Zone Living Articles
Mood Boosting Tips
This has been a year of highs and lows to say the least. With holiday celebrations looking so different for many of us, it only adds another layer of stress and emotion. Now more than ever it's time to put your mental health at the top of the list. Here are some tips for how to boost your mood in the weeks ahead. Create a Routine: Having a routine creates a sense of control and calmness when you know what to expect day to day. This doesn't mean every part of your day has to be scheduled. Maybe it's as simple as waking up at the same time each day and instead of binge watching your latest series go to bed on time. It's easy to let routines slip especially this time of year with the cooler weather, the shortage of daylight, and holiday hustle but routine can help minimize stress and reduce anxiety. Exercise: We all know we should exercise but the hardest part can be getting going and sticking with it. Exercise increases serotonin which helps regulate mood, sleep and appetite along with endorphins which are mood lifters too. With restrictions getting tighter again on gyms coupled with losing some of our outdoor options due changes in weather/daylight it can be hard to exercise. If you have the ability to work from home or some flexibility in your day, get out at lunch when you can maxmize the warmth of the day along with the daylight. Look to local lists or friends and see what they've been doing over the last few months and explore new options. Many gyms and fitness programs have adapted well over the last few months with their online offerings so it might be easier than you think to find something you enjoy. Reduce Stress: This has probably been one of the toughest years for stress as we've had to adapt to so much change in our lives. Stress can fuel symptoms of anxiety, sadness, frustration and depression while wreaking havoc on our health by producing the hormone cortisol. Seek ways to minimize stress each by carving out some "you time" whether its regular breaks from your screen, time to exercise or meditate, or any activites that bring you a sense of calm and happiness. Avoid Sugar Highs: It's easy to look for the small pick me-ups during the day especially when we're stressed, out of routine, and maybe surrounded by food more than we're used to. While eating simple carbs and sugar seems rewarding in the moment, this can lead to blood sugar fluctuations which can give us an initial high but then leave us tired, fatigued, and moody. Bring some health back to your meal and snack choices by eating a combination of lean protein, healthy carbs and a small amount of heart-healthy fat. This will help to keep you full, stabilize blood sugar levels, and you'll notice the change in your mood too. Take Your Omega-3s: It's not always easy to change your diet, but we all have a minute in our day to take our supplements. Omega-3s are known for their mood lifting benefits and for boosting immunity through their anti-inflammatory properties. 90% of us fall short on our omega-3 intake and since our bodies can’t make them we have to get them through our diet and supplementation. Whether its morning, noon, or night, make this one part of your routine and stick with it. Stay Hydrated: Increased caffeine and alcohol intake not only impact our mood and sleep but also our hydration status. If you've seen your intake of these stimulants on the rise make sure you are keeping yourself fully hydrated. Even a slight decline in our hydration status can make us moody and unable to concentrate along with bringing on headaches and fatigue. Keep caffeine and alcohol to a minimum and boost your intake of water and hydrating foods like fruits and vegetables. Practice Self-Care: In a time where it feels like everything is outside our control, the one thing we can control is our health. Getting the right nutrition, moving our bodies, getting rest and minimizing stress can postivitely impact our mood and immunity. Look to the positives of being home by using the time to create better habits for yourself. Find a Hobby: Now that we have a better sense of our day to day maybe its time to pick up a new hobby espescially for the winter months. Take that Master Class you've seen advertised, complete those home projects or do something with all those pictures on your computer and create some albums. Having a hobby can take your mind off things and has been shown to decrease stress and depression. Stay Positive: Be the person who spreads positivity not negativity. We all know those people who can complain about everything and maybe at times we are those people. One thing I think we all have learned this year is gratitude. Before you decide to complain about something that wasn't done right(e.g. remote learning, work, someone's post on social media) take a breath, put yourself in someone else's shoes, don't engage, and look for the positive side. Getting upset, angry or complaining is a big hit to our mental well being and undue stress. Find the balance of what works for you and don't be afraid to limit your interaction with negative people, social media, or the news. It might be just what your mental health needs. Stay Connected to Friends and Family: Probably one of the toughest parts of this pandemic has been social isolation. Feeling disconnected and not being able to see loved ones can take a toll on our mood especially around the holidays. Use Facetime and Zoom to make recipes with loved ones this holiday season, write letters, send holiday cards or pick up the phone and check in on loved ones, especially those living alone. You'll find it not only lifts their spirits but yours too.
