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.
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!
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!
Dr. Sears Answers Your Questions On Protein and Protein Powder
The global market for protein supplements is anticipated to rise 8.5% by 2030. This increased demand is widely due health-conscious individuals, fitness go-ers, and millennials looking to add more balance to their diets. In this blog, Dr. Sears covers some basic questions on protein and then gets into protein powders and what you need to know. Q. How much protein do you need each day? A. It depends on your lean body mass and your level of physical activity. The reason you need protein is to maintain and repair damaged muscle tissue. If you are an active athlete, you will have more muscle mass, and your training will damage your existing muscle. Therefore, these individuals are going to need more protein. On the other hand, the average American male needs about 110 grams of protein per day, and the average American female requires about 90 grams per day. That amount of protein should be spread out throughout the day. This means you should eat no more protein at a meal than can fit on the palm of your hand. That’s about 3 ounces of protein for a female and 4 ounces for a male. Q. What are the primary nutritional differences between animal protein versus plant protein? A. Of the 20 amino acids in any protein source, only nine are essential. This designation is because essential amino acids can’t be synthesized by the body and must be supplied by the diet. Animal protein has a complete range of amino acids, whereas plant protein is usually deficient in some essential amino acids. Q. Does protein build muscle mass? A. To help with muscle growth, you need adequate protein in the diet and weight-bearing exercise.Simply consuming more protein doesn’t build muscle. Exercise causes muscle damage and this stimulates new muscle formation to replace the muscle that has been damaged. The higher the intensity of exercise, the more protein you need. Q. Does protein increase satiety? A. A benefit of adequate protein consumption is that it increases satiety. It does this by releasing hormones from the gut that go directly to the brain to stop hunger and by increasing the release of the hormone glucagon from the pancreas to stabilize blood sugar levels. This lack of appetite is why you want to consume adequate protein at every meal, especially breakfast. Q. Can you consume too much protein? A. The answer is yes. Of the nine essential amino acids, three are branched-chain amino acids. These amino acids are leucine, isoleucine, and valine, and these have the most significant effect on stimulating muscle development by activating the gene transcription factor called mTOR. High levels of mTOR are associated with insulin resistance, eventually leading to many chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Q. Is there a connection between mTOR and AMPK? A. The more you activate mTOR, the more you inhibit your master regulator of metabolism known as AMPK. Low levels of AMPK activity ultimately cause insulin resistance. As a result, you want to keep your protein consumption in a zone; not too high but not too low. With this as a background, let’s talk about using protein powder to ensure you get enough protein to maintain your muscle mass but not too much to inhibit AMPK. Q. What are the benefits of using protein powder? A. Many of our meals, especially breakfast, can fall short on protein. If you are over the age of 50, you are likely not getting enough protein in your day. Protein is vital as we age since older adults are prone to losing muscle mass, resulting in loss of strength and function. Protein powder can help fill in the gaps when intake falls short. Isolated protein powder can also help balance out excess carbohydrate intake to provide a better hormonal response at meals generating stable blood sugar levels and hence greater satiety between meals. Q. Can protein powder help with weight management? A. It can as it helps to create satiety and minimize cravings. Q. How should protein powder be used? A. It should be used as an additive to carbohydrate-rich meals. For example, adding protein powder to oatmeal provides a superior meal compared to oatmeal alone, or adding protein power to a fruit smoothie will give excellent appetite suppression. Q. Can you use protein powder daily and is there a better time of day to use it? A. Yes, you can use protein powder daily as long as you don't exceed your daily protein requirements. Breakfast is probably the best meal to use it since that meal is most likely to contain excess carbohydrates relative to protein. Q. Who should use protein powder? A. Anyone who does not feel they are getting enough protein in a meal. Q. How do you know if it’s right for you or working? A. Your best indicator is the increasing lack of hunger after a meal. Q. Are there any negatives to using protein powder? The key with protein powder is making sure you do not consume too much relative to the rest of your meal. I generally tell people to aim for a total of 25 grams of protein at each meal and about 7-14 grams at each snack. This takes into account all of the sources of protein at each meal and a good gauge to know how much to consume. You do want to pay attention to the quality of the amino acids in the protein powder you choose. Some sources such as collagen are very poor in essential amino acids and therefore would not be recommended. Q. What type of protein powder is best, and what ingredients should you look for? A. I think dairy protein powders are best, but recommend looking for ones that are lactose-free. Plant-based protein sources such a soy or pea don't have the taste of dairy-based protein powders, but can be used for those who avoid dairy. All protein powders are superior to collagen protein which is highly deficient in essential amino acids. Have more questions for Dr. Sears? Drop them in the comments below!
