Is Your Kitchen Making You Gain Weight? Tips for Equipping Your Space for Weight Loss
The environment in which we work and live is a key piece to our weight loss success. When we hit bouts of stress in our lives often our health is the priority that falls to the bottom of the list. This chaos can translate into where we live and be visible in piles of mail and papers, dishes in the sink, take out boxes and overall poorer food choices. What you may not realize is that the external cues we get from our environment can influence our behavior leading us to consume more. Feeling out of control or overly stressed coupled with a cluttered environment can make us prone to overeat. One study showed women who were stressed and put in a cluttered kitchen ate twice as many calories from sweets compared to those who were stressed and put in a tidy kitchen (1). Studies have shown that individuals eat less when they are in an environment that is less cluttered, less chaotic and with minimal distractions. Stressed or not, each of us has a different organization style whether it’s neat and orderly to organized chaos. Knowing this may prove beneficial when trying to equip our kitchen for weight loss. For some of us if it’s not easily seen it’s not a temptation, but for others even when hidden we’re better off not having it there to begin with. Here are some tips on how to optimize your kitchen for weight loss while making it Zone® friendly too.Take a look around your kitchen and see where you might be able to free up some space. Remember the more cluttered things appear, the more likely you’ll be to reach for the higher calorie treats. Consolidate papers or mail to one section rather than having it spread all over. Move appliances you rarely use to free up space for healthy meal prep. Designate a cabinet or shelf to tempting foods rather than keeping them on the counter in plain sight.Keep a bowl of fruit on the counter or replace whatever you have in the cookie jar with healthier snacks like ZoneRx bars instead. Make healthy foods like cut-up vegetables, yogurt, or hummus the first things you see when you open the fridge. Then when the urge to snack strikes you’ll have plenty of healthy options on hand to grab.Consider tossing or designating a cabinet for unfavorable carbohydrates like pasta, rice, dry cereal, crackers, cookies and pastries. Replace these with barley, slow-cooked oats, and Zone PastaRx.Replace vegetable oils, shortening, butter and whole fat dairy with those low in both saturated and omega-6 fats. Substitute olive oil or nut butters rich in monounsaturated fats in place of vegetable oils. To keep portions in check, consider an oil mister which allows you to spray oil on to veggies for easy roasting. Keep nuts like almonds, macadamia nuts, cashews and pistachios on hand for snack choices. Use low-fat or part-skim dairy products and keep items like cottage cheese and yogurt on the top shelf of the fridge for an easy to grab breakfast or snack option.Frozen fruits and vegetables make for great smoothies, stir-fries, or additions to yogurt and oatmeal. Since these are picked at their ripest and then quickly frozen they’ll have a higher vitamin and mineral content than fresh fruits and vegetables that sit in the refrigerator for days. The freezer is also great for storing lean protein like chicken and fish that can easily be taken out ahead of time for weeknight meals.Spices are a great way to add flavor (and polyphenols!) to your meals. Since they are calorie free, go to town! Add cinnamon to your oatmeal, fresh spices like mint or basil to salads, or rosemary and oregano to your protein choices.Although canned foods get a bad rap for being high in sodium, don’t completely rule them out. Beans are a great way to add protein and soluble fiber to your salads and meals. Canned sardines and salmon make for a portable protein option and vegetable soups make for an easy meal that couples well with Zone PastaRx™. Do be mindful of the sodium content of canned goods and be sure to rinse the excess sodium off when possible before using.An easy way to cut empty calories is to eliminate sodas, fruit juices, and sugary beverages from the house. Add berries, lemons, limes and cucumber to water to add some flavor or choose calorie-free beverages like caffeine free coffee, tea, or seltzer to add in some variety.Having TVs in our kitchen and having tablets and phones by our side makes it hard to disconnect during meal time. Being distracted when eating can lead us to consume larger portions, eat faster, and feel less satisfied with the meal we have. Take a break from your device and bring some mindfulness to meal time. When it comes to weight loss most of us know what to do. It’s a matter of actually doing it. Make staying in the Zone easy by optimizing your kitchen for success. References 1. Vartanian, Lenny R., Kristin M. Kernan, and Brian Wansink. “Clutter, Chaos, and Overconsumption: The Role of Mind-Set in Stressful and Chaotic Food Environments,” Environment and Behavior.
