Sunday, July 12, 2009

Proteins, Sun and Annoying Trucks

Proteins - While out for lunch with a friend today, we went to an organic vegan/vegetarian place. I was nervous (being an avid omnivore and all) and I was afraid the food wouldn't fill me. I can pleasantly say I was wrong. I had a Mediterranean wrap (wrapped in a leaf, no less) of a mixture of crushed almonds (mixed with vegetables and whatnot) and salad on the side (tahini sauce). It was *fantastic*. Then my brainz got to work: vegetables have incomplete proteins. When mixed with incomplete proteins, they become complete proteins. I couldn't remember any distinguished lists of "this 'n that makes this" or formulas pertaining. So long as I'm mixing different plant materials, can I assume I'm getting complete proteins? For dessert, I had a macaroon; a mixture of organic chocolate, coconut and agave. Yum. It was small, but satisfied the craving. At the end of the meal I was pleasantly satiated.
I also realized (per my hypoglycemia) I didn't get as hungry as quickly as I do after most meals. My sugar levels stayed higher, longer. I was worried what the increased fiber would do for my IBS, but I was relieved it was not affected at all.
.... as a side thought: this meal consisted of more proteins than carbohydrates. How did my blood sugar know to stay up? We're taught by the North American pyramid to have a carbohydrate-induced diet (since carbs are the main source of energy). But if vegetarians consume a mostly protein-rich diet....*thinking trails off*......

Sun - Couldn't have asked for a better day. Much time was spent in pleasant conversation in the warm, breezy outdoors.

Annoying trucks - While out enjoying the sun, we heard a truck with bells. "An ice cream truck!" We ran clear across the park to realize it was.... a tool sharpening truck. He kept circling the neighbourhood teasing us with his chimes. Not cool.

I got a lot of studying done tonight. Learned more about vitamins (water-soluble and fat-soluble) and deficiencies with particular vitamins. I started reading about minerals but my brainz were fried at that point.


4 comments:

Bix said...

I wrote a post back in 2008 about this - protein in plant foods. It was "If All You Ate Were Potatoes, You'd Get All Your Amino Acids." I was trying to show that as long as you ate enough food, you were probably getting all your essential amino acids, that is "complete protein." Still, an all-potato diet is a wanting diet! :)

You mention hypoglycemia. Do you have to test your blood sugar then?

Perovskia said...

Ha.. my favourite comfort food is mashed potatoes.

I don't test my blood sugar (though it would probably do me some good). I'm pretty sensitive (read: mindful) about how my body feels so I eat as soon as I feel it's dropping. I fear I'm bordering on diabetes, though, so I'm trying to be careful.

Bix said...

Well ... what you are feeling could be low blood sugar. It could also be high blood sugar. Blood sugar is high in people with diabetes.

A classic symptom of diabetes is fatigue. When sugar or glucose in your blood can't easily enter cells, where it supplies energy, you feel tired and lethargic.

I'm not saying this is your case, and of course feeling tired could just be the result of a sleepless night. And maybe it's not fatigue you're feeling at all. Guess I'm just too steeped in this stuff :)

Perovskia said...

Heh.. I don't mind!

I haven't gotten to how diabetes affects the internal system yet in my course, so I don't know too much yet. I know I follow classic symptoms of hypoglycemia and my body behaves as such. I just don't know what's "after" that. If there's preventative I can do, or whatnot.

Sigh..so much to learn.

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