Dr. Sears Answers Your Weight Loss and Plant Based Questions
From Weight Loss to Plant Based, Dr. Sears is answering your questions. See some of the latest customer submitted questions and what Dr. Sears has to say in his latest blog. Q: What would you say are some of the most common dieting mistakes that make it harder to lose weight? A: The biggest mistake is not addressing the underlying cause of weight gain which is increased insulin resistance. Reducing insulin resistance requires a different dietary strategy than simply reducing calories. You have to activate the master regulator of metabolism which is AMPK. To do so cutting back on calories has to be supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols, both of which activate AMPK. The combination of the three dietary strategies is the best long-term way to reduce insulin resistance. Q: How do these habits make weight loss difficult or lead to weight gain? A: Getting adequate levels of omega-3 fatty acids will likely require supplementation. Getting adequate levels of polyphenols will require consuming far more non-starchy vegetables and fruits than most Americans currently do. Alternatively, one can use polyphenol extracts. Q: What tips can you offer for breaking these habits/creating healthier ones? A: Realize that reducing calories must be followed on a lifetime basis to be successful. Adding omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols can increase dietary compliance by their activation of AMPK. This supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols will not only burn fat faster but also reduces insulin resistance which is the underlying cause of weight gain in the first place. Q: What are the best metabolism-boosting foods to put on your plate every day? How do these foods help boost your metabolic rate? How can this help aid weight loss? A: The cause of a slow metabolism is a condition known as insulin resistance. The molecular mechanism of insulin resistance is the inhibition of AMPK, which is the master regulator of metabolism in every cell. To speed up metabolism, you must activate AMPK. One class of nutrients that activates AMPK are polyphenols. These are found in low concentrations in fruits and vegetables. The more colorful the fruits (like berries) or vegetables (like artichokes) the more polyphenols. Unfortunately, you need to consume about 10 servings of such polyphenol-rich fruits or vegetables per day to get enough to activate AMPK. However, any AMPK-activating properties of polyphenols can be inhibited by consuming excess calories or glucose. So, to speed up your metabolism, you need to consume a calorie-restricted diet low in low in starches (bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes), and rich in fruits and vegetables. Q: More and more people are going plant-based for various reasons whether it’s health, animal welfare, trying to reduce the carbon footprint etc. A recent study showed that a diet rich in healthy plant-based foods may lower the risk of breast cancer but not if that diet is high in unhealthy foods, particularly juice and chips. What are your thoughts on plant-based diets and how they may impact cancer risk? A: A plant-based diet is lower in branched-chain amino acids. Branched chain amino acids can activate the gene transcription factor mTOR which promotes tumor growth, so moderating your intake of branch chain amino acids can help minimize cancer risk. As this study points out, it makes no sense to consume a plant-based diet rich in unhealthy foods. Foods rich in processed carbohydrates are high in glycemic carbohydrates which promote insulin secretion and can activate the IGF-1 pathway that also activates mTOR. Since cancer can be considered an inflammatory disease, you must follow an anti-inflammatory diet to have the maximum effect on reducing cancer development. Such a diet is calorie-restricted but rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and polyphenols all of which activate AMPK that inhibits mTOR in addition to optimizing immuno-metabolism to better eliminate cancer cells. Q: For vegetarians it’s a bit easier to find non-animal protein sources but for vegans trying to find adequate protein sources that are low-glycemic can be challenging. Which sources do you recommend? A: I think the better choices for vegans that are lower glycemic are tofu, tempeh, seitan and for those trying to minimize soy intake, supplementing with a pea protein powder. Also increasing intake of higher protein vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and mushrooms to name a few can aid fewer carbohydrates to your meal in addition to being great sources of fermentable fiber and polyphenols. Have more questions for Dr. Sears? Drop them in the comments below!