Zone Diet: Peach Recipes
If you haven’t taken full advantage of peach season you’re in luck because there’s still time to enjoy it. Peach season starts in early May and goes through the end of September. While we know these fuzzy fruits will still be available at your grocer for weeks after the season ends, there’s nothing quite like the juiciness and flavor they offer at their peak. Plus, did you know that one small peach supplies 100mg of polyphenols, about 50 calories, 2 grams of fiber and numerous vitamins and minerals? What's not to love! Get peach inspired with these Zone friendly recipes. Peach Salsa Yield: 8 Servings of 1/3 cupTotal Time: 20 minNutritional facts per serving: Calories 25, Protein: 1g Total Fat: 0g Carb. 6g Fiber 1g Ingredients:2 cup Peaches - chopped (I used sliced frozen -thawed)1 cup Roma tomatoes - diced1/2 cup Red onion - diced1 Jalapeno - minced1 clove Garlic1/3 cup Fresh cilantro - chopped2 Tbsp Fresh-squeezed lime juice Instructions:1. Combine all ingredients.2. Refrigerate for a few hours. Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry Yield: 4 Servings Total Time: 25 minutesNutritional facts per serving: Calories 350; Protein 26g, Fat 11g Carb 39g Fiber 9g Ingredients:1 tbsp balsamic vinegar2 tbsps fresh-squeezed lime juice - or lemon2 tbsps agave nectar1 tsp vanilla1 tsp ground ginger2 cups fresh or frozen peach slices - (unsweetened) thawed2 1/2 cups mixed berries - fresh or frozen (unsweetened) thawed1 tbsp olive oil14 oz boneless skinless chicken breast - cut into bite sized pieces1/3 cup Kitchen Basics unsalted vegetable stock - divided2 cups green beans1 red bell pepper - sliced3/4 cup onions - sliced1 tomato - chopped1 (6 oz) can mushroomsground black pepper2 tbsps low sodium soy sauce4 tsps extra virgin olive oil Instructions:1. In a bowl large enough to hold all the fruit whisk vinegar, lime juice, agave nectar, vanilla and ginger.2. Add a few berries and mash them. 3. Add peaches and remaining berries, toss a few times. 4. Meanwhile, heat skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, then stir fry chicken 5 to 6 minutes, remove and set aside. 5. Add 3 tablespoons stock, green beans, onions and pepper to skillet; stir until crisp tender, 3 to 4 minutes. 6. Add cooked chicken, mushrooms, black pepper, soy sauce and remaining stock; toss until coated.7. Serve and top each serving with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.8. Toss the fruit before serving to mix the juice from the berries with the sauce and serve. Tuna Salad Zoned This healthy tuna salad tastes delicious and has no guilty bad ingredients.Yield: 1 ServingTotal Time: 30 minutesNutritional facts per serving: Calories 350; Protein 26g, Fat 11g Carb 39g Fiber 9g Ingredients 2 oz Chunk light tuna in water1/4 cup Cottage cheese1/4 cup Garbanzo beans6 Olives2 tsps Cashew nuts1 tsp Dijon mustard - to taste1 Peach1 tsp Dr. Sears' Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil Instructions: Mix everything together. Have a peach for dessert. Pan Seared Scallops in a Dill Sauce and Peach Peach is the star of the show and pairs very nicely with the pan seared scallops.Yield: 2 ServingsTotal Time: 30 minutesNutritional facts per serving: Calories 331: Total Fat 12g, Carbohydrates 36g, Fiber 4g, Protein 22g Ingredients 1 Peach - cut in half, pit removedCooking spray - olive oil1 oz Goat cheese1 tsp Chives - finely cut8 oz Sea scallops2 tsps Dr. Sears' Zone Extra Virgin Olive OilSea salt and pepper - to taste1/2 cup Arugula1/4 cup Dill Sauce - (see recipe in sides and snacks2 Apples - for dessert Ingredients for Dill Sauce1/3 cup 0%-Fat Greek yogurt2 tsp Dry white wine3/4 tsp Dr. Sears' Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil1 tsp Garlic - minced1 tsp Dill1 1/2 tsps CornstarchSalt and pepper - to taste Instructions for the peach: Turn the oven to broil. Spray or brush olive oil on peach. Place peach on grill or under broiler until lightly browned. Place 1/2 ounce of goat cheese in center of each peach half, sprinkle with chives and place on top of arugula leaves. For the Scallops: Rinse under cold water and pat dry. Add the olive oil to a heavy skillet. Turn to high heat. Just as the oil begins to smoke, (you’ll notice wisps) add the scallops. Sear the scallops for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side until translucent. Place seared scallops around the peach and arugula. Drizzle dill sauce over scallops. Have an apple for dessert. Instructions for the dill sauce:1. In a small saucepan combine yogurt, white wine, olive oil, garlic, and dill. Turn the heat to low. Do not boil.2. Make a slurry (thin paste) by combining the cornstarch with a little water.3. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the yogurt, stirring often. Bring to a simmer (that’s when the sauce will thicken) and then return heat to very low. Do not boil.
Calorie Restriction: Why There's More To It Than Simply Weight Loss
Regardless of what you are told, the only way to lose excess body fat is to eat fewer calories. I have long talked about the benefits of calorie restriction as a way to improve your cardiovascular health thereby improving your healthspan as well. (1-3). A recent analysis of CALERIE (Comprehensive Assessment of Long term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy), a study looking at two years of prolonged caloric restriction in healthy individuals, found this to be true in “normal weight” subjects (4). I say “normal weight” because although their average BMI was 25, their percent body fat was 33 per cent which is considered to be obese (greater than 25 percent for males and greater than 32 per cent for females). Although they tried to reduce their calorie intake by 25 percent for the two-year study, the best they could achieve was about 12 per cent. This means the calorie-restricted group was eating about 300 fewer calories per day for two years. A couple of surprising things from the study. First, nearly all the change in weight took place in the first six months with very little change in the next 18 months even with continued calorie restriction. This is typical of most controlled calorie-restriction programs like the long-term Pounds Lost studies at Harvard (5). Likewise, it appeared that most of loss of body fat happened in this same time period. At the 12 month mark, individuals had lost on average 13 pounds of fat, but more than 10 pounds of muscle mass. The loss of body fat was due to the restriction of calories, but the loss of muscle mass was due to protein restriction. Total protein intake went from an average of 102 grams of protein per day to 89 grams of protein per day. At 24 months, muscle mass hadn’t been regained, but individuals had gained back about 2 pounds of fat. Although the calorie-restricted group had lower insulin levels, the change in their fasting glucose levels was virtually the same as the control group. This is because muscle is the primary site for taking glucose out of the blood, and if you lose muscle mass, then glucose levels in the blood don’t go down even though you are consuming fewer calories. Nonetheless, those in the calorie-restricted group did see their blood pressure and