Proteins

 

We use amino acids like tryptophan and tyrosine to make neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, melatonin, etc. 

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Watch our Hormones and Happiness talk on Instagram or Youtube or Spotify to learn more about this and to see graphics that will help with visually understanding this concept.

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You only get amino acids from protein containing foods. If you don’t eat enough protein regularly, you can’t make enough of the neurohormones above. Since we also use amino acids to build tissue and organs in our body, your healing will be impaired if you don’t get enough. Your plan will be designed to get you the proteins you need each day. 

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You must be able to digest properly to absorb the medicinal components of protein-containing foods like meats and beans. Amino acids are the smallest building blocks of proteins. Amino acids combine to form peptides, which then combine to form protein molecules, which we eat when we consume meat, beans, etc. Your body must break proteins back down into their smallest forms (amino acids) to use them to build your own hormones, neurotransmitters and tissues. This requires adequate mechanical digestion (chewing, saliva, time) and chemical digestion (stomach acid, pancreatic enzymes, bile from the liver / gallbladder).