Seasonal Spices and Their Health Benefits
When we think about spices this time of year, we think of those that create warmth and provide comfort. Anise, allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg are popular spices in the fall and winter. They are interwoven into the season for the warmth they create but can be used year-round. Spices have been used for centuries for their medicinal purposes, and as flavoring agents and to preserve food. While including spices in your meals is a great way to enhance flavor, it significantly increases their healthfulness since they are a rich source of polyphenols and antioxidants. Here we break down each of these spices, tell a little about their health benefits and give you a few ideas on foods they pair well with. Anise: Anise comes in different varieties; seed, fennel, and star. It is known for its licorice flavor that comes from a compound call anethole. Anethole is found naturally in high concentrations in the oils of anise and is used in a variety of medicines and pharmaceuticals (1). Anise pairs well with fish and stews. Star anise is one of the main ingredients in Chinese 5 spice powder and Chinese cuisine (2). Allspice: Allspice is derived from the dried berries of the Caribbean tropical tree, Pimenta dioica. It is used in Central American cuisines (i.e. think jerk dishes in Jamaican cuisine) for seasoning meat and desserts. It is rich in polyphenols known for their anti-bacterial, anti-hypotensive, anti-neuralgic, and analgesic properties and studies in animals show some of the compounds it contains may offer protection against tumor growth (3,4). Cardamom (Green): Cardamom is a part of the same family as ginger and is made from the seeds of different plants. Studies have shown it plays a role in oxidative stress by enhancing anti-inflammatory enzymes. Its benefits are diverse in that it’s been linked to improvements in blood sugar and lipid markers (5), gastrointestinal health as well as a potential role in chemoprevention (6). It has a sweet and pungent taste and pairs well with chicken and lamb and is used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Cinnamon: Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of several trees. While it's popular for its role in many foods as a flavoring agent and condiment, it is well known in the literature for lowering blood sugar levels (6). Cinnamon pairs well with many spices, apples, cocoa, breakfast and brunch options and can be found in Indian, Mexican, Moroccan and Middle Eastern cuisine. Cloves: Cloves have one of the highest polyphenol counts clocking in at 16047.50 mg/100 g. It has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties which are largely attributed to its high polyphenols and unique oils. When it comes to food they pair well with baked ham and pork and work well with many other spices too. Ginger: Ginger is a root derived from the Ginger plant, a member of the turmeric family. It is thought to have originated in India. It is used in foods for its hot, fragrant spice but also is popular in medicine (1). Studies have shown its role in combating nausea, minimizing inflammation, managing blood lipids, aiding in tumor suppression and growth, and as anti-bacterial agent, too. Nutmeg: Nutmeg and mace are relatives in that they come from different parts of the same tree. They are derived from an evergreen tree indigenous to the Spice Islands in Indonesia (1). Nutmeg leans a bit sweeter in taste and while there are many foods it can be used with it pairs well with cheese/cheese dishes, cream, milk and spinach. This is one of the primary spices you’ll find in Eggnog during the holiday season (2). A little goes a long way when it comes to flavor. Favorite Fall and Winter Spices Did you know that your favorite seasonal spices can easily be made at home as they are just combinations of the spices above? Gingerbread Spice: Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, and Allspice Pumpkin Pie Spice: Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Cloves Apple Pie Spice: Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Cardamom Why Dr. Sears Like Using Spices The best raw fruits (primarily berries) contain about 0.1 % of weight as polyphenols, raw vegetables about 0.2%. Dried spices are about 5% of their weight as polyphenols. This why they are so bitter. The ultimate benefit of polyphenosl is to activate AMPK which in turn inhibits Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-kB). This reduces cytokine formation. Most polyphenols are totally water-insoluble and therefore can't be absorbed. However, they can be metabolized by bacteria in the colon to smaller fragments containing phenolic structures that can be absorbed. This is why we recommend consuming various sources of polyphenols