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A
deeper understanding,
backed by scientific data, of how food affects our metabolism has changed
the way we think about diet.
Diet affects the processes
of aging and of many disease states such as:
Arthritis, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, blood sugar problems,
skin problems and
chronic fatigue. 640
Applying simple dietary rules has brought pronounced results
for people who have been trying to lose weight for years. Food has a
strong influence on the chemistry of the body.
The balance of
protein, carbohydrate and fat in our diet ...
..... determines the amount of glucose (sugar) reaching the blood.
This balance also affects the amount of the hormone insulin,
which is secreted in response to glucose.
Insulin is a broad acting hormone. Its most well known action
is to increase the uptake and utilisation of glucose in the body.
But Insulin also inhibits body fat burning as a source of energy,
promotes cell growth, and changes the balance of hormones and chemicals
to a more inflammatory state.
Eating sugar (carbohydrate) results in a rapid elevation of glucose
and the equally rapid release of insulin.
Insulin instructs the body to use glucose as a fuel - not to touch the
fat reserves. So it becomes extremely difficult to lose weight when
insulin is raised.
The Zonal Diet
attempts to achieve the opposite:
To keep blood sugar and insulin levels within a tight range and thereby
stimulate fat utilisation.
Elevated insulin also promotes the release of substances responsible
for inflammation (such as messenger hormones called "bad eicosanoids"),
blood pressure and many other negative effects, which contribute to
the chronic degenerative diseases.
The Zonal Diet is thereby able to affect many disease states - including
obesity by balancing the hormonal response to food.
Weight Loss...
Any diet, which fails to recognise these hormonal responses to food,
may be fundamentally flawed, which could explain the failure of many
diets to provide effective weight loss and improved health.
Typical weight loss diets may appear sound, but a diet for long-term
and gradual weight loss will: 1. Achieve proper regulation of blood
glucose and insulin response
2. Provide adequate nutrition
3. Avoid causing the patient to feel hunger pangs.
Patients on the Zonal Diet invariably find that they need to eat far
less than before. This is because they are using much more of the most
efficient source of energy we have - Fat. Previously, their fat reserves
had contributed little to their energy levels, leading to fatigue, weight
gain and many unhealthy conditions.
The Zonal Diet is low in "bad fats" (saturated) and high in the
good fats (omega-3 and -6). These harmful saturated fats are prime contributors
to the most common causes of death in this country - heart disease and
cancer. (Ask me for a Omega Formula Supplement)
Heart Disease...
Current research shows that high insulin levels can cause heart disease.
This occurs for a variety of reason, but essentially because it increases
the production of substances, which trigger inflammation (the "bad"
eicosanoids). These substances promote blood clots, narrowing of blood
vessels and elevations in blood pressure.
Insulin also directly increases the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
A high carbohydrate diet is one of the major reasons for raised insulin
levels.
Remember carbohydrate is just a fancy word for sugar...
It is well known that the type of fat in the diet is critical. The
amount of saturated fat from dairy products, organ meat and fatty red
meat is the main danger.
Thus, the factors to avoid are high carbohydrate and saturated fat
intake.
The Zonal Diet focuses on providing low levels of both of these.
Chronic Fatigue...
As mentioned above, "fat reserves" represent our main energy reservoir.
At rest, we use fats as our predominant energy source. Athletes performing
at high intensity use carbohydrates, which are in relatively short supply.
We become fatigued quickly when we sprint because we run out of carbohydrates,
not because we run out of energy. (We have enough energy in our fat
stores to run two marathons back to back!) People with chronic fatigue
are tired at rest. This is due to the inefficient use of energy and
fat reserves. The Zonal Diet helps the body to better utilise stored
fats and carbohydrates for energy production.
Rheumatoid Arthritis...
Inflammatory substances, such as the "bad" eicosanoids, are generally
produced in large quantities during alarm situations (during stress,
allergies, infection and after traumatic injuries). Elevated insulin
stimulates their production and contributes to the underlying process
of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
Essential fatty acids found in fish or fish oils help reduce the production
of these inflammatory substances and are very beneficial in arthritis
and other inflammatory conditions.
The Zonal Diet is ideal for patients, who follow the " intestinal and
liver detoxification treatment advised by your personal Naturopath Healthcare
Professional, Dieter Luske N.D.
Behavioral Disorders...
