Ketogenic Diets and Aging
Chances are, you or someone you know has tried the keto diet at some point in time. This high-fat, very low-carbohydrate eating plan appeals to many due to its promise of rapid weight loss. In this blog, Dr. Sears explores some of the latest scientific findings on ketogenic diets and provides caution before hopping on this trend. What is a Ketogenic Diet? The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate eating plan. This significant reduction in carbohydrates to induce a metabolic state is called ketosis. This only occurs when there is not enough carbohydrates in your liver to completely convert fatty acids to carbon dioxide and water. The normal conversion generates the chemical energy (ATP) that keeps us alive. In the absence of ketosis, each fatty acid generates 108 molecules of ATP when oxidized in the mitochondria. Ketone bodies make less ATP when they are metabolized by mitochondria. How much less? About five times less. This is like switching the gasoline in your car from high-octane fuel to low octane fuel as ketone bodies increase in the blood. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, ketones are not an ideal energy source for the brain, as glucose remains the preferred fuel for ATP production in brain cells. Lack of blood glucose is a highly stressful situation for the brain. This is why the body secretes the stress hormone cortisol from the adrenal glands during ketosis to breakdown protein and convert the amino acids into glucose for the brain. This explains why even under complete starvation for 38 days, the blood glucose levels never dropped below 68 mg/dL. This is still considered as a normal blood sugar level. Where did this blood glucose come from if there was none in the diet for 38 days? The answer is neo-glucogenesis primarily using lean body mass. Ketogenic Diets Pros and Cons Interest in ketogenic diets rises and falls about every 20 years. They’re very low-carbohydrate diets that claim that carbohydrates make you fat and keep you fat. This is simply not true. It is not carbohydrates per se but a disrupted metabolism that makes you fat. To be more specific, it is the inhibition of AMPK, the master regulator of your metabolism that makes you fat. Why? As AMPK activity increases, you burn stored fat faster. Frankly, I’ve always been amazed by the re-emergence of ketogenic diets. Eighteen years ago, I published the premier clinical study demonstrating that, under equal calorie intake in which all the food was provided to the subjects for six weeks, the Zone Diet was better than a ketogenic diet in reducing total weight, excess body fat, and inflammation. Now, a recent study revealed some more very concerning findings about the long-term effects of ketogenic diets. This new study indicated that following a keto diet causes a rise in senescent cells, popularly known as “zombie cells.” Zombie Cells are damaged cells that no longer divide but don't die. That’s bad enough, but zombie cells continue spreading inflammation throughout the body. As the number of zombie cells increases in your body, they become a living nightmare. Why? Zombie cells accelerate aging because they cause the earlier development of many chronic diseases. In this study they found that zombie cells in the animals began to appear while they were on a ketogenic diet. The zombie cells then disappeared when researchers changed the diet to a “non-ketogenic diet” (i.e., the Zone diet). And when the animals were given a Keto diet again, the zombie cells reappeared. Notice a trend? If you want to hear more about this study you can listen to our recent podcast at Dr.Sears.com. Based on earlier blogs, this adds to the list of downsides for following a ketogenic diet versus the Zone Diet. PROS Rapid initial weight loss: This is primarily due to the loss of retained water from the glycogen stores in the liver, which is rapidly used up to maintain blood sugar levels. Since these glycogen stores in the liver contain significant levels of retained water, much of the initial weight loss is water rather than stored body fat. If your main goal is loss retained water, this can be seen as a benefit. Of course, going to a sauna would also work. Reduced hunger: Ketogenic diets are rich in protein. Any increase in protein intake can help reduce hunger. CONS Production of acetone: One of the ketone bodies produced during ketosis is acetone, which is also the main chemical in nail polish. Increased calcium loss: A ketogenic diet can lead to higher calcium loss from bones. Limited fat utilization: High levels of dietary fat reduce the likelihood of using stored body fat for energy unless you also significantly restrict calories. Reduced energy levels: The lack of ATP production on a ketogenic diet can lead to easier fatigue during mild exercise. Damage from cheat meals: After seven days on a keto diet, a single high-carb cheat meal can damage blood vessels. Lack of polyphenols: This makes it difficult to activate genes that optimize metabolism by improving mitochondrial efficiency in converting fat into ATP. No long-term weight loss advantage: Long-term studies show no difference in weight loss between a ketogenic diet and a low-fat, high-carb diet. No short-term metabolic advantage: Careful studies demonstrate that fat loss on a ketogenic diet is the same as on a low-fat, high-carb diet with the same caloric intake. Compromised gut health: A lack of fermentable fiber from carbohydrates can lead to poor gut health and an increased risk of developing a leaky gut, which can cause significant inflammation. Furthermore, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are the metabolic product of fermentable fiber. These SCFA are powerful epigenetic signaling agents that enhance gene transcription. Ketosis generates a different type of hydroxylated short fatty acid (3-hydroxyl butyrate, that has no effect on gene transcription. In addition, the lack of SCFA has significant negative consequences on the gut-brain axis. Cortisol build-up: To produce glucose for the brain, cortisol levels increase to breakdown