blood lipids decreased. However, all of these changes occurred in the first year with virtually no changes in the second year of the study. The only parameter that continued to change in the second year compared to the first year was a continued reduction in inflammation as measured by C-reactive protein. What this means is that most of any weight loss, fat loss, reduction in blood pressure, blood lipids, as well as blood glucose levels are all likely to take place in the first six months of any calorie restriction program. That’s not encouraging news. But the continued drop in inflammation with calorie restriction is great news because that is the real cause of both a decreased healthspan as well as lifespan. This is why Zone Pro-Resolution Nutrition offers an even greater potential for health care in the future. The Zone Diet is a calorie-restricted diet, but unlike the CALERIE study the Zone Diet contains adequate protein to not only maintain muscle mass, but also to improve satiety. However, as we have shown clinically, when using the new generation of Zone Protein as a significant source of your total protein, you gain muscle mass instead of losing it (6). But the real benefit of following the Zone Diet for a lifetime is the continued reduction of inflammation that can be greatly accelerated by the addition of high-dose omega-3 fatty acids to speed up the resolution of any existing inflammation. Finally, by adding high-dose polyphenols, you can further active the gene transcription factor AMPK that repairs tissue damaged by inflammation. All of this is detailed in my new book, The Resolution Zone, that will be available shortly (7). Increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols (along with calorie restriction) can also help you finally reach the Zone. Once you're in the Zone, then you know you have done everything possible to optimize your body’s internal Resolution Response which is the real key to future of medicine. {{cta('7e36e182-1d26-4052-ae0d-23a08508788b')}} References Sears B. The Zone. Regan Books. New York, NY (1995) Sears B. The Anti-aging Zone. Regan Books. New York, NY (1999) Sears B. The Anti-Inflammation Zone. Regan Books. New York, NY (2005) Kraus WE et al. “2 years of calorie restriction and cardiometabolic risk.” Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol DOI.org: 10.1016S2213-8587(19)30151-2 (2019) Bray GA et al. “Lessons learned from the POUNDS Lost study: genetic, metabolic, and behavioral factors affecting changes in body weight, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk.” Curr Obes Rep. 8: 262-283 (2019) Johnston CS et al. “Use of novel high-protein functional food products as part of a calorie-restricted diet to reduce insulin resistance and increase lean body mass in adults: A Randomized controlled trial. Nutrients 9: E1182 (2017) Sears B. The Resolution Zone: The Science of the Resolution Response. Zone Press. Palm City, FL (2019)
Weight Loss Tips Backed With Science
Chances are you know someone whose following keto, doing intermittent fasting, or onto cabbage soup and grapefruit to shed some pounds. While a quick fix might seem like the best option to reach your weight loss goals, the reality is these diets can be hard to follow over the long-term and some can do more harm than good. The secret to weight loss is finding something you can stick with while keeping the weight off for good. Here are 8 science based tips you can start now that will help you reach your goals without landing you back where you started. Eat Protein: Crash diets that don’t contain adequate protein won't work even if they might produce some initial changes on the scale. Not only will they make you hungry and fatigued, but you end up losing muscle mass which makes it harder lose weight in the future. If you want to cut back on calories, don’t do it at the expense of protein. Make sure that every meal and snack has adequate protein about 25 grams for meals and 7 grams for snacks. This will keep hunger in check while ensuring you don’t lose your muscle mass at the same time. One more fun fact is that studies have shown that starting your meal with your protein choice first dramatically reduces hunger levels. Calories Do Count: Our overestimation of how much we are eating can make all the difference when it comes time to weigh in. Calorie restriction has been shown to activate AMPK, an enzyme important in energy metabolism. Higher levels of AMPK have been associated with numerous health outcomes, one of which is reduced abdominal fat. Curb Hunger with Fermentable Fiber: You can still cut back on calories without having to feel deprived. Processed carbohydrates (breads, pastries, cereals, starchy snacks and sweets) are easy to over consume and quickly add up. Instead, replace these foods with those rich in fermentable fiber like vegetables and fruit. Fermentable fiber improves the release of hormones in the gut tied to satiety. This hormones send signals to our brain that we're full. Just remember as your bump up your fiber intake to increase your water consumption too. This will ensure better digestion and keep everything moving as it should. Keep Insulin in Check: We often blame carbs as the reason for our weight gain, but in actuality it is constantly elevated insulin levels that makes us gain weight, and keep the weight on. Inflammation is at the root of high insulin levels, also known as insulin resistance. The best way to keep insulin levels in check is to lower inflammation by ensuring you have the right balance of protein, carbohydrate, and fat at every meal and snack. Stay Hydrated: Having a broth based soup as an appetizer or 16 ounces of water may help to curb how much food you consume during your meal. Try and keep a water bottle on your desk, in your bag, or when dining out finish your glass before your appetizer or entrée arrives. Keep Healthy Foods on Hand and in Sight: Having a supply of healthy snacks on hand allows us to make better decisions throughout the day. Small frequent meals every 3-4 hours that are balanced in protein, carbohydrate and fat help maintain stable blood sugars throughout the day making us less inclined to indulge should the opportunity come our way. Log it: There are so many apps for tracking what you eat and some of the features from scanning barcodes, syncing with your Fitbit, to online communities for support are great for accountability. That said it doesn’t matter whether you use a pen or paper or an app of your choosing. The data is clear that if you log it you’re less likely to overeat and that’s a good thing. Try the Zone Food Journal. Rev Up Your Workouts: High intensity interval training (HIIT) helps to burn more body fat as its been shown to increase AMPK activity. HIIT is based on doing intense bursts of exercise followed by an active recovery to keep your heart rate up and burn fat quicker. Not in your wheelhouse? It doesn’t take cutting edge fitness trends to make it work for you. Find an activity you enjoy doing and stick with it. Consider incorporating both strength training and cardio so you can maintain and build muscle while you torch calories too. Making simple changes based in science is the most successful way to lose weight and keep it off. Just make sure your changes are simple, sustainable and fun. That’s the formula for success. {{cta('f794fdb4-e128-4289-b30c-cba36c1ddb7d')}}
