protein is my drug!

This is from a personal journal of mine, one where I tend not to capitalize words, but I thought it was worth sharing some thoughts I had today on my high protein diet.

"i have to believe that a LARGE part of the reason i had pre-e the last two pregnancies and not this one (so far, knock on wood) is my diet. honestly, i know it was a large if not the largest part. i still can't believe sometimes how positively my body responds to protein intake, either because it's used to it or it needs it - probably both. i was so naive before and i had so little nutrition knowledge, it's no wonder my body shut down on me. to think if i'd not changed things with this third baby...i would have probably had a preemie earlier than 29 weeks. 

it's like a drug, almost. tired? eat protein! cranky? eat protein! the response my body has to protein is super quick, too. and let's not even think about what my day would be like without the protein smoothie first thing in the morning. i literally can't function without it - the other day i was super behind in making it when i cut my finger on a can and had to deal with nonstop bleeding for about a half hour. in that time, my body was FREAKING out at me. once i had the smoothie...ahh. all was well. it's like my body breathes a big sigh of relief and thanks me. today, i was unfocused, tired and cranky at work. i realized the last time i had protein was about 10AM, and it was nearly noon - time for some protein! i had turkey jerky and within like, 5 minutes, i was zippy and alert and feeling NORMAL!

i wonder what my nutritional needs will be in the postpartum period. late summer 2010 is when i started watching my intake of protein and carbs (like, my body responds to carbs if eaten alone, but if eaten with protein it's fine, or when i wake up from a nap, eat protein ASAP, etc.) i imagine i'll need to intake a fair amount again, though not 125+g like in this pregnancy. maybe 75-100? i don't know. i'm sure i'll be nursing two kids. i am a little sick of this protein smoothie business, but it's so helpful, so i'm sure i'll have to keep that up for a long while."