protein to make sufficient glucose via neoglucogenesis. Excess cortisol can lead to insulin resistance that cause regain of some of initially loss body fat. In addition, increased cortisol levels cause a depressed immune system as well as destruction of memory cells in the hippocampus. The initial benefits of following the ketogenic diet result in some initial weight loss (primarily water weight rather than fat loss), long-term studies show no significant differences in overall weight loss. Now new findings show a ketogenic diet may lead to significant adverse health consequences by accelerating the formation of zombie cells. Call me crazy, but I feel the key to longevity and wellness comes down to better metabolic control instead of living in a constant state of ketosis. Following Metabolic Engineering® for a lifetime provides that pathway of losing body fat without ketosis. References 1. Johnston CS, Tjonn SL, Swan PD, White A, Hutchins H, and Sears B. “Ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets have no metabolic advantage over nonketogenic low-carbohydrate diets.” Am J Clin Nutr 2006 83:1055-61. 2. White AM, Johnston CS, Swan PD, Tjonn SL, and Sears B. “Blood ketones are directly related to fatigue and perceived effort during exercise in overweight adults adhering to low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss: a pilot study.” J Am Diet Assoc. 2007 107:1792-1796. 3. Sung-Jen Wei, Joseph R Schell, E Sandra Chocron, Mahboubeh Varmazyad, Guogang Xu, Wan Hsi Chen, Gloria M Martinez, Felix F Dong, Prethish Sreenivas, Rolando Trevino Jr , Haiyan Jiang, Yan Du, Afaf Saliba, Wei Qian, Brandon Lorenzana, Alia Nazarullah, Jenny Chang, Kumar Sharma, Erin Munkácsy, Nobuo Horikoshi, David Gius. Ketogenic diet induces p53-dependent cellular senescence in multiple organs. Sci Adv. 2024 May 17;10(20):eado1463. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ado1463. 4. Owen OE, Felig P, Morgan AP, Wahren J, Cahill GF Jr. Liver and kidney metabolism during prolonged starvation. J Clin Invest. 1969 Mar;48(3):574-83. doi: 10.1172/JCI106016. 5. Chriett, S., Dąbek, A., Wojtala, M. et al. Prominent action of butyrate over β-hydroxybutyrate as histone deacetylase inhibitor, transcriptional modulator and anti-inflammatory molecule. Sci Rep 9, 742 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36941-9. 6. Silva YP, Bernardi A, Frozza RL. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Jan 31;11:25. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00025.
Tofu: Tips and Recipes Ideas
I have been eating tofu for a very long time, much longer than the 30 or so years I have been following the Zone Diet. Back then many of my favorite recipes came from the Tassajara cookbooks by Edward Espe Brown, the celebrated chef from the kitchen at California’s famous Zen Mountain Center, and cookbooks by Louise Hagler, a.k.a. Wendy Louise, a well-known authority on vegetarian cooking who is associated with a community in Tennessee known as The Farm. Those books are still among the best resources for tofu recipes. My mantra has always been if you don’t like something, don’t eat it. Keep this in mind if you’re new to tofu, start slowly by combining it with flavors and foods you like. Tips and Suggestions Firm-sprouted tofu is my preference for the Zone Diet. Unlike traditional tofu, which contains significant amounts of both protein and carbohydrate, sprouted has almost no carbohydrates. It’s lighter tasting, refreshing, and very filling. Freezing tofu results in a chewy, sponge-like texture. I don’t recommend freezing, but some people prefer it when using tofu to substitute for meat in a recipe. Baked tofu comes in a variety of flavors and makes an excellent quick meal with some vegetables and fruit added. It’s also great in salads. Tofu made it into the book “The Top 100 Zone Foods” by Barry Sears. Some recipes call for draining the tofu first. I find that usually isn’t necessary. Tofu takes on the flavor of whatever is added to it. Add nutritional yeast flakes to give a cheesy flavor to vegan tofu scrambles and dips. It’s also rich in protein and vitamin B12. Cherry Vanilla Tofu “Ice Cream” Tip: This doesn’t freeze or store well, so prepare only the amount you plan to serve immediately. Using an immersion blender or a food processor blend equal parts of frozen dark cherries and firm tofu, plus some vanilla extract (preferably alcohol-free for best flavor). Serve immediately. Tofu Scramble This is great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and we’ve even brought it on long day hikes for a snack. Crumble some firm tofu and stir in a generous amount of seasonings, taking care not to overdo it with the salt. Heat in a well-seasoned or nonstick skillet with a little Zone-friendly oil to the desired doneness. Optional: If time allows, sauté some chopped onion in the skillet before adding the tofu and seasonings. My favorite seasoning combination for this dish at my house is onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, paprika, some oregano or thyme, nutritional yeast flakes, salt, and ground black pepper. The yellow color of the turmeric makes it somewhat like scrambled eggs. Tofu Veggie Almond Pasta Salad Dressing: Thin some smooth almond butter by stirring in some water, a little vinegar, and either soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (an unfermented soy sauce found in the health food section of most grocery stores). Toss together cooked Dr. Sears’ Zone PastaRx Fusilli, tofu cut into cubes, matchstick cut red bell pepper, chopped green parts of scallions (a.k.a. green onions), and the almond butter dressing. Serve immediately or chill to serve later. It will keep well in the fridge for two or three days. Use your imagination and see what you can come up with. Experiment and have fun with it. Try using tofu to make cheesecakes, whipped desserts, tofu chocolate pudding, tofu “cream” based soups, tofu pot pie (think chicken pot pie), tofu burgers, tofu burritos, Buffalo tofu (like Buffalo wings), layered Mediterranean dips, tofu “meatballs”, grilled tofu, and more. Enjoy!