Holiday Tips for Healthy Eating
The holidays will look different for the majority of us this year. Besides not having the same size gatherings this might be the first year you forego the traditional foods for takeout or decide to roll your sleeves up and make the meals yourself from soup to nuts. No matter where this season finds you, here are few tips to get you to the New Year feeling like you have more control and a greater ability to navigate whatever the holiday season throws your way. Simple Tips To Navigate Holiday Eating Make What You Enjoy: Since this year doesn’t entail larger affairs maybe scale back a bit on the menu and decide to make or bring the things you truly enjoy most and skip the rest. It’s also okay to taste things without finishing them so you feel like you enjoyed without going overboard. Remember not to skip meals throughout the day in order to “save up” for calories later. That usually is a recipe for eating in excess. Balance Your Macros: When plating your meal make sure you have a combination of lean protein, healthy carbs, and good fat so you keep hunger and your hormones under control. Think about dividing your plate in 3rds with 1/3 lean protein, 2/3rds carbohydrates and a dash of fat. Remember to keep starchy carbs to small/condiment sized portions. Control Your Portions: It’s easy to say you won’t eat sweets or have an alcoholic beverage, but then when you’re confronted with it lose all willpower. You can still eat and keep the pounds off with the simple strategy of portion control. Eat reasonably small portions, limit the foods you know you should limit, and don't stuff yourself. Know Your Triggers: Each of us has our "trigger" foods, those foods we just can't seem to control our intake of. They taste so good but make us feel guilty, tired, low energy, and wanting more. Keeping their intake to one or two events versus repeatedly throughout the season allows for a balance between moderation and overindulgence. Get Your Rest and Stay Hydrated: Not getting enough sleep and letting the stress and anxiety of our worlds get the best of us can leave us tired and fatigued. Often times we replace water with caffeine to stay awake but this makes us mildly dehydrated and thinking we want food when in actuality we're just tired and thirsty. Make sure to get your rest and if you can’t do what you can to stay hydrated. Keeping hydrated especially before meals can significantly curb how much food we consume at that meal! A slice of orange, lemon or lime will seem refreshing and flavorful; flavored non-caloric seltzers accomplish the same thing while keeping cravings in check. Get Moving: No matter what activity looks like for you these days, get it in. It could be a simple walk or logging into your gym online to keep up with your healthy routines. Exercise can be just the thing to increase your energy, reduce stress, and get your blood flowing. By being active in the morning, you'll improve your insulin sensitivity, making your body more ready to handle the calories during the day and also eliminate some of the holiday stress. Be Present: Since our get togethers will be small, take the time to really enjoy those you are able to be with. Enjoy the conversations, be present, and savor not only the company but the food you eat. Eat slow, put your fork down between bites, and taste each mouthful. This is one of the easiest ways to enjoy your meal and feel satisfied with one plate full of food without going back for more. Choosing fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, salads, and other foods with lots of water and fermentable fiber can add to that feeling of fullness too. You may also like: 6 Things That Lead to a Fluctuating Scale During the Holidays
Maqui: Learn Why This Berry Is The Best Of The Best
The real secret of nutrition is understanding how the food we eat is transformed into complex signaling molecules that keep us alive. Dietary amino acids and fatty acids can be converted into hormones (such as insulin and resolvins) that control our bodies with precision. Likewise, polyphenols are also part of such signaling systems. In particular, they activate the genetic master switch of metabolism known as AMPK that controls how we generate energy and regulate our metabolism by turning it on and off at the cellular level. If you want to maintain wellness, you have to optimize your Resolution Response, as I describe in my newest book, The Resolution Zone. A critical step in that optimization is the activation AMPK, the genetic master switch for your metabolism. Polyphenols give you the dietary tools to do this—the reason why is shown in the following figure. There are more than 8,000 known polyphenols, but not all have the same ability to activate AMPK. The reason is that it depends on several factors, including concentration, structure, water-solubility, and degree of polymerization. Concentration Polyphenols are found