Pesticides - Organic vs Conventional
More and more Americans are incorporating organic foods into their regular purchasing habits. Organic foods make up almost 6% of food sales in retail channels across the U.S.(1) and overall sales of organic items hit a new record of $49.4 billion in 2017, up 6.4% from the prior year. Consumer interest in ingredient profiles, how products are grown, how far they’ve traveled and sustainability has led to an increased demand for these products. While organic foods are lower in pesticide residues, the question often arises as to whether they are nutritionally better than foods grown using conventional methods. Here we’ll tell you what you need to know. What Does Organic Mean? According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic food is produced without the use of most conventional pesticides and no synthetic ingredients, sewage sludge, bioengineering, or radiation. For meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products this means that the animals are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. These foods follow strict production and labeling requirements and must comply with the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) and be overseen by a USDA National Organic Program authorized certifying agent (2). One thing to note is that just because something is labeled organic, doesn’t mean it’s pesticide-free. It just means the pesticides used are natural not synthetic. Even organically grown oats recently were shown to contain small yet safe amounts of glyphosate, the chemical used in the weed killer RoundUp. While the foods themselves were produced organically, drifting from near by farms or cross contamination in a processing facility that handles non-organic foods can still impact the final product (3). What to Know When Looking at Labels When shopping and looking at labels there are several uses of the word organic you might see. Here’s what’s required in order to use the organic seal or the word “organic” on packaging and labels (2, 4). 100% Organic: A product using this claim must have all the ingredients certified organic and all the processing aids must be organic too. The product labels must list the certifying agent on the information panel What the Label Can State USDA organic seal and state 100% organic claim No Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) Must identify certified organic ingredients Must list certified agent Organic: When using this claim all agricultural ingredients must be certified organic, except where specified on the National List. Non-organic ingredients allowed from the National List cannot exceed a combined total of 5% (excluding salt and water). The product labels must also list the certifying agent on the information panel What the Label Can State USDA organic seal and/or organic claim No GMOs Must identify organic ingredients (non-organic ingredients must comply with National List) Must list certified agent Made with Organic: When using this claim at least 70% of the product must include certified organic ingredients (excluding salt and water). The rest of the agricultural ingredients don’t have to be organic, but need to follow organic regulations (without conventional pesticides, synthetic ingredients, sewage sludge, bioengineering, or radiation). The non-agricultural products must be on National list and the product labels must list the certifying agent on the information panel What the Label Can State “Made with Organic” (organic seal not allowed) No GMOs Must identify organic ingredients (non-organic ingredients must comply with National List) Must list certified agent Specific Organic Ingredients: Products with less than 70% of their ingredients being certified organic (excluding salt and water) don’t need to be certified. These products are unable to include the USDA seal or the word “organic” on the front of their packaging or principal display panel. They can only list those ingredients that are certified organic on their ingredient list. The other ingredients don’t need to follow USDA organic regulations. What the Label Can State Ingredient list can state which ingredients are certified organic (USDA organic seal and word “organic” not allow on principal display panel) Nutrition: How Organic Compares to Conventional Health is one of the main reasons consumers purchase organic foods as they are perceived to have greater nutritional value and fewer toxic chemicals compared to those conventionally grown (5). Other reasons that factor into purchasing habits are for environmental reasons, animal welfare, taste, and the health of farmers and their workers. Conducting studies on the nutrition profiles of organic versus conventional foods isn’t an easy feat. Season, region, differences in ground cover, maturity of the organic operation and variation from farm to farm plays a role (5). Some studies have found no significant difference in nutrition profiles between organic and conventional foods (6). Other studies have shown organic foods may be 4x lower in pesticide residues, lower in antibiotic-resistant bacteria and nitrites along with having higher levels of antioxidants, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and lower concentrations of Cadmium (5-7). More studies have emerged that are food specific showing organic tomatoes to be higher in polyphenols, strawberries to be richer in anthocyanins and antioxidants, and organic dairy to have higher amounts of protein and omega-3 fatty acids (8-11). So you may be asking yourself, is it time to make the switch? The answer is it’s a personal choice. The reality is Americans are already falling short on their intake of fruits and vegetables with only 1 in 10 meeting the recommended intake (12). Creating more barriers to consumption only hurts us more in the long run. Eating fruits and vegetables whether organic or conventional far outweighs the risks of the pesticides they may contain. Even for conventional produce the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the USDA set limits for the amount of pesticides that can be used on farms to be safe. From a nutritional standpoint there is literature to support some nutritional gains with regards to antioxidant and polyphenol levels in organic produce. That said, if your produce is just going to sit in your fridge the whole week or used as target practice by your kids or grandkids, it’s probably not worth the expense. The longer food sits in the fridge the more nutrients it loses over time. If you know you want to start incorporating more organic foods into your diet the list below may be a good place to start. This way you minimize those fruits and vegetables that have soft skins or are more porous and may absorb more of the pesticides used on them compared to those that have peels and are more durable. Pesticides in Fruits and Vegetables The Environmental Working Group is an organization that has created a ranking system of fruits and vegetables