12 A SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2015 J OEL F UHRMAN , MD Protein for weight loss? dangerous trans fats. It is impor- tant to remember though, just like excess carbohydrate and fat calories, if you take in more pro- tein calories than your body can use right away, those calories get stored as fat. Refined carbohydrates are empty calories that are absorbed quickly, and they lead to overeating. Foods that are high- er in protein, fiber, and/or resist- ant starch provide the satiety factor that is missing in refined carbohydrates and help to pre- vent blood glucose spikes, so we are not driven to overeat. High protein diets can be suc- cessful for weight loss in the short-term, but because they are so focused on animal foods, they are dangerous in the long- term. Low-carbohydrate/high-pro- tein diets have been linked to increased risk of heart disease, cancer and premature death. Although plant protein is often described as “incomplete,” it has been known for many years that all plant foods contain all of the amino acids. Different plant foods may be low in a cer- tain essential amino acid, but as long you are eating a variety of plant foods and taking in an ade- quate number of calories, you will get adequate amounts — but not too much — of all the essential amino acids. Animal protein and plant pro- tein both provide us with ade- quate amounts of all of the amino acids, but animal protein is more concentrated in the essential amino acids, and for this reason animal protein increases the body's production of a hormone called IGF-1, which is associated with aging and an increased risk of several different cancers. One interesting study fol- lowed over 85,000 women and 44,000 men for more than 20 years, (26 years in women and 20 years in men) recording over 12,500 deaths. This research team found ani- mal protein-rich diets were asso- ciated with a 23 percent increased risk of death from car- diovascular disease and cancer, whereas plant protein-rich diets were associated with a 20 per- cent decreased risk. In addition to animal protein, a diet high in animal products delivers addi- tional harmful, pro-inflammato- ry, or pro-oxidant substances. Animal foods are higher in arachidonic acid, saturated fat, carnitine and choline, heme iron, substances linked to dis- ease pathologies, which should be minimized for good health. The number of grams of pro- tein humans need in a day has been estimated at .8g/kg/day (about 36 grams of protein per 100 pounds of body weight). However, it is not important to count the number of grams of protein in the food you eat to make sure you reach this num- ber. If you are eating adequate calories and a variety of foods, it is almost impossible to consume too little protein. For a typical INK & TONER Dr. Fuhrman is a New York Times best-selling author and board certified family physician specializ- ing in lifestyle and nutritional med- icine. Visit his website at Dr Fuhrman.com, or submit questions and comments to newsques tions@drfuhrman.com. SHS hosts financial aid night Dec. 14 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Siuslaw High School (SHS) ASPIRE is holding a Financial Aid Night on Monday, Dec. 14, at 6:30 p.m. in the SHS library. The event will be open to all area high school seniors and their parents, including students who are home- schooled or from Mapleton High School. Lane Community College will provide current updates on filing for federal and state funds and the Oregon Promise. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the key to open- ing financial aid opportuni- ties at any qualifying post- secondary program, from certificates to degrees. The FAFSA offers the PELL Grant, worth $5,750, as well as others such as the Oregon Opportunities Grant, worth $2,100, and manages student loans. The Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) application makes available over 400 scholar- ships including the Ford Foundation, which pays 90 percent of students’ college costs. OSAC also manages Oregon Promise, where stu- dents with a grade point aver- age of 2.5 or better who attend community colleges within 6 six months of gradu- ation get help with their tuition. At the event, find out addi- tional information and sam- ple food prepared by the SHS culinary arts’ catering pro- gram. See You in 2016 for five more Amazing Concerts! Florence Relay For Life to hold 2016 kickoff Low Prices • 100% Guaranteed Quality FREE Business Delivery HP ~ Canon ~ Lexmark ~ Epson ~ Brother (541) 997-5888 • 625 HIGHWAY 101 SANTA Spruce Point invites the Community And their families to visit with Santa Friday, December 18th 541-999-5083 2:00 – 4:00 pm We will be giving out Goodie Bags and serving refreshments (while supply lasts) Please contact Rik or Annette for more information 541-997-6111 Managed by Prestige Senior Living www.spruce-point.com 375 9th St Florence, OR 97439 Seacoast Entertainment Association Celebrating 35 Years in Florence Jesse Cook Ballet Fantastique Glenn Miller Orchestra Friday, January 29th, 7 pm Pre-concert talk 6:15 pm Saturday, February 20th, 7 pm Pre-concert talk 6:15 pm Friday, March 18th, 7:00 pm open seating on the flat floor Shuffle Concert The New Hot Club of America Thursday, April 7th, 7 pm Pre-concert talk 6:15 pm Friday, May 13th, 7 pm Pre-concert talk 6:15 pm Gift Certificates Make Great Gifts! (hint...hint) Reserved Seating Tickets: $ 30 • Youth/Students Under 18: $ 10 Florence Events Center Box Office | 541-997-1994 | 715 Quince St. Buy Tickets Online: www.SEAcoastEA.org www.shoppelocal.biz day, a Nutritarian menu of 1700- 1800 calories provides approxi- mately 60-70 grams of protein. The point is that when you eat an anti-cancer diet to promote longevity, you strive to consume more colorful plants, reducing animal protein considerably. It is both these features that lead to the dramatic disease-pro- tective lifespan benefits. Eat a high-nutrient (Nutritarian) diet, and forget about protein, you will automat- ically get the right amount. L OOKING FOR Thank You SEA Patrons and Sponsors for supporting this event and the Florence Community B REAKING N EWS ? www.TheSiuslawNews.com Relay For Life of Florence, Oregon event lead- ers have scheduled a meeting for Dec. 14, to organize the kickoff event, which will be a chili cookoff. The meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m., at Craig’s Family Barbecue, 1161 Highway 101. Many committee positions will be open. To volunteer for a position and help plan the kickoff, come to the meeting and bring a holiday ornament for the “ornament exchange.” The goal this year is $60,000 and so far, $1,700 has been raised. The theme for this year's Relay is: “Lights, Camera, Cure!” CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK We are all taught that protein is a super nutrient that will make us lean, strong and healthy. We do need protein, but more is not necessarily better, and high-pro- tein foods are not always health- ful. In every cell in the human body, the DNA contains a code that tells the cell which proteins to make. Proteins have a lot of different roles in the body, some provide structure like collagen, some facilitate contact or move- ment, and others act as enzymes, signals, receptors, or trans- porters. In order to make all of these proteins, we have to con- sume protein and break it down into its constituent amino acids. High-protein foods do tend to be low in glycemic load. This is what the high-protein, low-carb diets get right. They avoid dan- gerous high-glycemic refined carbohydrates-sugar, white rice, and white flour products. In the process, they also limit