during the day; fruits, vegetables, spices and also maqui berry. The beauty of maqui berry polyphenols is they are directly absorbed by the body to have maximal impact on activation of AMPK. Tips For Incorporating into Your Foods We tend to be creatures of habit with our meal prep, but spices have a way of elevating the taste of anything we make to have it feel new and different. To avoid over-powering your dishes start adding a sprinkle or pinch first and then add small amounts as needed. Here are a few ways to add them into your day. Add them into your roasted vegetable mixes and stir-fries Rub on top of your meats for cooking or use them in your marinades Mix into yogurt and oatmeal Add into sour cream, plain yogurt and hummus for dipping vegetables and fruit Sprinkle them on top of your coffee grounds or into your tea before brewing Add into your sauces, soups, and stews Incorporate into salads and salad dressings You May Also Like: Herbs and Spice - What to Know References Rosa Vázquez-Fresno, Albert Remus R. Rosana, Tanvir Sajed, Tuviere Onookome-Okome, Noah A. Wishart, David S. Wishart. Herbs and Spices- Biomarkers of Intake Based on Human Intervention Studies – A Systematic Review. Genes Nutr. 2019; 14: 18 Page, K. Dornenburg, A. 2008. The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs Hardcover. Little Brown and Company. Lei Zhang, Bal L. Lokeshwar. Medicinal Properties of the Jamaican Pepper Plant Pimenta dioica and Allspice. Curr Drug Targets. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2014 Jan 14. Lei Zhang, Nagarajarao Shamaladevi, Guddadarangavvanahally K. Jayaprakasha, Bhimu S. Patil, Bal L. Lokeshwar. Polyphenol-rich extract of Pimenta dioica berries (Allspice) kills breast cancer cells by autophagy and delays growth of triple negative breast cancer in athymic mice. Oncotarget. 2015 Jun 30; 6(18): 16379–16395 Daneshi-Maskooni M, Keshavarz SA, Qorbani M, Mansouri S, Alavian SM, Badri-Fariman M, Jazayeri-Tehrani SA, Sotoudeh G. Green cardamom supplementation improves serum irisin, glucose indices, and lipid profiles in overweight or obese non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019 Mar 12;19(1):59. Ajaikumar B. Kunnumakkara, Varsha Rana, Dey Parama, Kishore Banik, Sosmitha Girisa, Sahu Henamayee, Krishan Kumar Thakur, Uma Dutta, Prachi Garodia, Subash C. Gupta, Bharat B. Aggarwal. COVID-19, cytokines, inflammation, and spices: How are they related? Life Sci. 2021 Nov 1; 284: 119201.
Tips To Reduce Pesticides In Your Produce
Eating fruits and vegetables, whether organic or conventional, far outweighs the risks of the pesticides they may contain. That said many of us still want to minimize our intake when possible. Even if you don’t have the luxury of buying organic foods there are things you can do at home to help reduce your intake of pesticides in the produce you purchase. Tips to Reduce Your Intake of Pesticides From That National Pesticide Information Center1 To avoid exposure to a single pesticide make sure to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Thoroughly wash all produce whether it has a peel or is labeled organic. To avoid pesticides sticking to produce, wash under running water instead or soaking or dunking it. Air or spin produce dry or wipe with a paper towel or clean cloth towel when possible. Scrub firm fruits and vegetables like melons and root vegetables Remove the outer layer of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce or cabbage. Peel fruits and vegetables when possible. To avoid residues that might accumulate in the fat of animal protein, trim fat and skin from meat, poultry, and fish. If intake of fruits and vegetables is low, consider supplementing with purified polyphenol extracts that have minimal pesticides. Ranking of Pesticides in Fruits and Vegetables2 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”. If you already purchase some organic produce or are thinking about making the switch, buying organic based on the Dirty Dozen list might be a good place to start. Here is the 2021 list. This year’s "Dirty Dozen" includes: Strawberries Spinach Kale, collard and mustard greens Nectarines Apples Grapes Cherries Peaches Pears Bell and hot Peppers Celery Tomatoes 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. This year's "Clean 15" includes: Avocados Sweet corn* Pineapple Onions Papaya* Sweet peas (frozen) Eggplant Asparagus Broccoli Cabbage Kiwi Cauliflower Mushrooms Honeydew melon Cantaloupe Click Here to Download Your Easy Produce Shopping Guide References: Shoppers Guide to Pesticides and Produce. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/full-list.php. Accessed: August 27, 2021. Minimizing Pesticide Residues in Food. Available at: http://npic.orst.edu/health/foodprac.html. Accessed: August 27, 2021.
