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The Zone Diet was developed by Barry Sears, a former
researcher in biotechnology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
What is the Zone?
The Zone is not
some mystical place. It is a real physiological state in which the hormones
(insulin and eicosanoids) governed by the food you eat are maintained within
zones that are not too high, nor too low. The benefits of controlling insulin
are increased fat loss, decreased likelihood of cardiovascular disease and
greater physical and mental performance. The benefits of controlling eicosanoids
are decreased inflammation and increased blood flow, which will help improve
virtually every chronic disease condition and improve physical performance.
The blood tests that define the Zone are ultimately the same tests
that can be used to define wellness. This is what Dr Sears calls evidence-based
wellness which is the foundation for 21st century health care.
The Zone Dietary Program
The Zone dietary
program is based upon consistent insulin control coupled with the
supplementation of high-dose fish oil in order to modulate the synthesis of
arachidonic acid.
Insulin control is achieved by balancing protein and
carbohydrate at each meal (1-4). The insulin-control component of the Zone
dietary program can be described as a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein,
and moderate-fat dietary program. The maximum amount of low-fat protein at any
one meal should be no bigger than the size and thickness of the palm of the hand
(this is approximately 3 oz. for females and 4 oz. for males). The majority of
carbohydrates should come from vegetables and fruits, with starches (such as
bread, potatoes, rice and pasta) used sparingly as condiments. Finally, most of
the fat should consist of heart healthy monounsaturated fat. Unlike high-protein
diets (that induce ketosis) or high-carbohydrate diets (that elevate insulin
levels), the insulin control component of the OmegaZone dietary program is based
on balance and moderation at each meal.
The other component of the Zone
dietary program is supplementation with high-dose fish oil. This has only become
possible with the advent of pharmaceutical-grade fish oil that for the first
time allows the use of high doses without severe gastric disturbances.
The goal of the Zone diet is to keep a hormonal balance between
fat-storing insulin and the hormone glucagon sand. Glucagon is responsible fore
releasing stored glucose from the liver when it is needed. Maintaining a balance
between the two hormones is achieved by limiting the amount of certain food
groups. In particular, it can be defined as keeping the hormone insulin in a
tight zone: not too high, not too low. The Zone Diet is a life-long hormonal
control strategy.
The Zone's eating plan is a combination of a small
amount of low-fat protein, fats, and carbohydrates in the form of fiber-rich
vegetables and fruits. Proteins should be eaten with every meal and at every
snack. Carbohydrates should be twice the size of the protein portion. These
include vegetables, beans, and whole-grains. "Unfavorable carbohydrates" such as
brown rice, pasta, bananas, bagels, etc. should be eaten in smaller
portions.
By eating too many fat-free carbohydrates or too
many calories at any one meal. Americans do both.
It is impossible for dietary fat
alone to make you fat
It is excessive levels of the hormone insulin that
makes you fat and keeps you fat.
How do you increase insulin levels?
People tend to forget that the best way to fatten
cattle is to raise their insulin levels by feeding them excessive amounts of
low-fat grain. The best way to fatten humans is to raise their insulin levels by
feeding them excessive amounts of low-fat grain, but now in the form of pasta
and bagels.
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