in exceptionally low concentrations in fruits and vegetables; perhaps 0.2 percent by weight in fruits and about 0.1 percent by weight in vegetables. Since you need at least about 1,000 mg of polyphenols per day, it means you have to consume a lot of fruits and vegetables. How much is a lot? About ten servings per day. Not surprisingly, those individuals who consume this level of fruits and vegetables live longer. How much longer? Those that consume ten servings per day live about 30 percent longer with significantly less heart disease and cancer (1). Unfortunately, for most Americans, eating this amount of fruits and vegetables seems like Mission Impossible. Structure There are two broad classes of polyphenols—those that have a fused ring structure and those that don’t. The differences are shown below between the two general categories of polyphenols. It is only the polyphenol class known as flavonoids that have a fused ring structure that provides the appropriate three-dimensional properties to activate AMPK maximally. The other polyphenol structures are simply too floppy in three-dimensional space to do an excellent job of activating AMPK. This structure deficiency is especially true of resveratrol, which is part of the stilbene family of polyphenols. Even within the class of the fused-ring polyphenols (i.e., flavonoids), there are a lot of variations, as shown below. If you look closely at this figure, you will see that flavanols look somewhat similar to anthocyanins. Chocolate is rich in flavanols, whereas berries are rich in anthocyanins. But there is a big difference in their water solubility between these two groups of polyphenols. Water-solubility Although flavanols and anthocyanins are somewhat similar in structure, there are significant differences in their water-solubility. This difference is because the anthocyanins have a positive charge to make them much more water-soluble. This water-solubility is critical since it has been shown that it is the increased consumption of anthocyanins that are most associated with the reduction of heart disease (2,3). The water solubility of polyphenols is critical because if they don’t get in your body, they can’t activate AMPK. And if you don’t activate AMPK, you can’t have an optimal Resolution Response. Not surprisingly, there are a lot of different structures, even within anthocyanins, as shown below: In addition to having a positive charge, the more hydroxyl groups (-OH) on an anthocyanin molecule only further increases its water-solubility. This unique structure is why the subclass of anthocyanins, known as delphinidins, has the highest water-solubility of all anthocyanins. Although colorful berries are the richest source of anthocyanins, not all berries are good sources of delphinidins. As an example, strawberries are rich in anthocyanins, but they contain no delphinidins. Raspberries have a minimal amount of delphinidins, but not nearly as much as blueberries. However, even within the blueberry family there are significant variations. Bilberries (grown in northern Europe) have six times more delphinidins than blueberries (grown in North America). However, the maqui berry (grown in southern Chile) has 14 times the concentration of delphinidins compared to blueberries. However, there is another problem to overcome; the degree of polymerization of the delphinidins within these natural sources. Polymerization Most natural sources that contain delphinidins are composed of polymers. Polymers can’t be directly absorbed into the bloodstream. As a result, they continue to the colon where the gut bacteria metabolize them to shorter fragments that no longer contain the critical fused-ring structure. To get a maximum benefit for activating AMPK, you need the fused ring structure to provide the proper three-dimensional structure. Extracts Even for the maqui berry, the absolute levels of delphinidins as monomers in the fruit are still relatively low. This concentration problem can be circumvented by making extracts of the maqui berry using extensive purification, including column chromatography, to get a highly concentrated extract of delphinidin monomers. This purified maqui berry extract is what we use to make MaquiRx. For comparison, you would need to consume 4.5 kg of raspberries to get the same absolute levels of delphinidins as one capsule of MaquiRx. Alternatively, you could drink 50 glasses of red wine. Even though 200 grams of blueberries may have the same absolute levels of delphinidins as one capsule of MaquiRx, most of those delphinidins in blueberries are polymers that will not be directly absorbed into the body. On the other hand, the purified delphinidin monomers found in MaquiRx are directly absorbed into the blood (4). Summary It is easy to be confused about which 8,000 polyphenols will help you live longer. If you are looking for the best of the best of those 8,000 polyphenols, then your choice