Dr. Sears Q&A: Weight Loss
With so much interest in weight loss and so much buzz around weight loss drugs, we put together some of the top questions we get in this latest Q&A blog. Here Dr. Sears answers your questions on weight loss, weight loss drugs and what he thinks is the most scientifically backed way to lose weight. See what he has to say.Question: What medical conditions could impede weight loss, and how can they be identified? Answer: Any condition associated with insulin resistance will make it difficult to lose weight. This would include diabetes, heart disease, neurological disease, etc. Also, any drug that induces insulin resistance will also make it difficult to lose weight. These include corticosteroids and many neurological drugs. Question: How do hormones affect weight loss, and which imbalances are most detrimental? Answer: High levels of insulin (caused by insulin resistance), high levels of cortisol (caused by stress), and low levels of satiety hormones such as GLP-1 will make weight loss difficult. Question: Is there a connection between sleep quality and weight loss? Answer: Poor quality sleep increases cortisol levels that lead to insulin resistance. The higher your level of insulin resistance, the more difficult it is for any organ to remove glucose from the blood for transport into the cell, where it can be converted to energy. This i Question: Do any weight loss supplements work? Answer: Not really. You have to restrict calories to activate AMPK which causes your body to effectively burn excess stored body fat. Question: What medications are FDA approved for weight loss? Answer: There are number of approved older drugs, but the most widely used is still an old drug (Phentermine) that was only recently approved for long-term use. However, the new injectable GLP-1 receptor agonists are more powerful and more popular. The scientific name for the most well-known injectable weight-loss drug is semaglutide, which is marketed under the tradenames Ozempic and Wegovy. In simple terms, these injectable drugs activate the release of the hormone GLP-1 from the gut that goes directly to the brain to tell you to stop eating. These drugs were initially developed to treat type 2 diabetes, but the clinical studies in overweight and obese individuals demonstrated significant weight loss at higher levels. Question: What are the unintended side effects of weight loss medications (i.e. GLP-1s, dual GIP/GLP-1). Answer: One major problem is that the lack of hunger caused by the drug makes you less likely to consume sufficient protein to maintain lean body mass. Lean body mass is defined as functional tissue such as organs (including the brain) and bone. Nearly 40 percent of the weight loss in obese patients comes from loss of lean body mass. Without adequate protein (especially on a diet that is calorie-restricted because of lack of hunger), the replacement of damaged cells is compromised. The skin and hair are the first site to suffer. This lack of protein also makes it difficult to maintain mitochondrial function that provides energy for each of your 30 trillion cells. As a result, fatigue (both mental and physical) is often experienced. Question: Would you recommend an injectable weight loss drug? Answer: The answer is no. There is a big difference between weight loss and fat loss. Weight loss is the combined loss of stored body fat and lean body mass (i.e., muscle). You want to lose fat but not muscle. Although the weight loss using weekly semaglutide injections is impressive according to the literature, a deeper look shows that about 40 percent of that weight loss is due to loss of lean body mass. That is not a good sign. It suggests that the injections reduce hunger to the extent that the person has little desire to eat enough protein to maintain muscle mass. In essence, the drug increases the patients' sarcopenia (muscle loss). One of the consequences of sarcopenia is increased frailty. Also once you stop using these weight loss drugs, the weight quickly returns. Question: Does a high protein diet help with weight loss? Answer: Most high protein diets are ketogenic diets that disrupt metabolism in addition to being high fat. The appropriate diet is protein-adequate (about 30 grams of protein at each meal), carbohydrate-moderate (primarily non-starchy vegetables, low-fat (to reduce calories) and rich in fermentable fiber. The common name for such a diet is the Zone diet. The ideal amount of protein at each meal for weight loss is about 30 grams. Less than 30 grams of protein at meal will not generate the hormonal signals from the gut to stop hunger. Too much protein at meal, greater than 30 grams, will inhibit AMPK activity which helps cells burn excess stored fat.
Reversing Chronic Low-Level Inflammation: The Sneaky Saboteur of Your Longevity Party
Ever wondered if there's a secret party going on inside your body, and you weren't invited? Meet chronic low-level inflammation, the stealthy guest that's below the pain radar but might be shortening your life without you even knowing it. It's like the party crasher of longevity, and guess what? It's brought a pro-inflammatory diet as its plus one. Picture this: chronic low-level inflammation is the gatecrasher, and the pro-inflammatory diet is the VIP pass that gets it past your body's bouncer, leading to the wild party of disrupted metabolism. But instead of confetti, it's just a disrupted metabolism that's not great for your body's VIP status. The Culprits: Pro-Inflammatory Party Crashers Unraveling the mystery of chronic low-level inflammation begins with dissecting the components of a pro-inflammatory diet. It's a combination of excess and deficiency: Excessive Intake: Calories, simple sugars (glucose and fructose), omega-6 fatty acids, and palmitic acid (the primary saturated fat). Deficient Intake: Omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols. Unbalanced Ratio: An off-kilter protein-to-carbohydrate ratio. The more these inflammatory troublemakers dominate your diet, the more insulin resistance occurs kicking off a silent disco of chronic low-level inflammation across your 30 trillion cells. Healthspan: The Ideal Life of the Party While longevity is like counting how many candles are on your birthday cake, HealthSpan is the real MVP as it measures the quality of those years by subtracting the disability-associated years. In essence, it's all about the quality of the party. The U.S. has aced the longevity game with fewer candles blowing out too soon, but the after-party (health span) hasn't quite kept up. Cue the dramatic increase in healthcare costs – it's like the bill for the post-party cleanup is way higher than expected. Metabolism: The Dance Moves of a Flourishing Healthspan Think of metabolism as the DJ for Healthspan. A slick, efficient metabolism not only says "no" to excess body fat but also turns down the volume of inflammation. On the flip side, an inefficient metabolism starts the party with more inflammation than a toddler's birthday bash. The early arrival of chronic diseases is like uninvited guests, crashing the health span fiesta. As the U.S. sees a rise in obesity, it's like "DJ Metabolism" is playing the wrong track, and the health span dance party might be getting cut short. Recognizing the signs and sending chronic low-level inflammation packing becomes crucial in ensuring your body's longevity soirée is the talk of the town. In the quest for a longer, fun-filled life, let's shift gears from mere survival to thriving. By throwing some dietary confetti and lifestyle glitter on chronic low-level inflammation, we can ensure our bodies are not just living longer but living it up!