Packing For A Day On The Go
There are so many things that can stand in the way of good health, but often the difference between failure and success is whether you plan ahead. If you have a full day of meetings on the road, are taking a weekend road trip, or doing a beach day, here are ideas of what you can bring while staying in the Zone. Now if a meeting runs over, there are no healthy options along the way, or the lines are too long to stop, you have everything you need on hand. Protein Ideas Greek Yogurt: Easy to bring on the go if you have ice packs. Some individual containers have up to 20 grams of protein per serving. Jerky: There are so many varieties and high-quality brands out there. They are a bit higher in sodium and some have sugar so do pay attention to labels and portions. String Cheese: Easy on-the-go choice and having them pre-packaged keeps portion in check. Couple with a piece of fruit and you have the ideal zone snack. Hard-Boiled Egg Whites: Eggs are considered a high biological value food, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids your body needs. To reduce the saturated fat in the yolk, swap it out with healthier fats like hummus or guacamole for an easy snack. Just don’t pack and forget about them please! Chicken or Tuna Salad: Left-over chicken or canned tuna makes for a great protein choice. Swap the mayo for Greek Yogurt to make a healthier alternative. Deli Rollups: Wrap lean deli meat in romaine lettuce leaves for an added crunch without the added carbs of bread. Edamame in Pods: These can be found in the freezer section. Place in a baggie in the morning and pending when you eat they’ll be thawed while helping to keep some of your other things on the cooler side. A ½ cup of pods supplies 10 grams of protein, 4 grams of net carbs, and 3.5 grams of fat. A little low on the carbs but pretty close to being Zoned. Healthy Carbs Veggie Sticks: Cut up cucumbers, peppers, radishes, and cherry tomatoes make for a filling snack plus they can be hydrating too. Make them even yummier with a side of dip, hummus, or guacamole. Fruit: Aim for fruits that travel well like Clementines, oranges, apples, or pears. Homemade Chickpeas: If you need a crunchy snack roasted chickpeas are it. Simply drain and rinse the chickpeas, pat dry, lay on a sheet pan, and drizzle with olive oil and seasonings of your choosing. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes (turning halfway through to ensure they don’t burn). Low Carb Tortillas: These are a better alternative to bread just make sure to read the carb amounts on the label. Fat Hummus: There are so many varieties of hummus available which makes it great as a dipping option for veggies on the go. Some also come in convenient single-serve packs which is a great way to bring it while keeping portions in check and avoiding waste. Again just pay attention to portoins as one single-serve might be your whole fat requirement for a meal. Guacamole: Guacamole is rich in heart-healthy fat making them a great option for dipping or spreading. Look for the guacamole minis but keep an eye on the amount of fat in a serving. Nuts: There are so many flavors and varieties in the marketplace now. Try and keep it simple by looking for ones that have just a couple ingredients on the Nutrition Facts Panel. Beware of portions as even a small bag can be up to 3 servings and that is easy to consume in one sitting or on a long drive. Seeds: Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are a moderately good choice and they do contain some protein. Use in moderation as they are high in omega-6 fats (more pro-inflammatory). Plus, they can easily rack up the calorie count of your meal. Combo Foods: If you don't have time to calculate just remember to have your meals and snacks on the go be a blend of protein, healthy carbs, and fat. The following are just an idea of a few pairings. Put them in a mason jar and bring them on the go for an easy meal. Greek Yogurt and Berries topped with a little Zone Cereal Mixed Greens, Tomatoes, Basil, Mozzarella Balls, Precooked Chicken with Vinaigrette Overnight Steel Cuts Oats with Berries and Protein Powder ZoneRx Shakes: 1 scoop of powder with 10-12 ounces of lactose-free milk and mix. A great on-the-go option with the right balance of macros, and no need to think. Zone Protein Bites- An easy and delicious make-ahead snack! Click here to view the recipe. These are just some simple tips to keep you in the Zone all day long! Let us know which ones are your favorites or how you plan ahead for a day on the go in the comments below.