based on their likelihood of being contaminated with the highest levels of pesticides. The ranking is established after the fruits and vegetables have been washed or peeled. The top offenders include those that have soft skins because they are more likely to absorb pesticides, which they term the “Dirty Dozen” (13).This year’s "Dirty Dozen" includes: strawberries spinach kale nectarines apples grapes peaches cherries pears tomatoes celery potatoes The good news is that there are a good number of non-organic fruits and vegetables without high levels of pesticides. Since many fruits and vegetables have peels, they offer a higher level of protection, which have been dubbed the “Clean 15” since they have little to no pesticides (13). This year's "Clean 15" include: avocados sweet corn pineapples frozen sweet peas onions papayas eggplant asparagus kiwi cabbage cauliflower cantaloupe broccoli mushrooms honey dew {{cta('4c4471b5-0fad-4653-9f1e-e152674c1971')}} Ways to Reduce the Pesticide Levels in Your Fruits and Vegetables If you don’t have the luxury of buying organic, there are things you can do to lessen the amounts of pesticides you take in. Here are some tips from the National Pesticide Information Center (14). Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to minimize the potential of increased exposure to a single pesticide. Thoroughly wash all produce whether it’s labeled organic or has a peel. Wash your produce under running water instead or soaking or dunking it. Dry produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel when possible. Scrub firm fruits and vegetables, like melons and root vegetables. Discard the outer layer of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce or cabbage. Peel fruits and vegetables when possible. Trim fat and skin from meat, poultry, and fish to minimize pesticide residue that may accumulate in the fat. Minimize Cost and Maximizing Nutrition Buying fruits and vegetables in season whether organic or conventional can help save on costs. Buying local produce and using fruits and vegetables soon after purchase is a way to maximize their nutritional benefits. In addition you may find your local farmers market is cheaper than some grocery stores for organic items. Farmers markets are also a great want to talk to representatives from local farms about their pest management whether it's integrated pest management (no spraying unless tests show pest infestation), following organic practices or certified organic so you can be the most informed. References: Organic Industry Survey. Available at: https://ota.com/resources/organic-industry-survey. Accessed: 8/3/2018. Labeling Organic Products. Available at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Labeling%20Organic%20Products%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf. Accessed: August 6, 2018. Roundup for Breakfast? Weed Killer in Landmark Cancer Verdict Found in Kids’ Cereals, Other Oat-Based Foods. Available at: https://www.ewg.org/release/roundup-breakfast-weed-killer-landmark-cancer-verdict-found-kids-cereals-other-oat-based#.W3wq4M5KjIU. Accessed: August 21, 2018. Organic Labels Explained. Available at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/OrganicLabelsExplained.png. Accessed: August 6, 2018. Crinnion WJ. Organic foods contain higher levels of certain nutrients, lower levels of pesticides, and may provide health benefits for the consumer. Altern Med Rev. 2010 Apr;15(1):4-12. Review. Smith-Spangler C, Brandeau ML, Hunter GE, Bavinger JC, Pearson M, Eschbach PJ, Sundaram V, Liu H, Schirmer P, Stave C, Olkin I, Bravata DM. Are organic foods safer or healthier than conventional alternatives?: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2012 Sep 4;157(5):348-66. Barański M, Srednicka-Tober D, Volakakis N, Seal C, Sanderson R, Stewart GB, Benbrook C, Biavati B, Markellou E, Giotis C, Gromadzka-Ostrowska J, Rembiałkowska E, Skwarło-Sońta K, Tahvonen R, Janovská D, Niggli U, Nicot P, Leifert C. Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses. Br J Nutr. 2014 Sep 14;112(5):794-811 Vallverdú-Queralt A, Jáuregui O, Medina-Remón A, Lamuela-Raventós RM. Evaluation of a method to characterize the phenolic profile of organic and conventional tomatoes. J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Apr 4;60(13):3373-80. Fernandes VC1, Domingues VF, de Freitas V, Delerue-Matos C, Mateus N. Strawberries from integrated pest management and organic farming: phenolic composition and antioxidant properties. Food Chem. 2012 Oct 15;134(4):1926-31. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.03.130. Epub 2012 Apr 9 Kristl J1, Krajnc AU, Kramberger B, Mlakar SG. Strawberries from integrated and organic production: mineral contents and antioxidant activity. Acta Chim Slov. 2013;60(1):19-25. Palupi E1, Jayanegara A, Ploeger A, Kahl J. Comparison of nutritional quality between conventional and organic dairy products: a meta-analysis. J Sci Food Agric. 2012 Nov;92(14):2774-81. Disparities in State-Specific Adult Fruit and Vegetable Consumption — United States, 2015. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6645a1.htm?s_cid=mm6645a1_w. Accessed: August 8, 2018. Shoppers Guide to Pesticides and Produce. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/full-list.php. Accessed: March 25, 2019. Minimizing Pesticide Residues in Food. Available at: http://npic.orst.edu/health/foodprac.html. Accessed: August 7, 2018
Three Hormones That Could Be Impacting Your Weight
Many of the problems that prevent us from reaching our weight loss goals are due to hormonal imbalance. If you are careful about your food choices, exercise regularly and still aren't seeing the scale budge, your hormones may be to blame. When trying to reach the Zone, you’ll often hear us talk about the importance of hormonal control. When our hormones are unbalanced it can accelerate the aging process, decrease our overall wellness, and hinder our ability to perform or maintain our weight. Here we’ll focus specifically on hormones that might be impacting your weight and what you can do to manage them. What are hormones? For many of us, our first introduction to the word hormones was somewhere in our early teens. While it may be a word that is familiar to us, defining it could prove more challenging. Hormones are chemical messengers that travel in our blood, tissues and organs helping with communication throughout our body. While they do impact growth, development and the aging process they also play a critical role in how our body gets energy from the foods we eat, known as metabolism. Hormones are powerful in that small amounts produce big changes within our bodies (1). This is why the foundation for reaching the Zone is based upon using the foods we eat and supplements we take to control our hormones. Hormones and Weight Dr. Sears has written about this extensively, but the real reason we gain weight is not due to insulin per se, but increased insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is caused by increased inflammation in our insulin-sensitive cells. This makes it difficult for insulin to communicate its message to its target cells in the liver, muscles, and