becomes much less complicated using MaquiRx as your primary polyphenol supplement. MaquiRx is the only polyphenol supplement that meets the criteria of concentration, structure, water-solubility, and degree of polymerization that you need to activate AMPK. Supplementing your diet with MaquiRx doesn’t mean you ignore the continuing need to consume up to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, as suggested by following the Zone Diet because they are crucial for gut health as well as blood sugar and appetite control. The combination of these two dietary strategies (following the Zone Diet supplemented with MaquiRx) provides a pretty good pathway for a longer and better life. References Aune D et al. “Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer, and all-cause mortality-a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies.” Int J Epidemiol 46:1 029-1056 (2017) Kimble R et al. “Dietary intake of anthocyanins and risk of cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.” Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 59: 3032-3043 (2019) Cassidy A et al. “High anthocyanin intake is associated with a reduced risk of myocardial infarction in young and middle-aged women.” Circulation 127:1 88-196 (2013) Schon C et al. “Bioavailability study of maqui berry extract in healthy subjects.” Nutrients 10(11):1720 (2018)
Weight Loss: The Real Reason You Should Want to Lose Weight
We continually hear about the health reasons why you should lose weight. But what are the molecular reasons? Now we have a clue; increased production of resolvins. Resolvins are a group of molecules derived from omega-3 fatty acids that help resolve inflammation. In a recent paper, it was demonstrated that losing a moderate amount of weight (about 11 pounds in 12 weeks) resulted in a dramatic increase in certain resolvins (1). As I discuss in my newest book, The Resolution Zone, resolvins are among the key players in the body’s internal Resolution Response that allows you to heal from inflammatory damage, especially diet-induced inflammation (2). Not all resolvins increased in that study. The only resolvin that increased was RvE1, which increased by 600 percent! This increase is critical since RvE1 promotes increased bone formation, decreased atherosclerosis, decreased diabetes, decreased neurological problems, and improved tumor clearance in animal models (3-9). The same benefits are also observed in humans who lose weight, suggesting that increased production of RvE1 may be a primary reason for the clinical benefits of weight loss. What is the best way to lose weight and keep it off to gain all of these benefits of increased RvE1 production? It remains the Zone diet (10). Here are the basic rules for permanent weight loss by following the Zone diet. Zone Diet Rules #1. You have to reduce calories The only way to lose weight by the diet is to reduce calories. There is no mystical new way. Ketogenic diets have no “metabolic advantage” compared to the Zone diet (11), and intermittent fasting is no better than continuous calorie restriction (12,13). A calorie is a calorie. That is why calorie restriction is the foundation of the Zone diet. However, the secret is to reduce calories without hunger or fatigue, which leads to the next rules for following the Zone diet. #2 Consume adequate protein at each meal You will need at least 25 grams of protein at every meal to induce hormonal signals (such as PYY and GLP-1) that come from the gut and go directly to your brain to stop hunger. #3 Hormonal control in the blood is key The level of protein at each meal must be balanced by the appropriate glycemic load. This achieves a stable balance of insulin and glucagon in the blood after each meal to stabilize blood sugar levels. The balance of these opposing hormones stabilizes blood glucose levels to prevent hunger and mental fatigue for the next four to five hours. Consistent blood sugar control comes from maintaining the appropriate protein-to-glycemic-load at each meal, which is another critical feature of the Zone diet. #4 Reduce the glycemic load by eating primarily non-starchy vegetables as your carbohydrates The easiest way to reduce the glycemic load is to increase your intake of non-starchy vegetables while moderating fruits and significantly reducing your consumption of grains and starches. The reason is that non-starchy vegetables have the highest amount of fermentable fiber with the least amount of carbohydrates. Fermentable fiber is used by the microbes in your gut to generate the formation of short-chain fatty acids that enhance the satiety effects of PYY and GLP-1. #5 Dramatically reduce your intake of saturated and omega-6 fatty acids The Zone diet is a diet that is low in total fat. However, the fat it contains is rich in monounsaturated fats (which are non-inflammatory) and highly restricted in saturated fats and omega-6 fats (which are pro-inflammatory). Zone