By Wilma Young
Every morning I make my first shake of the day. I use Ultrameal protein and add a few ingredients to make the recipe more delicious (like cinnamon) and nutritious (Wholesome Fast Food, a good fats and flax blend) and the “mama” of all additions for me is glutamine. This powerful amino acid is vital to your health. I have used it for years for muscle repair and brain support but when it started to help with sugar cravings, I was a “lifer” as they say! Glutamine is a free form amino acid found in the muscles of the body. Glutamine optimizes nitrogen balance, speeds recovery, and helps maintain cell volume and hydration too.
It also helps prevent muscle wasting and is essential for mental activity and cerebral function. These two things alone should make us all believers but it also supports the treatment of arthritis, auto immune diseases, intestinal disorders, peptic ulcers and connective tissue diseases. It can also be used to help developmental disabilities, epilepsy, fatigue, impotence, depression, schizophrenia and senility. We can all relate to one of these disorders (and maybe a few of us can relate to MANY of them). And yes, many plant and animal substances have glutamine in them but cooking easily destroys them so a supplement is key. It will also help when recovering from any trauma sustained by the body like surgeries, car accidents and after intense work outs, which let’s be honest, can be traumatic to the body if you’re pushing yourself. When I am having an extra hard time with cravings I will increase my protein intake and take an extra dose of glutamine after dinner. Remember that cravings of sugar (or alcohol or simple carbohydrates) can represent the need for a quick energy fix which means we didn’t get ENOUGH of the right foods prior to the energy crash. Glutamine is a terrific addition to your shake or supplement routine especially if you work out, but please take heed. The cravings are your body’s signal that you need to ADD more food, the RIGHT food and at a CONSISTENT level. if you invest in supplying your body with sustainable energy from whole foods, fresh produce and lean meats you will have the energy to accomplish your day, the emotional balance to manage stress and the well being to sleep restfully at night! Now that is better than any craving could ever promise!