Traditions, Thanksgiving Sides, and Pumpkin Pie
I recently found myself reminiscing about my family’s Thanksgivings of the distant past. The preparations would begin in the middle of November when my mom and my aunt got us children together on a Sunday afternoon to make place card favors for the table with little cups attached to each one. On the big day, they would be filled with mints and salty roasted peanuts. The weekend before Thanksgiving things became more intense. That’s when my mom and dad would make Stollen from a recipe handed down through generations of my dad’s family. Stollen is a rich buttery German yeasted bread studded with raisins, bits of candied citrus fruit peels, and slivered almonds. This was serious stuff, along with some serious fun, all of us taking turns mixing and then kneading the heavy dough, all by hand. It made 6 loaves, enough to share with friends. I can still remember the scent of the rising dough filling our kitchen, a hint of good things soon to come. The turkey was another joint venture on the part of my parents, always stuffed with Pepperidge Farm stuffing. My mom made all the side dishes. She was an incredibly good cook. Every Thanksgiving, in addition to turkey and stuffing we had mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, corn, sliced apple and sweet potato casserole, dinner rolls, and Stollen. Dessert was always her homemade pies, an apple pie, and a pumpkin pie. To this day, my mom’s apple pie has never met its match. Clearly, I would have some big shoes to fill in the future when it came to Thanksgiving dinner. Through the years as my family grew, I made attempts at healthier eating. Two Thanksgivings stand out in my mind. One year I put all the vegetable leftovers straight into the crockpot as I cleared the table. I added tomato juice, and we had nice soup with our supper of leftover turkey. My other attempt was the one and only time I bought a “Tofurkey” instead of a real turkey. I’ve been following the Zone Diet for over 25 years. My Thanksgiving dinners are now designed to appeal to all my guests. I naturally cook Zone-friendly, and Thanksgiving is no different, especially since turkey is an excellent source of low-fat protein. Surprisingly, many traditional Thanksgiving dinner foods are good Zone choices. I also make sure to have stuffing and a few roasted potatoes, so no one feels deprived. This year I created a Zone Pasta Orzo side dish as a healthy alternative to stuffing. Zone Orzo Stuffing Side Amounts are up to you. Sauté equal amounts of 3/8 inch chopped onion, apple, and Baby Bella mushrooms in a little olive oil until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add dry orzo, 1 bay leaf, dried thyme, and enough beef broth to cover the orzo. Simmer uncovered according to orzo package instructions, adding a little more broth if needed. Can be made ahead and reheated. Dessert at our Thanksgiving dinners is always homemade apple pie and pumpkin pie, a tradition that’s been part of Thanksgiving since my childhood, but with a twist. A few years ago, I discovered how to make a Zone-friendly and very tasty pumpkin pie, without crust. No-Crust Pumpkin Pie My tip is to go heavy with the spices and use as little as possible of the sweetener (taste as you add, my choice is blue agave nectar). Mix 1 15 oz. can of 100% pumpkin, 2 slightly beaten eggs, a Zone-friendly sweetener, pumpkin pie spices, and 3/4 cup milk. Bake in a lightly oiled 8 or 9-inch pie plate at 375 degrees until set. Happy Thanksgiving! In case you missed the other Fall '23 Newsletter Articles: Managing Meno-Pot: The Unwanted Souvenir from your Hormone Travels! How to Strength Train for Life Why Dietary Protein is the Key to Weight Loss
How to Strength Train for Life
In my 30+ years as a fitness professional during which strength training has been the mainstay of my career, I have experienced much “resistance” to resistance training from all sides, whether from women who don’t want “muscles” to men who “just want to do cardio.” Others play sports for fitness or have active jobs and feel this is sufficient exercise for them. Having trained many others who realize the benefits of strength training, I have seen why people want to do it change over the years. Toning, weight loss, and body sculpting were the predominant reasons clients came to me. It seemed to change in the mid-aughts when people were looking for help for issues that are common with desk-bound jobs and long commutes. Back pain, upper and lower. Weak core, and lack of upper body strength. Today, people are concerned with aging and avoiding disease, injury, and frailty. Based on my experience, I believe that strength should be the basis of all fitness activities. It will benefit almost all well into later life and help with a host of age-related conditions. There are so many benefits that can be gained from resistance training, and most of them cannot be obtained from any other form of exercise. The most well-known include: Improved ability to carry out activities of daily life - once challenging tasks become easier and can be noticed in everyday activities such as carrying groceries. Reversing sarcopenia - muscle loss begins in your mid-twenties and declines rapidly thereafter unless physical activity is maintained. Improve and maintain bone density - Because of the direct effect muscles have on the bones (by pushing and pulling against them and providing a type of stress that stimulates bone growth1), osteopenia can be reversed by resistance training, in conjunction with other therapies, in a way that walking or other activities cannot. Preventing falls and injuries - a thorough training program can correct imbalances, such as weak gluteal muscles, or weak upper back vs. overly strong hip flexors/tight pectoral (chest) muscles. This causes compensation during movements that over time, can result in injuries. Some of the benefits that you may not know of include: Increased mobility - feeling stiff, slow to move? Increasing muscle strength will help you move better and feel more confident. You might find yourself picking up the pace! Better stability - the ability to hold yourself up and bolster yourself against falls and accidents. Posture - strengthening the weaker muscles that hold you (back, core, and upper back) will help you stand tall, avoiding that hunched-forward posture that only becomes more noticeable with age. Anti-inflammatory effect - When stimulated, as during resistance training, Myokines, key regulators that besides their positive effect on inflammation, also work with metabolic modulation and immunity, are released2. All of the above are beneficial to all ages, particularly for older adults. It really is never too late. I know that one concern that holds people back is a fear of injury. In reality, it is much safer (when done properly) than not doing it and then slowly losing your quality of life. Some tips for starting safely include: Start slowly and methodically - learn proper form and technique before you attempt to try a new exercise or machine. Use a moderate amount of weight at first until you master this. Avoid excessive repetitions and sets - overdoing it could set you back. This is what causes pain and injury more than using slow, considered movement and a moderate range of motion (not overstretching or locking out at joints). Strength is your friend for life and anyone can gain it with a little training! In case you missed the other Fall '23 Newsletter Articles: Of Traditions, Thanksgiving Sides, and Pumpkin Pie Managing Meno-Pot: The Unwanted Souvenir from your Hormone Travels! Why Dietary Protein is the Key to Weight Loss