Diet Tips Here are some simple dietary tricks to get started and make compliance easier. #1. Eat your protein first before you consume your carbohydrates It takes more time for protein to enter the blood than does carbohydrates. By eating your protein at a meal first you will achieve a better hormonal balance (14,15). #2 Calorie density per meal is important Consuming too many calories, even if they are perfectly balanced, can cause inflammation in the hypothalamus, which disrupts the appetite control center in the brain (16). The Zone diet recommends about 400 calories per meal to prevent such hypothalamic inflammation caused by consuming too many calories in a meal. #3 Time restriction for eating should be based on your circadian rhythms, not your watch. A recent study indicates that the more calories consumed at night induced more fat accumulation compared to the same number of calories consumed during daylight hours (17). Furthermore, the same study demonstrated the importance of eating breakfast to be in alignment with the circadian regulation of your metabolic pathways. This spreading of your calorie intake to be in alignment with circadian rhythms also relates to calorie density. The more you restrict your feeding duration, the higher the calorie density during that shortened eating period, and thus the higher likelihood of hypothalamic inflammation (16). A good rule to follow is to eat within one hour after waking up and stop eating no later than 12 hours after waking up. This timing might be considered to be a “12-12” feeding cycle to minimize fat accumulation and prevent hypothalamic inflammation since you are reducing the calorie density through your eating window. Summary Many of the clinical benefits of weight loss may be attributed to increased resolvin production. The most clinically-validated way to achieve and maintain weight loss is the Zone diet as long as you follow the rules. Of course, if you follow the Zone diet to reduce inflammation, you also want to take omega-3 fatty acids to resolve inflammation and add adequate levels of polyphenols to repair the damage caused by inflammation. The combination of the Zone Diet coupled with high-purity omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenol supplementation is what I term Pro-Resolution Nutrition. Pro-Resolution Nutrition is also the best way to optimize your healthspan (2). References Barden A et al. “Effect of weight loss on neutrophil resolvins in the metabolic syndrome.” Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids 148 25-29- (2019) Sears B. The Resolution Zone. Zone Press. Palm City, FL (2019) El Kholy K et al. “Resolvin E1 promotes bone preservation under inflammatory conditions.” Front Immunol 9: 1300 (2018) Sima C et al. “Function of pro-resolving lipid mediator resolvin E1 in type 2 diabetes. Crit Rev Immunol 38: 343-365 (2018) Sulciner ML et al. “Resolvins suppress tumor growth and enhance cancer therapy. J Exp Med 215: 115-140 (2018) Carracedo M et al. “The resolution of inflammation through omega-3 fatty acids in atherosclerosis, intimal hyperplasia, and vascular calcification.” Semin Immunopathol 41: 757-766 (2019) Siddiquee A et al. Effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on resolvin (RvE1)-mediated suppression of inflammation in a mouse model of asthma. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 41: 250-257 (2019) Freire MO et al. “Neutrophil resolvin E1 receptor expression and function in type 2 diabetes.” J Immunol 198: 718-728 (2017) Hasturk H et al. “Resolvin E1 (RvE1) attenuates atherosclerotic plaque formation in diet and inflammation-induced atherogenesis.” Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 35: 1123-33 (2015) Sears B. The Zone. Regan Books. New York, NY (1995) Johnston CS et al. “Ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets have no metabolic advantage over nonketogenic low-carbohydrate diets.” Am J Clin Nutr 83: 1055-61 (2006) Trepanowski JF et al. “Effect of alternate-day fasting on weight loss, weight maintenance, and cardioprotection among metabolically healthy obese adults.” JAMA Intern Med 177: 930-938 (2017) Schubel R et al. “Effects of intermittent and continuous calorie restriction on body weight and metabolism over 50 wk: a randomized controlled trial.” Am J Clin Nutr 108: 933-945 (2018) Shukla AP et al. “Food order has a significant impact on postprandial glucose and insulin levels.” Diabetes Care 38: e98–e99 (2015) Shukla AP et al. “Carbohydrate-last meal pattern lowers postprandial glucose and insulin excursions in type 2 diabetes.” BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care 5: e000440 (2017) Cai D. “Neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in overnutrition-induced diseases.”Trends Endocrinol Metab 24: 40–47 (2013) Kelly KP et al. “Eating breakfast and avoiding late-evening snacking sustains lipid oxidation.” PLoS Biol 18: e3000622 (2020)