Growth hormone and protein.

Today I had a cup of white tea with Dr Verburgh. He was talking about how a lot of sugar in our blood causes us to release a type of growth hormone which stimulates tissue growth. Sounds healthy? Well, no actually, because if we eat a lot of sugar, we produce too much growth hormone, and this accelerates ageing. As we know, cancer occur when particular cells grow and multiply quickly. Growth hormone encourages this multiplication so is clearly not something we want to produce in great quantities.

So can we eat lots of protein instead? Well, apparently not. Too much protein is unhealthy too. Many diseases associated with ageing happen because proteins deposit around our cells, causing them to die. Protein places pressure on the liver and kidneys. This, Dr Verburgh tells me, is why people with kidney failure are placed on very low protein diets. People who eat large amounts of meat have a higher risk of cancer and heart problems. Also, any undigested meat protein in the gut can make the body respond as if it were a threat to the immune system. This raises the risk of autoimmune system diseases such as asthma, eczema and inflammatory disease. Should we all become vegetarian? No. That isn't necessary unless it's something we want to do for other reasons. Meat does contain vitamins and minerals that are good for us. It's just that we need far less than we may think. A small piece of meat about the size of the circle made by your thumb and index finger each day. That's a seriously small amount of meat.

So if I am to eat less sugar and less protein what can I eat without encouraging my body to age like Ursula Andress in the film She? Don't tell me I can eat fats Dr Verburgh because I just won't believe you.

Anyway, I made a satay chicken tonight, my own recipe, with only a little chicken, peppers, and a sauce made from chopped tomatoes, peanut butter, soy sauce, chilli flakes and lots of garlic. I ate this with a dollop of boiled roast buckwheat and a large salad made from a freshly pulled lettuce, freshly cut mint, parsley and basil in a rapeseed oil and lemon dressing. It tasted divine.

PS. I got the results back from the blood test. Thankfully it came back fine and I don't have type  2 diabetes after all!