| Zone Diet and Weight Loss Programs for Healthier Living | ||
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The theory behind “The Zone,” created by Dr. Barry Sears, is that the genes in the human body have changed little over the past 10,000 years. The human body functions best on the foods we ate as hunter- | |
| gatherers -- lean meats and fruits and vegetables. The problem for most people is that we are consuming large quantities of processed carbohydrates that our bodies simply can’t handle. The result is excess weight, diabetes and heart disease, to name a few. | ||
| In the past 20 years, the market has become saturated with
processed low-fat, high-carbohydrate food products. However, despite this
country’s obsession with lowering fat consumption, obesity has become even
more widespread; in fact, it has become an epidemic. Clearly, the
consumption of processed low-fat, high-carbohydrate food is not the solution
for weight loss. Why doesn’t it work? Because excessive consumption of
carbohydrates wreaks havoc within the human system. When a person eats
carbohydrates, the carbohydrates trigger the body to secrete insulin.
Insulin, in turn, turns the excess carbohydrates into fat. Many people do
not realize that insulin is a hormone. The goal of the Zone is to keep the
insulin hormone in proper balance.
Interestingly, dietary fat does not stimulate insulin production. Fat actually helps decrease insulin secretion by slowing down the rate at which carbohydrates enter the bloodstream. The Zone emphasizes consumption of good monounsaturated fats found in foods like olive oil, nuts and guacamole. In addition, the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can result in significant health benefits. Dr. Sears points out that the cattle industry does not use butter and ice cream to fatten up their livestock; instead, they restrict their activity and feed them low-fat grains. Carbohydrates are not forbidden on the Zone because the brain needs carbohydrates for fuel. The key issue is to keep consumption of carbohydrates under control, thus keeping insulin production under control. The Zone formula for maximum fat burning and controlling insulin production is 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat. Dr. Sears states unequivocally that the obesity problem in our country is not caused by high fat intake; rather, it is caused by high carbohydrate intake because carbohydrates trigger excess insulin levels. Happily, people who follow the Zone diet and get their insulin hormone levels under control can definitely achieve permanent weight loss, lower cholesterol levels and increased energy. |
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