2) = 2 x 10 = 0.13
Immune Response (3) 150
The Cancer Index promotes a vegetarian diet based on the crop types we grow.