Burn Fat Faster
Now that the Covid-19 epidemic seems to be slowing down, we must contend with the other epidemic that shows no signs of abating. That is our obesity epidemic. If you have excess body fat, you are already inflamed. That excess adipose tissue is the staging area for ongoing inflammatory attacks on every organ in the body. It is also the first sign that your metabolism is becoming dysfunctional, thus reducing your ability to burn excess stored fat for energy. Metabolism is defined as those complex processes that take place in your body to keep you alive. Metabolism allows you to breathe, digest food, circulate blood, keep the brain working, fight infections, and so on. All these processes require massive amounts of ATP. The “traffic cop” that controls your ability to convert stored body fat into ATP is called AMPK. AMPK can be considered the “master switch” of metabolism. If AMPK is optimized, you can burn stored body fat faster to make greater amounts of ATP. Conversely, if AMPK is inhibited, you accumulate incoming calories as excess body fat. Losing excess body fat is a challenge but keeping the excess body fat from returning is even more difficult because your metabolism slows down after losing any bodyweight. The good news is that AMPK activity is under robust dietary control. The best way to optimize AMPK activity is following the Zone Pro-Resolution Nutrition program. By following the anti-inflammatory Zone diet, you can constantly activate your AMPK while reducing calorie intake without hunger or fatigue. Adding omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols as dietary supplements will also increase AMPK activity through different pathways. Although any one of these three nutritional interventions is good, when you combine all three, they are synergistic, as I describe in my latest book, The Resolution Zone. On the other hand, AMPK activity is inhibited by consuming either excess dietary calories or excess glucose. If you inhibit AMPK, then incoming calories easily get converted and stored at excess body fat. Activating AMPK is the biological key that allows you to burn fat faster and prevent its return. It’s also totally under your dietary control. Once you master these basic dietary concepts of the Zone Pro-Resolution Nutrition program, burning fat faster becomes a lifetime reality that leads to a longer and better life. Additional benefits from activating AMPK will be slowing down your rate of aging and improving the efficiency of your immune system. This is the real reason why you want to be in the Zone.
Meal Planning Benefits
There are two types of people, those who know what they’re eating for their next meal and those who figure it out the hour before. Where do you fall? If you tend to wing your weeknight meals, the thought of meal planning can seem daunting. Finding time to sit down and write out your menu for the week, making a list, shopping for ingredients, and then the actual meal prep can seem like a lot. The reality is that all this upfront planning actually saves you time and money, helps with weight control, and is good for your health. Here’s why. The Benefits of Meal Planning 1) Saves You Time and Money: When you go to the store without a plan you spend more money. The reason is you are more likely to overbuy which leads to food waste. How many times have you done the refrigerator cleanout before trash night and the wilted produce, the questionable meat, and the leftovers all end up in the trash? Did you know that the average household wastes almost 32% of its food each year? 1 That is a substantial amount of your income! Meal planning can also save you time and money by helping you avoid takeout when you're time-crunched or those trips to the store for missing ingredients where you end up spending more on things you don’t need. 2) Helps with Weight Control: It is well established that making your own meals helps with weight control. A recent study showed participants in a 40-week Weight Loss Program who frequently planned their meals lost more weight than those who did not2. Another study showed women who meal plan are less likely to be overweight and men and women who plan are less likely to be obese3. Meal planning gives you greater control over the ingredients you use and their healthfulness. Unlike eating out, when you eat at home you have a better sense of your portions and how much you consume. Where eating out often comes with extra sugar, sodium, and fat, when you cook at home there are no hidden ingredients. 3) Makes You More Successful with Your Health Goals: With any goal having a plan makes you more likely to stick with it and succeed. Meal planning goes beyond weeknight meals to include being prepared for those times you might get tripped up. If a meeting goes late, sports go into the evening, or you get stuck on a call, having healthy foods prepped in the fridge, in your purse, or at your desk ensures you have what you need to succeed. Meal planning is associated with a healthier and more varied diet3. 