What 30 Grams of Protein Looks Like
To gain the most metabolic advantages from your diet, Dr. Sears recommends a Zone meal be no more than 400 total calories to help stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels and minimize inflammation. Those 400 calories should be made up of approximately 30 grams of protein, less than 12 grams of fat, and 40 grams of net carbohydrates (total carbohydrates minus fiber). Ideally your carbohydrate choices should be primarily from non-starchy vegetables which are rich in fermentable fiber and high in polyphenols to balance the hormones in the blood. A perfectly balanced Zone meal should control hunger and fatigue for 4-5 hours by stabilizing blood sugar levels. Here we’ll visually show you what that amount of protein can look like. No Time To Count Your Macros? Here's A Simple Way to Zone Your Plate Divide your plate into 3 sections. Use the “hand-eye” method or visuals above to estimate the appropriate portion size of lean protein and “favorable” carbohydrates for your meal. A serving of low-fat protein should be about the size and thickness of your palm. The rest of your plate is balanced with primarily low glycemic vegetables and small amount of fruits and legumes. The last thing to add before it’s truly a Zone meal – a small amount of “good” fat. “Good” fats are monounsaturated like Extra Virgin Olive Oil or slivered almonds. Looking for a Quick Zone Meal? Think Zone Foods. Zone PastaRx is a great option with a side of 2-3 servings of your favorite vegetables. Top that with a drizzle of olive oil and you are good to go! If you’re in a rush our ZoneRx Shakes and ZoneRx Bars make for a quick meals or snack option!
Why Dietary Protein Is the Key to Weight Loss
The new generation of injectable weight loss drugs has captured national attention. Of course, it is always helpful to read the fine print. These drugs do cause weight loss, but nearly 40 percent of that loss is lean body muscle. Your metabolic efficiency decreases when you lose lean body mass (like that found in your organs). Consequently, once you stop taking these injectable drugs, the weight loss rapidly returns, but primarily as increased body fat. Essentially, these injectable weight loss drugs are “forever” drugs. Great news for the drug companies, but not so good for the patient because the same drugs cause numerous side effects. Finding a Dietary Alternative The first thing is to understand that these injectable weight loss drugs use the metabolic pathways that have existed for millions of years. The second thing to realize is that dietary protein is the natural stimulus for releasing the hormones that suppress appetite. Finally, to achieve fat loss, you must reduce insulin resistance (1). So, could a dietary system providing adequate dietary protein and decreasing insulin resistance provide a pathway for fat loss without losing lean body mass? Fortunately, such a dietary system has been shown to do that. That dietary system is the Zone diet. The foundation for the Zone diet was first described in my book, The Zone, published in 1995 (2). The basic patent for using the Zone diet to reduce insulin resistance was applied in 1992 and issued in 2000 (3). Since that time, I have continued to add several dietary enhancements to the basic concept to make the Zone diet an appropriate alternative to Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and other potential hormonal-based drugs not only for weight loss but also as a treatment for diseases that are strongly associated with insulin resistance such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The term that describes this evolving overall technology is Metabolic Engineering™. How can the Zone diet increase the hormones that cause satiety? The essential hormones that cause satiety are released from the gut in response to the protein levels at each meal. If you have adequate protein levels at a meal, these hormones will travel directly to the brain to stop hunger. If you don’t have enough protein at a meal, these satiety hormones will not be released, and appetite quickly returns. So, what is the right amount of protein you need to consume at every meal? The answer is about 30 grams of protein. Another benefit of consuming this level of dietary protein at a meal is that it stimulates three additional hormones to suppress hunger as opposed to the current injectable drug approved for weight loss. Why not consume more protein at a meal for even greater satiety? There are two reasons. The first reason is that higher protein levels stimulate insulin release from the pancreas. Excess insulin secretion slows down fat loss (1). The second reason is that extra protein overstimulates the gene transcription factor mTOR, inhibiting AMPK activity (4). Furthermore, any reduction of AMPK activity slows down the burning of stored body fat. The Nutritional Power of Balance Additionally, you must balance that appropriate amount of protein with the correct amount of low-glycemic carbohydrates to maintain stable blood sugar levels. If the 30 grams of protein at a meal is balanced with carbohydrates rich in fermentable fiber, this allows the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) by gut microbes that further enhance satiety hormones from the gut (5). The best carbs are low glycemic carbohydrates, primarily non-starchy vegetables, just like your grandmother told you to eat. To maximize the satiety benefits, you will need about 30 grams of protein at every meal, but you will also need about 40 grams of fiber-rich carbohydrates at each meal to generate the maximum satiety effect. This allows short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) by gut microbes that further enhance the release of satiety hormones from the gut (5). . This is the foundation of the Zone diet’s patented ability to reduce insulin resistance, which is the key to losing excess body fat. References Ruderman NB et al. AMPK, insulin resistance, and the metabolic syndrome. J Clin Invest 123:2764-2772 (2013). doi: 10.1172/JCI67227 Sears B. The Zone. Regan Books. New York, NY. (1995) Sears Method of and nutritional and pharmaceutical compositions for reduction of hyperinsulinemia. U.S. Patent No. 6,140,304 (2000) Gonzalez A et al. AMPK and TOR: The Yin and Yang of cellular nutrient sensing and growth control. Cell Metab 31:472-492 (2020). doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.01.015 Christiansen CB et al. The impact of short-chain fatty acids on GLP-1 and PYY secretion from the isolated perfused rat colon. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 315:G53-G65 (2018). doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.00346.2017
