Greetings beloved, awesome, Cortesians. Welcome to this second newsletter about health, vitality and passion!

This is all about protein; its importance for your optimal body-mind, and things to think about when shopping, eating and meal planning. Please note: I am sorry this one is longer than the last letter you might want to post it on your fridge, or save it and read it in parts

Protein is incredible. Protein is an amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks for our body's cells and tissues. They are crucial for the minute to minute regulation and maintenance of our body. Protein helps to maintain consistent energy for vital body functions like breathing, digesting, thinking clearly, exercising, and using our higher mind. Finding an appropriate protein source and amount for your body is vital. People change and require different diets with the changes in season, activity level, hormonal shifts, moods, and stress. What worked for someone six months or even two weeks ago might be different than what works well now.

I think I may need more protein Vs. maybe I am eating too much protein.
Common symptoms of having too much protein include low energy, constipation, dehydration, lethargy, feeling heavy, sweet cravings, feeling tight , stiff joints, foul body odour.

Common symptoms of not having enough protein include sugar and sweet cravings, feeling spacey and jittery, fatigue, loss of healthy colour in facial area, change in hair colour and texture, anemia.

What kind should I buy and how can I buy organic when it is so expensive?

Ok so some tips. Just do your best. If you eat meat protein try to purchase locally raised products. This way you are supporting small business farmers. Choose to buy animal meat products that were raised on organic feed without steroid hormones, and antibiotics and that were raised in humane living conditions. Imagine that what the animal was fed and how they were treated will affect you when you eat it. Ideally you want to eat healthy, happy animal products. Bless your food. Thank the animal for its gift in becoming your food. Determine how much your body needs. Trust your body. Some people feel ungrounded and spacey without animal foods in their diet. Some people choose not to eat meat and/or animal products. People who eat vegetarian diets sometimes say that they feel calmer, more peaceful and light-hearted. Notice if you have any judgements towards yourself or others in regards to food and the right way and the right amount to eat. Sometimes from reading health books and from what others have told us or simply because we are used to eating a certain amount out of habit, our minds can get rigid and not want to listen to what the body may be wanting. Your body knows a lot. Trust it! Could there be something you want to try that you havent because you think it is bad? Are you always craving ice cream when maybe your body is trying to tell you it wants more protein and/or especially dairy protein. Maybe there is something that always appeals to you when you go to the supermarket but for some reason you stop yourself from buying it?

Life is really interesting. Each day is different. You may want to experiment a bit with protein and see how you feel:

For example
-Try eating less protein for one week
-Or if it feels more true for you try eating more protein for one week Experiment with a new kind of animal protein. Try cutting out animal products -(if you arent already vegetarian) for a day, a week, two weeks and explore vegetarian protein sources (mentioned below).

Complete and incomplete proteins what does that mean?
The body produces its own proteins. It also requires protein from food. The easiest form of protein for it to digest contains 8 amino acids in a chain. Meat, dairy and eggs all contain these eight amino acids and the body (if it does well with animal products) can digest it easily. We call these animal proteins complete proteins. Plant proteins are incomplete unless they are combined together correctly. In order for there to be the easily digestible 8 amino acid chain, one must combine a grain (rice, wheat, etc) with a bean (chickpea, lentil etc.)

Imagine that a complete protein (from an animal source) is shaped like an 8 pointed star and the body recognises 8 pointed stars as easy to digest. Imagine then that a bean is a 6 pointed star and a rice is a 2 pointed star. Combined together they form the easy to digest 8 pointed star in the complete protein form. Check for yourself what kind of energy you feel after you eat a meal of rice and beans as compared with a meal of animal meat. Personally I love the feel of a good rice and beans combination meal when I want to feel comfort or when I want to have a relaxing walk in nature and enjoy my grounded and full belly. I enjoy eating a meat, fish or egg meal when I want to think really well or need to be focused in my day without feeling heavy or too full.