High levels of insulin will cause an imbalance of eicosanoids, this
can also effect the balance of hormones in our brain which effects behavior
and mood. Too much of the inflammatory eicosanoids can over-stimulate
the nervous system and cause behavioral disorders such as anxiety, depression,
PMS and hyperactivity (ADD), with feelings of irritability, hostility,
memory loss and confusion. Where there is a deficiency of omega-3 fatty
acids (EPA/DHA from fish oils), imbalances in the supply of essential
fatty acids can also cause structural changes in the nerve cells, which
further contributes to abnormalities in nerve cell function.
Therefore, our goal in therapy is to reduce the amount of insulin
being produced by using the Zonal Diet, and to correct any underlying
deficiencies of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Other Factors Associated with Blood Sugar Metabolism
The Zonal Diet reduces the amount of glucose entering the blood and
thereby reduces the amount of insulin produced. This creates a favourable
hormonal balance, which improves the function of many organs and tissues.
In addition to diet, there are other factors which can increase insulin
levels by reducing the effect of insulin on the cells, such as Stress,
Caffeine, Smoking, Alcohol, lack of exercise and environmental toxic
substances.
This is called insulin resistance, a major cause of blood sugar
abnormalities such as Type II Diabetes (Late onset).
The Zone Diet is a very exciting diet; it will be the diet and
backbone for every health conscious person. Don't wait, start today.
There are virtually no restriction on what type of food you can eat,
from quick snacks to 5 Star meals. The Zone Diet works by eating
the required amounts of Protein, Carbohydrate and Fat in the right ratio.
Measurements are taken to calculate your lean body mass to determine
your personal requirements. For simplification, food amounts are shown
as "Blocks", which have to be of equal proportion; i.e. 3 or 4 Blocks
of each, protein, carbohydrate and fat.
Some Serious Questions...
Have you ever had one of those days when everything goes right? You
wake up feeling alert, refreshed, and full of energy, and this feeling
stays with you all day long?
You were probably in the Zone, that very real state in which
your body and mind work together at their ultimate best. In the Zone,
the mind is relaxed, yet alert and exquisitely focused. Meanwhile, the
body is fluid, strong and apparently inexhaustible. It's almost euphoric.
In the Zone, problems don't go away, but their solutions become more
obvious.
There is only one route to reach the Zone at will and remain there throughout
the day:
Food, or to be more precise, the Zone Diet...
Ask yourself a question;
"how do farmers fatten their cattle"?
Answer:
By feeding them lots of low-fat grain.
Next question: How do you fatten humans?
The same way... you feed them lots of low-fat grain, such as pasta,
bread, pizzas, cakes, crackers etc.
Most people eat
too much Carbohydrate.
Do you have to stop eating Carbohydrates? No, just eat them less, enjoy
them in small amounts, and make up the lost bulk with plenty of vegetable
(a less dense form of carbohydrate) and the right amount of protein
and fat... and talking about fat, you have to eat fat (unsaturated)
in order to lose fat.
Your Basic Starter Rules:
1. Drink about 8 Glasses of Water per day
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables, and less pasta, breads, grains, and
starches.
3. Eat 3 meals with fewer calories, plus two snacks.
4. Eat small amounts of low-fat protein at every meal and snack.
5. Strictly No Sugar...
The overall result of the Zone Diet will be:
a chemically and hormonal well-balanced, fit, slim and -healthy human
being. And remember, getting into "the Zone" and staying there becomes
second nature, because you will be eating the foods you already like
to eat and adapting the recipes you currently use, into great Zone meals...
What to do next:
- For further information, book a Zone Diet Consultation. Contact
Dieter
- The first consultation will include establishing your very own
individual "Protein", Carbohydrate" and "Fat" requirements.
Those requirements will be used by me, to create and design your own
personal diet guide.
- Bring some of your old recipes to help this re-designing.
You will find that most recipes can be adapted to Zone Diet Ratio
Principle.
- Any health problems you may present with will have to be addressed
first...
Proven and tested "Naturopathic" means will help you in those areas.
The Zone Diet is not a heal-all.
It is and will become your backbone in staying healthy and preventing
new health problems.
- The Zone Diet is extremely easy, there are no major
food restrictions.
It is often combined with other diet-strategies, such as an elimination
diet or the Blood-group Diet...
For more serious health problems it is usually preceded by a detox
treatment...
More Rules:
1. Drink at least 200 ml of water before meals...
2. Eat within 1 hour of getting up...
3. Don't go longer than 5 hours without a meal or a snack...
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