Lyle Hurd: I have one question, Dr. Cass.
Hyla Cass: Mm-hmm.
Lyle Hurd: What about protein? What about someone who is aging, making sure they that take a supplement of protein so that they’ll have what they need in their system?
Hyla Cass: The protein is the building blocks of everything. I particularly focus on proteins because, as a psychiatrist, that’s my original training although I practice integrative medicine, which really includes the whole body. But, protein makes the neurotransmitters; breaks down into amino acids and makes our feel good neurochemicals— the serotonin, dopamine and epinephrine. And if we don’t have those in the form of proteins, then we can’t think straight and our mood is not going to be very good… Very often, I’ve seen people with depression because they’re simply not taking enough proteins and they don’t have the materials to make the brain chemicals that they need. We need 20 grams of protein a day, and it should be in the form of fish, chicken [and] lean meat. And you can actually augment that with some high-quality protein powder, and I kind of like the whey-based protein powder because that also enhances glutathione which is a natural antioxidant in the body that helps to process the toxins that are made both in the body through metabolism and the toxins that we take in from the outside, in the air, water, food, all the processed food, even if you try and eat as healthy as possible, there may be some processed chemicals— you’re eating out; you can’t control every single thing that you eat. But I also say when you’re whatever you’re eating, stay to the simple basic foods. Shop the periphery of the supermarket, avoid processed foods. Avoid all those chemicals; avoid eating things you can’t pronounce. Eat the purest form of protein that you can.
Lyle Hurd: Thank you very much.
Hyla Cass: You’re welcome.
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