Lean Body Mass Q&A with Dr. Sears
Most of us are familiar with the advantages of lean body mass from a physical perspective; the more you have, the more fat you burn. It turns out that this topic is a bit more complex than burn fat faster. In this Q&A, Dr. Sears answers your questions about the science of lean body mass, how to gain it, and what makes you lose it. Question: What is the difference between lean body mass and muscle mass? Lean body mass is your total weight minus your total body fat. Lean body mass includes muscle, organs, bones, skin, and water. Although your muscle mass is the main part of the “lean body mass” component that can grow, the other components of lean body mass require incoming protein to maintain themselves too. This is because you are losing about one million damaged cells per second and must replace those removed damaged cells. Without adequate incoming protein, that cellular replacement process slows down. Question: What are some possible reasons why you may be losing muscle? Answer: It impossible to measure muscle mass directly because nearly 80 percent of muscle weight is composed of water. The best way to determine if your muscle mass is increasing or decreasing is your strength. If you are losing strength, you might be losing muscle mass for several reasons, but the primary one is not consuming enough protein to maintain your lean body mass. Emotional stress is another factor that can lead to muscle mass loss as it causes increased insulin resistance. This is because insulin is required to activate the building of muscle. Insulin resistance makes it difficult for insulin to activate the appropriate receptors to stimulate new muscle synthesis. Finally, you only build muscle by stressing it by exercise. This means you not only have to have adequate protein but also be doing resistant exercise to maintain and hopefully increase your existing muscle mass. Question: What part of my lean body mass gets access to incoming dietary protein? Your body’s primary concern is protecting your organs. Therefore, they get the first crack at incoming dietary protein. The goal for those trying to lose weight is to lose fat and maintain lean body mass. The classic way is to reduce calorie intake, but you must ensure that you take in adequate protein to preserve your lean body mass. This ensures that weight loss is primarily fat loss, not lean body mass. For example, the current generation of injectable weight loss drugs stops hunger, which often leads to decreased protein intake. As a result, nearly 40 percent of the weight loss using these injectable drugs comes from losing lean body mass. (Read more about injectable weight loss drugs here.) Question: How much protein do you recommend daily to maintain lean body mass? Answer: The average person requires about 30 grams of protein at each meal to maintain lean body mass. This is about 90 grams of protein per day for most individuals. Very active individuals may need up to 40 grams of protein at each meal or about 120 grams of protein per day. The first 30 grams of dietary protein go for maintaining existing lean body mass. Any amount over that can be used to build new muscle, but only if the muscle is being stressed by exercise. Beyond 40 grams of protein at a meal, you start to develop insulin resistance, and there are no further benefits in building new muscle. Question: What are your recommendations for individuals looking to gain weight healthfully or gain muscle mass? Answer: The key is to have adequate, but not excessive, protein at each meal balanced with enough carbohydrates to maintain satiety between meals. That will be about 30 grams of protein and 40 grams of low-glycemic load carbohydrates consisting of primarily non-starchy vegetables and a dash of fat. That is about 400 calories per meal. This will allow you to maintain lean body mass without increasing stored body fat. To increase muscle mass, you need to increase your protein intake to no more than 40 grams of protein coupled with about 50 grams of low glycemic carbohydrates, plus exercise your muscles to stimulate their growth. The best exercise to induce muscle formation is high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The following best method is standard resistance training to fatigue. Question: What foods would you recommend using for weight gain? Answer: Getting adequate protein at dinner is usually no problem, but it is more difficult to do at breakfast and lunch. Once you get the desired protein amount (about 30 grams per meal), balance it with moderate amounts of low-glycemic carbohydrates (non-starchy vegetables being the best), followed by a dash of fat. That could be a vegetable omelet with eight egg whites in the morning, a lunch salad with four ounces of chicken breast with extra non-starchy vegetables, and six ounces of fish with more non-starchy vegetables at dinner. Question: Is there a way to tell if you are gaining weight correctly? Answer: Gaining new muscle requires effort, but it is worth it. You know when you taking in too many calories if your waist-to-height ratio exceeds 0.5. Question: When should you see a healthcare provider about losing muscle? Are there any specific signs and symptoms to look for? Answer: The underlying cause of loss of muscle mass is increased insulin resistance coupled with decreased physical activity. The primary consequence of loss of muscle mass is increased frailty. This is most frequently seen in older demographics. It is difficult to maintain muscle mass as one ages. Therefore, reducing insulin resistance, consuming adequate protein, and increasing physical activity are critical at every age. Question: Why do we lose muscle mass as we age? Answer: There are three reasons that muscle mass is lost with aging. Insulin resistance (i.e., metabolic inefficiency) is the primary one, as insulin is anabolic hormone that activates mTOR. If you have insulin resistance, the simulating effect of insulin is reduced. Another is the reduction of growth hormone secretion that causes production of IGF-1 that uses the same pathway for mTOR activation as insulin. The third is decreased stress on the muscle that is needed to work in combination with mTOR for skeletal muscle synthesis. Finally, it becomes increasingly difficult to consume adequate protein with age to provide the necessary building blocks (e.g. the amino acid leucine) which is a direct stimulator of mTOR. I spoke about many of these concepts in The Anti-Aging Zone published in 1999. Have more questions for Dr. Sears? Let us know in the comments below!