adipose tissues. Increased insulin resistance forces the pancreas to produce even more insulin to try to get that message to the target cell in an effort to respond. As a result, insulin levels rise in the blood and stay constantly elevated. In the case of the fat cells in the adipose tissue, these constantly elevated insulin levels drive circulating fat into your existing fat cells and block the release of stored fat. This makes it difficult to lose weight. The Solution: To optimize your insulin levels for fat loss requires following an anti-inflammatory eating plan like the Zone Diet which is based upon controlling insulin levels at every meal and snack. This is achieved by balancing the protein-to carbohydrate ratio at each meal coupled with the use of small amounts of monounsaturated fats know to be anti-inflammatory. Since diet is one of the main reasons we develop insulin resistance, it’s also one of the easiest changes we can make to help reverse it. Adiponectin is a protein hormone that plays a role in insulin resistance. Individuals who are overweight, obese or have high levels of insulin resistance have been shown to have low levels of adiponectin. The leaner you are, the more circulating adiponectin you have which is strongly correlated with decreased insulin resistance in the fat cells. It is thought that adiponectin works by increasing fatty acid oxidation leading to improvements in insulin sensitivity (2). The Solution: In addition to an anti-inflammatory diet to help reduce insulin resistance and keep adiponectin levels high, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to increase circulating levels of adiponectin (3) as well as exercise (4). Cortisol is a hormone that the body produces under stress and can hinder our ability to lose weight. You need some cortisol, but where you run into issues is when the body is producing excessive amounts. In addition to stressful conditions we might be under in our day to day lives, excessive exercise, fasting, inflammation, and excess insulin can increase cortisol production. Cortisol is produced during fasting conditions when energy stores are depleted. During this time blood glucose and insulin levels begin to drop and as a result cortisol is released. Cortisol levels naturally rise in the morning, but its release signals the body to begin breaking down muscle for energy. This is why it’s critical to eat an appropriate breakfast coming off an overnight fast to restore blood sugar levels and replenish glycogen and to avoid skipping meals. In addition, when we have too much insulin circulating in our bodies it can drive down blood glucose levels resulting in the increased cortisol levels and making it difficult for it our bodies to release stored fat. The Solution: There a number of ways to reduce cortisol. One is to follow the Zone Diet to reduce diet-induced inflammation. The second is to resolve inflammation using high-dose omega-3 fatty acids. The third is to use polyphenols which help repair tissue damage caused by inflammation. The three of these together form the basis for the Zone Pro-Resolution Nutrition Program. Finally, there is the traditional way using stress reduction. Stress reduction can include meditation, relaxation, or moderate exercise (too intense can actually increase cortisol) to help reduce excess cortisol levels by reducing the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Many of the problems that prevent us from reaching our goals are due to hormonal imbalance. The Zone Pro-Resolution Nutrition program consisting of the reduction, resolution, and repair of diet-induced inflammation is your best pathway to get to the Zone and make your goals a reality. {{cta('61bf66d9-5561-4209-b869-f696d6532948')}} References Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/hormones.html. Accessed: September 6, 2018. Lihn AS1, Pedersen SB, Richelsen B. Adiponectin: action, regulation and association to insulin sensitivity. Obes Rev. 2005 Feb;6(1):13-21. Wu JH, Cahill LE, Mozaffarian D. Effect of fish oil on circulating adiponectin: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Jun;98(6):2451-9. Markofski MM, Carrillo AE, Timmerman KL, Jennings K, Coen PM, Pence BD, Flynn MG. Exercise training modifies ghrelin and adiponectin concentrations and is related to inflammation in older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2014 Jun;69(6):675-81.
The Importance of Breakfast
We’ve heard it time and time again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but is that true? One of the biggest benefits to consuming breakfast is to replenish energy stores and to stabilize hormones. After a full night’s sleep our blood sugar level is low and by early morning our liver glycogen stores have been depleted in an effort to maintain blood glucose throughout the night. Once energy stores are exhausted, blood glucose and insulin levels begin to drop and as a result the stress hormone cortisol is released. Cortisol levels naturally rise in the morning, but it's release signals the body to begin breaking down muscle for energy. This is why it’s critical to eat an appropriate breakfast to restore blood sugar levels and replenish glycogen. By skipping breakfast cortisol levels stay elevated until the next meal resulting in the increased breakdown of muscle for energy. Why a Zone BreakfastThe Zone is based on keeping your insulin levels in a zone that is not too high and not too low. This will stabilize blood sugar and prevent the continued breakdown of muscle for energy. Eating a Zone breakfast can help keep your insulin levels stable, provide the necessary protein to prevent hunger and replenish the levels of liver glycogen. It is important that the breaking down (catabolism) that happens overnight is balanced with the building up in the morning (anabolism). It is this balance that makes breakfast important for starting your day out right hormonally and sets the stage for the other benefits that come with eating breakfast such as improved alertness and productivity, increased cognition and memory, satiety, and weight control.Zone Breakfast vs. Traditional BreakfastThose who eat breakfast regularly have been shown to have higher intakes of vitamins and minerals and a more well-rounded diet. We always recommend eating a Zone breakfast within one hour of waking and having one with the right balance of lean protein, low-glycemic carbohydrates and a dash of monounsaturated fat. By keeping insulin levels balanced, Zone meals are the easiest way to keep your sugar cravings under control during the day. Doing so minimizes the need to constantly look for quick fixes when your energy levels start to plummet. Breakfast SwapsWhen looking for a Zone breakfast aim for one that is under 400 calories, with less than 12 grams of fat, 25 grams of protein and about 35 grams of net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber). Need an easy breakfast idea? Swap out your current breakfast for a ZoneRx Shake instead. Where most grab and go breakfasts fall short on protein, are high in carbs and added sugar, and can be high in fat, ZoneRx shakes have the precise balance you need to replenish your body coming off an overnight fast and to power you through to lunch. See how it compares. {{cta('a51aeeb3-c8ab-4c9a-9217-1fe34bd6a84f')}}
