Hello saywhatagain, thank you for thoughtful response, as always.

I'm trying to improve the regularity of my lifestyle in terms of daily routine: consuming similar meals at set times each day, exercising to the same level/distance, sleeping and rising at the same time etc. By doing so, I hope to achieve some kind of 'foundation' state, which can be gradually adjusted with small changes to diet (such as introducing more protein), then assess the impact of the change.

In the past I would tend to make large scale alterations to diet, lifestyle, or supplementation. This can be terribly confusing making the true impact of any changes difficult to ascertain. And even then, there's no guarantee that one particular change in lifestyle produces a direct change in health or well-being - there are so many external factors that we're unaware of.

>In addition, nature doesn't separate protein and
>carbohydrates, most substances are a combination of both
>with the exception of fruit.

I agree to a certain extent, however there are other examples that suggest otherwise - grains such as rice are relatively low in protein compared to their carbohydrate value, while meat and fish are relatively high in protein compared to their carbohydrate value. Of course, it's easy to pick-out extreme examples, however I expect you can see my point.

>Ayurveda says tofu is acceptable for vata types but I have
>doubts about this, soybeans like other large beans create
>excess gas and I believe tofu has the same effect.

It's a little controversial. According to one of the Ayurveda nutrition/cooking books I have here, it increases Kapha and reduces Vata, so should be suitable for me. Also, I believe the process by which tofu is created allows it to be more easily digested than unprocessed soy beans. And of course, here in Japan, tofu is inexpensive and readily available.

>Is there any particular reason that you feel you need to
>add more protein to your diet?

A desire to promote muscle growth, or at least slow the rate at which I am losing muscle. I've never been a bulky guy, but was previously lean and muscular. These days I'm rather more lean, and less muscular, and standing at 6.0ft, I feel a weight of 64kg is too skinny.

>Generally, the higher your ratio of carbohydrates to
>protein, the more nourishing the diet, so eating more carbs
>and less protein helps to maintain weight for those who are
>underweight.

I'm not sure if this is the case for my body. As explained in my previous post, I had been consciously trying to eat more carbs (while reducing protein) for the past few months, however appear to have actually lost weight, rather than gain it.

Lunch is typically my largest meal, however the lunch period at my office is just 25-30 minutes. I bring a container of freshly cooked vegetables to work each morning, which is kept warm until lunchtime. I'm not a fast eater (those with compromised digestion tend not to be), and often feel it's something of a 'race' to finish my lunch before having to return to my desk for the afternoon (I eat outside, in the sunshine. ;) ).

>As far as the effect on digestion goes, protein generally
>slows down digestion and can increase constipation,
>carbohydrates increase the speed of digestion and can make
>bowel movements more regular.

Yes, this appears to have been my experience also.

>Are you also eating any fermented foods? Could also be beneficial for you.

I occasionally add a little miso paste (fermented soy beans) to the liquid. I experimented with preparing my own sauerkraut, but the results were less than spectacular. There are a number of fermented foods (vegetables) available in Japan, but they tend to be refrigerated, and I'm trying to consume warming foods. Even apples, which I previously loved eating raw, can be chilling during the winter, so I tend to steam with orange and a little ginger, then purée into a smooth, warming desert.

Thank you once again for your thoughtful posts!

J x