Kitchen Organization
I always have a laundry list of home projects on my to-do list that often get pushed to the back burner due to lack of time. One of my goals over the summer months was to start tackling some reorganization projects around the house. The first was the 20 or so tubs of clothes that have been sitting in my attic. With four girls we are grateful to be inundated with hand-me-downs, but it can get overwhelming to sort through them, organize and label by size and donate the ones we won’t use. I’m sure everyone has a project on their list that feels this way. Even though the hardest part is getting started, I always find the reward of feeling accomplished and organized is completely worth it. Fast forward to my kitchen which was another to-do-list item before going back to school. A couple weeks ago I took some time to clean out the fridge, wash my shelves, throw out expired foods, reorganize and vacuum my pantry, and deep clean the counters and drawers. Trust me when I tell you that having your kitchen space organized, and tidy is a game changer for eating healthy and planning ahead. Here are some reasons to add this to your to-do list and why science supports having an organized space too. Knowing What You Have Makes Meal Planning Easier: How many times have you gone to the grocery store only to come home with several items you already had on hand? Going through your refrigerator and pantry regularly allows you to see what ingredients you have, what you need to use before it goes bad, and what you need to buy. I also find that looking through my refrigerator and pantry allows me to get a bit more creative at putting ingredients together and planning my meals ahead for the week. This also saves money on buying unnecessary items. Keep Like Things Together: This might sound like common sense, but when you're rushed for time it’s easy to just throw things in the cabinet or fridge and close the door. This can lead to things becoming unorganized quickly, having duplicates in different spots, or items that go bad because they got shoved to the back of the fridge. Have designated spaces for your pantry items and give everything a place in the fridge. Having like things together and visible makes meal prep more efficient and easier for everyone in the house to know where things go. Declutter Your Counters: Having an organized and decluttered kitchen makes cooking and cleaning easier. The kitchen often becomes the place where everyone piles their stuff from papers and mail to dirty dishes and plates. If you have a hard time navigating through your space because your counters are filled with clutter it can make it more challenging to cook and makes you less efficient with your time. Plus, studies have shown that when your eating environment is less cluttered and chaotic, you eat less, so decluttering is good for your waistline too! Ideas to declutter your counters: -Relocate appliances you use infrequently that might be taking up valuable counter space. -Keep condiments and spices off the counter by hanging a rack on one of your walls or over the pantry door. -Move papers, mail, and junk to a designated space in your entryway or drawer. If that is not possible consider one of those upright mail organizers and store it on an exterior counter to keep it away from your main prep space. -Move produce from the counter to a drawer. I recently saw a feature where countertop produce like onions, garlic, and even avocados that don’t need to be refrigerated could be put into removal bins and stored in a deep island drawer. Food for thought, but just don’t forget they’re there! Consider Containers and Storage Organization to Optimize Efficiency: Using clear plastic containers and storage organization for cabinets and drawers can help you maintain an efficient and decluttered space. Using air-tight canisters for ingredients and spices and labeling each jar helps to avoid forgetting what is inside. You would be amazed at the level of things you can do to organize even the smallest spaces from drawer dividers, pantry basket and bins, shelving, and even magnetic wall holders for utensils. You don’t need to invest a ton of money but a few google searches on optimizing your space and you would be amazed at the possibilities and what you can do with items you already have on hand. Tackling any project, no matter what it is can feel daunting and hard to start, but the reward is well worth it. When it comes to your kitchen, investing the hours upfront to organize and declutter will result in future hours and money saved on being more efficient in your space. Your health will thank you too!