Our Top Supermarket Picks
Not many of us have the luxury of spending hours in the grocery store going aisle to aisle. Here we’ve highlighted some of our top grocery finds from each area of the supermarket that can easily be incorporated into tasty weekdays/weeknight meals and get you in and out in a zip. Dairy: 2% Lactose Free Milk Why we Like It: It has the right balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat making it Zone approved. Plus it’s a good source of high-quality protein to promote satiety while being rich in calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus and other essential nutrients. Why Lactose-free? Regular cow’s milk contains lactose, which many can be difficult to digest. In lactose-free milk, the lactose has been totally removed to consist of only glucose and galactose. Want an easy meal no matter the time of day? Add 10oz of Lactose free milk to a scoop of ZoneRx Shake mix to keep you going until your next meal. Seafood: Wild Salmon Why we Like it: It’s a great source of protein, low in saturated fat and rich in omega-3 fatty acids, known for their brain boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. Opting for wild salmon over farm-raised brings the omega-3 content up even further and has been shown to be 8 times lower in PCBs compared to farm-raised. How does it’s omega-3 content compare to OmegaRx 2? A 3oz serving of raw wild salmon contains about 1700mg of total omega3 fatty acids, whereas one serving of OmegaRx 2 (4 capsules or 1 tsp.) contains nearly twice as much with 3000mg of the omega-3s EPA and DHA. Meat: Grass-Fed Beef Why We Like It: Compared to regular beef, grass-fed beef can contain almost 2x the amount of omega-3s compared to regular beef. While we know red meat should be consumed in moderation, when you do choose to consume it, opting for grass-fed is a good way to go. Using it ground makes for great tasting burgers, a taco night hit, or a delicious filling for stuffed peppers. Fruit: Berries (Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries)Why We Like It: They have one of the lowest glycemic responses compared to most fruits out there. Why we really like them is that they are rich in polyphenols, the chemicals in plants responsible for the color and wide range of nutritional benefits. Although summer is the peak season for berries, you can find different varieties (e.g blackberries) all year long that are fairly priced too. Berries make for a perfect sweet to end a meal, a great addition to steel cut oats, or nicely coupled with low-fat cheese for a mid-afternoon snack. Veggies: Cruciferous Vegetables (Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower and Kale)Why We Like Them: They’re nutritional powerhouses based on their levels of fermentable fiber, polyphenols, vitamins, minerals and are known for their cancer-preventive properties too. Plus they have lowest amounts of carbohydrate making them less likely to stimulate insulin. Roast or sauté in a little olive oil and use as a side dish to any protein choice. They’re also a great base for any salad when you swap in baby Kale, shaved Brussel Sprouts or Broccoli slaw in place of romaine or iceberg.Frozen: Green VegetablesWhy We Like Them: Produce that sits in the refrigerator for days or has traveled long distances to reach us, loses its nutrients with time. Frozen vegetables are a great option in this case as they are typically flash frozen at low temperatures to stop aging and retain their nutritional value. Spinach, broccoli, or asparagus make for great weeknight stir-fry’s. If you haven’t tried frozen riced vegetables yet (available in broccoli and cauliflower (although not green), these can be added to soups in a cinch or a great replacement for rice in any dish. Plus the ones in the microwavable steamer bags can be made in minutes for those nights you really run short on time.Inside Aisles: Almonds Why We Like Them: They are rich in heart healthy monounsaturated fats, along with numerous vitamins, and minerals. Almonds are easy to have on hand or for a snack on the go, plus they add a nice crunch when topped on oatmeal, yogurt, or slivered on vegetables. Since they are about 79% fat, just be careful to limit your intake and be mindful of portions as the calories can really stack up and they are easy to over-consume. Steelcut OatsWhy We Like Them: They contain GLA (gamma linolenic acid), an essential fatty acids known to help boost the production of the good eicosanoids (PGE-1). Consuming 2 to 3 times per week can help build up your GLA levels. Plus they are a great alternative to breakfast cereal since they have a lower glycemic response, and are high in fiber, B-vitamins and calcium. Canned BeansWhy We Like Them: Beans are a great source of fermentable fiber and their versatility lends themselves to most dishes you create. While lectins, a protein within them, might be giving them a bad rap lately, don’t stress, because cooking sprouting or fermenting them degrades lectin. It’s only individuals who have a compromised gut barrier, like “leaky gut” whole need to limit their consumption.SpicesWhy We Like Them: Spices like basil, oregano and rosemary are incredibly rich in polyphenols (good for the gut), plus they are a great way to add flavor to any dish. Elevate any of your dishes by adding them to omelets, meat, salad dresses or vegetables. Extra Virgin Olive OilWhy We Like It: It’s primarily a monounsaturated fat, known for their heart healthy benefits, and rich in the polyphenol known as hydroxytyrosol. A good rule of thumb is to buy a cheaper olive oil for cooking, since polyphenols degrade upon heating, and then use a high quality one like Zone Extra Virgin olive oil for use in salad dressings or on top of cooked dishes to reap all their health promoting properties.{{cta('daffa570-1055-4766-af51-e09d66a17e47')}}
Peak Performance: An Athletes Guide to Meal Timing
Fueling for performance requires knowing what foods to choose and when to have them. Dr. Sears has worked with elite athletes his entire professional career and his recommendations are based on years of seeing what has led to the greatest improvements in becoming faster, stronger, and leaner. