Protein is an important building block, comprising about 16 percent of our total body weight. Muscle, hair, skin and connective tissue consist primarily of protein, and protein plays a major role in all of the cells and most of the fluids in our bodies. Enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and even our DNA are at least partially made up of protein.

Although our bodies are good at "recycling" protein, we constantly use it up, so we need to replenish it. Protein is composed of smaller units called amino acids. Our bodies can't manufacture nine amino acids, so it's important to include them in our diets. Animal

proteins such as meat, eggs and dairy products contain all the amino acids. By combining vegetable source proteins such as rice, beans, peas and others, a complete vegan/vegetarian option is available as well.

Our protein requirements depend on our age, size and activity level. The typical American diet provides plenty of protein – more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) in most instances. The RDA represents the minimum amount of protein needed to fulfill protein needs in 97.5 percent of the population. This value is equal to 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Accordingly, a person weighing 150 lbs. should eat 55 grams of protein per day, a 200-pound person should eat 74 grams, a 250-pound person should eat 92 grams, and so on.

The average mixed American diet provides from one to two times the RDA for protein. You might think, based on this, that protein deficiency is unlikely in the U.S. However, the RDA for protein has been derived from research studies performed on healthy individuals. Growing children, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly, and anyone undergoing severe stress (trauma, hospitalization or surgery), disease or disability need more protein.

As supplement companies improve the quality of their protein powders and more people seek convenience while trying to eat right, the thought of meal replacements making up a portion of the protein in your diet makes sense.

When you walk into a health food store or a discount vitamin chain, are you overwhelmed by the rows of different protein powders? Picking the right protein powder can feel like a confusing game of science. Asking your doctor is always the best option when it comes to supplementing your diet. The most popular types of protein used in protein powders are whey, rice, pea and soy. Protein powders can contain one of these or a mixture of two, such as rice and pea or soy and rice.

Animal-protein foods include meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs. They are said to be of high biological value. Plant-protein sources, eaten together, enable a person to meet the standards of a high-biologic-protein diet.

If you choose to eat protein from dairy and/or meat, try to consume 12 ounces or less each week of fish, white-meat chicken or turkey. Eat beef as little as possible. If you desire dairy in your diet as a source of protein, use only fat-free dairy such as skim milk or nonfat yogurt, and limit it to 12 ounces per week.

Remember to always eat breakfast, even if you only have time to shake up a wholesome, low-fat, high-power protein and vegetable drink mix before racing off to work. Supplementing your diet with a high-quality protein powder made from whey-protein isolate or a combination of rice and pea protein can make a busy lifestyle a healthy one.

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It's often said laughter is the universal medicine. Certainly a good chuckle can cheer us up when we're feeling blue. Now, researchers have shown that even anticipating a laugh helps reduce stress.

A group of researchers found that anticipating laughter releases two specific hormones: beta-endorphins (the family of chemicals that alleviates depression) and human growth hormone (which helps with immunity). These two hormones increased by 27 percent and

87 percent, respectively, in a group of volunteers who anticipated getting to watch a humorous film. No increase in these hormone levels was seen among volunteers who did not anticipate getting to watch the film.

In a similar study, the same researchers found there was a significant reduction in three stress hormones: cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline) and dopac (a brain chemical that helps produce epinephrine). Levels of these hormones decreased by 39 percent, 70 percent and 38 percent, respectively, among those who thought a belly laugh was imminent.

According to Dr. Lee Berk, the study team's lead researcher, "Our findings lead us to believe that by seeking out positive experiences that make us laugh, we can do a lot with our physiology to stay well."

So go ahead and guffaw – it'll do you a world of good!

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A mere 20 minutes a week of any physical activity, including housework or gardening, will boost mental health, according to a large study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The researchers surveyed almost 20,000 men and women about their mental state and how much physical activity they did per week.

It turns out that any form of daily physical activity was associated with a lower risk of distress. The range of beneficial activities included housework, gardening, walking and

sports. The strongest effect was seen for sports, which lowered the risk of distress by 33 percent.

Results also indicated that as little as 20 minutes of activity per week improved mental state. As you might expect, the more activity a person indulged in, the lower their chances of psychological distress. And obviously, there are physical benefits to increasing one's physical activity.

The researchers stated, "Mental health benefits were observed at a minimal level of at least 20 minutes per week of any physical activity, although a dose-response pattern was demonstrated with greater risk reduction for activity at a higher volume and/or intensity."

So grab your vacuum cleaner or your gardening trowel and spend at least 20 minutes brightening up your house or your yard, as well as your mental state!

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