Reaching the Zone Using Metabolic Engineering
People often ask, “What exactly is the Zone, and what are the benefits of being there?” The short answer is that the Zone can be defined as the absence of insulin resistance, and the benefit of being in the Zone is living a longer and better life. “How do I get in the Zone?” The process of getting “in the Zone” is a little more complex because it involves understanding Metabolic Engineering™. You have probably heard that genetic engineering is the future of medicine. However, I believe that Metabolic Engineering™ will have a far more significant impact. The reason is that controlling your metabolism is far more complex and vastly more impactful than any breakthrough envisioned by the biotechnology industry using genetic engineering. Your metabolism converts food into energy, controls your immune system, regulates the expression of your genes, controls tissue regeneration, and finally controls your aging rate. It’s an impressive list. But to get those benefits, you must continually manage the metabolism in each of the 37 trillion cells in your body. Although this may seem like Mission Impossible, Metabolic Engineering™ makes it possible. Understanding Metabolic Engineering™ I started the field of Metabolic Engineering™ nearly 30 years ago with the publication of my first book, The Zone, in 1995. The patent for the Zone diet as a drug to reduce insulin resistance was issued in 2000. However, just as the understanding of the complexity of metabolism has been expanding, so has the evolution of my original dietary concepts of controlling metabolism on a lifetime basis. Metabolic Engineering™ is a comprehensive dietary system to activate the master regulator of your metabolism (AMPK) in every one of your 37 trillion cells. By doing so, you can reduce, if not eliminate, insulin resistance in a short period (clinical studies indicate as little as four days). Unfortunately, it can reappear just as quickly. Therefore, controlling your metabolism is a lifetime effort if you want a longer and better life. Why? Because the longer you have insulin resistance, the more likely you are to develop obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and kidney disease, and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Think of Metabolic Engineering™ as a three-legged stool. Sitting on a one-legged stool is impossible, and a two-legged stool is just as precarious. But if you have three legs of equal length, that stool becomes incredibly stable. The three legs of Metabolic Engineering™ are the Zone diet, omega-3 fatty acids, and a particular class of polyphenols known as delphinidins. Each is useful individually, but when combined into a consistent dietary system, they become a powerful force to reduce insulin resistance by reprogramming each of your 37 trillion cells. How to uncover if you have insulin resistance? Your blood will tell you if you currently have insulin resistance. There is a simple blood known as HOMA-IR. If your HOMA-IR level is less than one, you have no insulin resistance, and your health future is bright. About one percent of Americans are in this group. On the other hand, your HOMA-IR is greater than two, you have insulin resistance, and your health future is bleak. The average American has a HOMA-IR of 2.7. This level of insulin resistance in Americans explains our rapidly increasing cost of health care. However, that future can be changed by following Metabolic Engineering™. Rather than focusing on treating chronic disease, my vision is that the future of medicine will be refocused on maintaining chronic wellness. That means living in the Zone for a lifetime.
Sugar, Sugar Substitutes, and Reality
Sugar has many things going for it. It is sweet, it is cheap, and it is addictive. Along with fat and salt, it is one of the mainstays of the industrialized food industry to make their otherwise bland products both edible and desirable. But unfortunately, it is also a cause of insulin resistance, the underlying cause of various chronic diseases. No wonder the food industry is constantly seeking sugar substitutes, but only if they are cheaper than sugar and nearly as sweet. One such candidate has been sugar alcohols and, in particular, erythritol. And it is safe, or at least we thought so until a recent study (1). This study found that a quarter of individuals who consumed the most erythritol had a doubling of their risk of a heart attack. To put this in perspective, this is about the same increase in cardiovascular risk level as having type 2 diabetes. OK, that was only an association. To confirm their initial finding, they gave healthy volunteers a dose of 30 grams of erythritol to see what would happen. This level of erythritol is similar to what many people consuming keto-friendly products typically consume daily. However, this level of erythritol caused significant amounts of excess clot formation in their blood. The study's lead author stated that they weren’t even looking for this connection. And if this is true for erythritol, it is likely to occur with other typical sugar alcohols like sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, mannitol, and others. However, unlike erythritol, these other sugar alcohols have more significant laxative effects. Does this mean everyone should return to dumping good old sugar into their foods to make them more palatable? That’s probably not a good idea unless you want to increase insulin resistance which makes you gain weight, have lower mental and physical performance levels, and accelerate aging. I forgot to mention that insulin resistance is also strongly associated with the development of diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. Fortunately, there is a way out of this dilemma, and it is a different type of sugar known as allulose. First, a little information on sugar. Sugar is a disaccharide with one glucose molecule linked to one fructose molecule. The link between these two sugars is rapidly broken down in the stomach, so the sugar you initially put in your mouth enters the small intestine as pure glucose and pure fructose. Both are quickly absorbed. The glucose goes directly into the blood to cause insulin secretion. Still, the fructose goes directly to the liver to induce the synthesis of palmitic acid (it’s called de novo lipogenesis). Excess levels of either glucose or fructose can cause insulin resistance. Allulose is different. It is also quickly absorbed, but your kidneys just as quickly excrete it into your urine. However, allulose has another critical benefit: it stimulates AMPK production (2). Why is that important? AMPK is the master regulator of your metabolism, and it reduces insulin resistance (3). This background is why we reformulated our ZoneRx® shakes and bars and our future products will contain allulose to help reduce insulin resistance, resulting in greater metabolic efficacy while lowering the likelihood of developing chronic diseases associated with insulin resistance. Losing weight and living longer is what food technology should be about. References Witkowski et al. The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk. Nature Med. 2023 Feb 27. doi: 10.1038/s41591-023-02223-9. Lee et al. D-allulose ameliorates adiposity through the AMPK-SIRT1-PGC-1α pathway in HFD-induced SD rats .Food Nutr 2021 Dec 21;65. doi: 10.29219/fnr.v65.7803. Sears and Saha. Dietary Control of Inflammation and Resolution. Front Nutr. 2021 Aug 10;8:709435. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.709435
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