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to use this guide. No matter your fitness level, use these recommendations to reap the most from your workout and enhance how quickly you can get to your next one. Hormonal Timing and Performance: A More In-Depth Look Performance can be considered to fall within 4 phases:Hormonal Warm-up –ensuring your body has the right fuels to performThe Demand Phase - when you are working out and putting stress on the bodyThe Recovery Phase - Immediately following your work outThe Repair Phase - The remainder of the time when you are not working out and repairing damaged muscle tissue Hormonal Warm-up:When: 30-45 Minutes Before and During Exercise.What To Do: Eat a Zone snack 30-45 minutes prior to exercise. Half of a ZoneRx bar is an ideal choice. Why: Consuming protein helps to minimize muscle damage and stimulate glucagon synthesis to elevate blood glucose levels that will fall during exercise. Carbohydrate consumption helps spare muscle glycogen that will be depleted and maintain blood glucose levels that will be lowered during exercise. Demand Phase-When: The workout or activity that is putting stress on the bodyWhat is Happening Hormonally Pro-inflammatory eicosanoids increase Pro-inflammatory cytokines increase Insulin decreases Cortisol increases What is Happening Metabolically ATP is depleted Protein degradation increases Muscle glycogen is partially depleted Muscle damage increases Fluid loss increases Recovery Phase When: Peaks 30 Minutes After Exercise and lasts a maximum of 120 minutes (Recovery Phase Is Short)What To Do: Eat a Zone snack immediately following exercise. Half a ZoneRx bar would be an ideal choice.Why: The combination of protein and carbohydrate helps to replenish muscle glycogen and initiate muscle repair. Growth hormone is released once exercise stops to initiate repair and this can be inhibited by high levels of insulin. Where carbohydrates alone could impede the release of growth hormone, the combination of both protein and carbohydrate helps to ensure this release happens quicker. Repair Phase When: The 20-24 hours following workout completionWhat To Do: Consume a Zone meal or snack every 4 to 5 hours. Ensure each meal contains at least 25-30 grams of high quality protein. Aim for lean protein choices that contain leucine, an amino acid found in foods such as chicken, lean beef, pork, fish, seafood, and cheese. Consuming about 2.5 grams of leucine helps activate mTor, a gene transcription factor required for new protein synthesis. Balance your protein with non-starchy vegetables at each meal. This will help to control insulin levels between meals and when balanced with the right amount of protein will help stabilize blood sugar levels. Supplement with omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols.Why: The combination of the Zone Diet, omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols helps maximize the anti-inflammatory response that results in tissue repair post-work. Calculating Your Protein Needs Depending on your sport you might be trying to gain weight, primarily through lean body mass, or to lose body fat while maintaining lean body mass. Either way it’s important to know how much protein you should be consuming each day. To find your personalized requirements based on your gender, size and weight, try our Protein Requirement/Body Fat calculator. This will also tell you how many Zone Food Blocks of carbohydrate and fat you should consume each day to go along your protein requirements. The following menus are based on Dr. Sears' work with Olympic athletes. No matter your fitness level, used this as a guide and simply adjust the amounts based on what you've determined your protein requirements to be. Get started here with our meal planners for both males and females. {{cta('a9e96fff-3523-4d72-b761-29f9ef2a1279')}}
Olive Oil: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
Olive oil can be considered the first nutrition supplement since its first use more than 6,000 years ago. We now know the reason: the polyphenols. The Good – Olives Contain Unique Anti-Inflammatory Properties Olives are a fruit, not a seed. As a result, it contains unique types of polyphenols not found in other fruits and vegetables. Tyrosol, hydroxytryrosol, oleocanthal and oleuropein each provide unique anti-inflammatory properties. This is why olive oil was so prized in the ancient world and remains an integral component of the Mediterranean diet. That’s the good. The Bad – The Impact of Pesticides Polyphenols are the reason that olive oil has health benefits for humans, but they have even greater health benefits to the olive fruit itself. It is polyphenols that protect plants from microbial attack. Once you start using pesticides to increase production, the plants generally decrease the product of polyphenols since it requires a lot of energy to produce them. This effect is more profound in fruits than vegetables. However, not all conventionally grown fruits and vegetables have high levels of chemical residues. It really depends on how they are farmed. The following table outlines these varying levels of chemical residues in conventional fruits and vegetables. Most Commonly Contaminated Moderate Commonly Contamination Least Commonly Contaminated Apples Celery Strawberries Peaches Spinach Nectarines Grapes-Foreign Sweet Bell Peppers Potatoes Blueberries Lettuce Kale/Collard Greens Green Beans Summer Squash Peppers Cucumbers Raspberries Grapes - Domestic Plums Oranges Cauliflower Tangerines Bananas Winter Squash Cranberries Onions Sweet Corn Pineapples Avocado Asparagus Sweet Peas Eggplant Cantaloupe Kiwi Cabbage Sweet Potato Grapefruit Mushrooms What about olives? Although many olive growers don’t use herbicides or pesticides, you never really know those who do. Finding certified organic extra-virgin olive oil is always your best bet for maximum polyphenol content. More importantly, the taste of organic olive oil is always significantly better than conventional olive oils. The Really Ugly – Your Olive Oil May Be Faking It Since olive oil is valuable, it is likely to be adulterated by adding other inferior substances. This was a problem in even ancient Roman times where containers were stamped with official seals to make it difficult to adulterate the oil. Today, the problem is far more widespread with nearly 70% of extra-virgin oil olive being sold in the U.S. having been adulterated. Harvesting Perfect Olives What's a consumer to do in a world of pesticides and adulterated olive oil? It has to taste great (which it does) and be rich in polyphenols (that we analyze in every lot, because like Fox Mulder of the X-Files says: “we trust no one”). I searched out the few organic cooperatives in Italy making high quality extra-virgin olive oil. Then, we harvested in late fall, followed by processing over the winter. Then the various processed lots were tested for polyphenol content. Those lots that met our polyphenol requirements were bottled and brought to the U.S. under the Zone brand. We purchased the entire year’s production that met our quality standards. It wasn’t much, but those olives made about 190 cases worth of Dr. Sears’ Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil. And we have it all. Branding is crucial. With my Zone Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, you can have the ideal anti-inflammatory condiment for every meal – at least while it lasts. As of today, we have less than 100 cases of Dr. Sears’ Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil remaining in stock. Order yours today.{{cta('daffa570-1055-4766-af51-e09d66a17e47')}} References: Faller ALK and Fialho E. “Polyphenol content and anti-oxidant capacity in organic and conventional plant foods.” J Food Composition and Analysis 23: 561-568 (2010). Muller T. Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil. W.W. Norton. New York, NY (2013). Blechman N. “Extra virgin suicide: The adulteration of Italian Olive Oil.”
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