4) Reduces Stress: Meal time can feel stressful and not knowing what you have on hand, especially if you have people in your household that rely on you for meals, can put the pressure on. Planning ahead reduces stress and then when the questions start to roll in about what’s for dinner, you can say what you are having with confidence and start delegating on how everyone can help. Want to start meal planning but not sure where to begin? Download our free 7 Day Zone Meal Planner and get started today. References The Shocking Amount Of Food U.S. Households Waste Every Year. Available at : https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanabandoim/2020/01/26/the-shocking-amount-of-food-us-households-waste-every-year/?sh=6e5c70dc7dc8. Accessed: June 1, 2021. Hayes JF, et al. Greater Average Meal Planning Frequency Predicts Greater Weight Loss Outcomes in a Worksite-Based Behavioral Weight Loss Program. Ann Behav Med. 2021. PMID: 32301494 Ducrot P, Méjean C, Aroumougame V, Ibanez G, Allès B, Kesse-Guyot E, Hercberg S, Péneau S. Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017 Feb 2;14(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s12966-017-04617.
Zone Diet: Everything You Need to Know
Starting a new eating plan or trying to reign in poor eating habits can feel daunting. The beauty of the Zone Diet is whether you are starting, need a diet refresh, or want more convenience, we have you covered. Get a sense of what the diet is all about with our macro guide. This will tell you the types of proteins, carbohydrates and fats that are ideal in the Zone. Want to know exactly what you can have and how much? Try the food block method or counting macros. Both approaches give you the tools to know how to eat in the Zone while teaching you how to incorporate all your favorite foods too. If fast and convenient is your speed, Zone Foods take the thinking out and make meal prep easy. See what method works for you. Pick What Works For You No matter which approach you choose to get you to the Zone you'll always end up in the same place. It really comes down to how much time you want to spend and how precise you want to be. A perfectly balanced Zone meal should control hunger and fatigue for 4-5 hours. The Macro Guide Committing to an eating plan can be overwhelming at first. Why not see if you like the foods and how you can adapt it to what you are already eating. Our macro guide gives you a brief tutorial on the Zone Diet along with a list of the protein, carbohydrate and fat choices that are most ideal in the Zone. Hand-Eye Method The hand-eye method becomes very helpful when you're at a buffet, eating in restaurants, having a catered work lunch, or going to a get-together with friends. All you do is simply divide your plate into three equal sections. On one-third of the plate, you put low-fat protein about the size and thickness of the palm of your hand. The other two-thirds should be filled with colorful carbohydrates, primarily non-starchy vegetables with limited fruits. Finally add a drizzle/dash of monounsaturated fat (olive oil, nuts, avocado) to complete the meal. Counting Macronutrients Using an app to log your foods already? No problem! Fitness apps like myfitnesspal or Lose-It allow you to plug in your macros for a meal or the whole day. This is a great option if you don't want to spend too much time calculating. It allows you to use food labels or tally the totals from each meal to gauge whether you’re in the Zone. If you are calculating total calories as a percent, aim for about 40% of calories from carbohydrates (non-starchy is most ideal), 30% from lean protein, and 30% from heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Each meal is about 350-400 calories, at least 25 grams of lean protein, less than 12 grams of heart-healthy fat, and about 35 grams of net carbs (total carbohydrate minus fiber). The carbohydrates you choose should come primarily from low-glycemic choices like those in non-starchy vegetables. Zone Food Blocks If you are someone who likes to be as precise as possible, an athlete, or have a defined health goal, counting your macros (protein, carbs and fat) with Zone Food Blocks is the most precise way to get to the Zone. This even gives you an idea of how to fit the occasional indulgence in so you can still stay on plan and not overdo it. If you haven’t already done so, enter your measurements into our Body Fat Calculator. Your results from the Body Fat Calculator will include how many Zone Blocks you should consume. Our Food Block Guide will help you assemble meals and snacks that fit your lifestyle. Zone Foods Zone Foods were designed for those looking for easy ways to get to the Zone with minimal effort. Each Zone food has the balance you’ve come to expect from Zone plus they’re convenient, nutritious, easy to prepare, and taste great Other Helpful Tools: 7 Day Zone Diet Meal Plan How do you Zone? Let us know in the comments below!
Olive Oil Benefits
Olive oil has been prized for thousands of years for its health benefits. As to why remains a more open question. As a source of polyphenols, extra virgin olive oil is relatively low compared to berries and other sources of polyphenols like unrefined cocoa powder, as shown below: Polyphenol source amount per 100 g increase in polyphenols compared to olive oil. The numbers above indicate that when comparing the identical weights of various food sources, berries contain four to ten times more polyphenols than extra virgin olive oil. Unrefined cocoa powder contains more than 100 times the polyphenol levels compared to the same weight of olive oil. So, maybe it is not the polyphenol content that counts for the touted health benefits of extra virgin olive. If not, then what else might be in extra virgin olive oil? I believe the answer is the unique anti-inflammatory phenols contained in extra virgin olive oil. A little terminology is always helpful. A polyphenol is defined as containing two or more phenyl groups in a molecule. A phenolic compound has only one. Furthermore, most polyphenols are composed of polymers that are not absorbed, whereas a phenolic compound contains only monomers easily absorbed. There is nothing magical about a phenol group per se since benzene has a single phenyl group, and no one touts the health benefits of consuming benzene. It is the structure of the phenolic compounds that make extra virgin olive oil so unique. Here they are shown below: The first two compounds are tyrosol and hydroxy-tyrosol which are potent anti-oxidative compounds (1,2). The third structure is oleocanthal which has anti-inflammatory properties (3). To be correctly termed as a polyphenol means the compound must contain at least two phenyl groups, and none of the active compounds in extra virgin olive oil meets that criteria. For comparison, I have enclosed the structure of a true polyphenol with three phenyl groups. This specific polyphenol (a delphinidin) is found in blueberries, maqui berries, red wine, and black beans. Unfortunately, most of the delphinidins and other polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables are in the form of polymers. As a result they are poorly absorbed into the blood. It is only chromatographically purified extracts of the maqui berry that you will find delphinidins as monomers. That is why the polyphenols found in purified maqui extract are highly bioavailable, just like the phenolic compounds found in extra virgin olive oil (4). If the active ingredients don’t get into the blood, they will not do you much good. Getting back to extra virgin olive oil, what you are looking for is the levels of phenolic compounds, not the polyphenols. Most marketers of olive oils don’t have a clue what those levels are because they are challenging to analyze. We are currently doing 3rd party testing on the Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil batch we just received from Italy and plan to post the results shortly. Even though its hard to test these compounds, one easy way to know it's a quality oil and contains phenolics is the cough test. Take about one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and put it on the tip of your tongue. It should taste like melted butter. The lack of any bitter taste indicates low levels of free fatty acids. Then use your tongue to flip it to the back of your throat. If it contains high levels of phenolic compounds, you will get a coughing response. The greater number of coughs you get from this test, the higher the levels of phenolic compounds. This simple test is why Italians refer to a “two-cough” extra virgin olive oil as their standard of excellence, not the total levels of polyphenols. The Zone Labs Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a “two-cough” oil. References 1. Karkovic MA et al. “Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol and derivatives and their potential effects on human health.” Molecules. 2019 24:2001. 2. Angeloni C et al. “Bioactivity of olive oil phenols in neuroprotection.” Int J Mol Sci. 2017 18:2230. 3. Pang KL, Chin KY. “The biological activities of oleocanthal from a molecular perspective. Nutrients. 2018 10:570. 4. Schon C et al. “Bioavailability study of maqui berry extract in healthy subjects.” Nutrients. 2018 10:1720.
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