Zone Living Articles
Pregnancy Q&A With Dr. Sears
This week Dr. Sears answers questions he gets pertaining to diet and pregnancy. Learn about the role diet plays in fertility, conception and the health of mom and baby. Q: Dr. Sears we know that diet is important prior to conceiving and during gestation. What nutrients do you recommend women get enough of if they are thinking about conceiving or once they find out their pregnant? A: Infertility is a growing problem and I believe that inflammation is a major contributor to that situation. That’s why I recommend both females and males contemplating conception consume an anti-inflammatory diet. Such a diet is not to lose excess body fat, but to reduce inflammation and establish the hormonal balance that makes it more likely for successful procreation. Such an anti-inflammatory diet is adequate in low-fat protein, moderate in carbohydrates (but rich in fruits and vegetables), and low in fat (especially saturated fat). The most important supplement for both males and females to improve the success of conception would be omega-3 fatty acids because of their hormonal benefits in reducing inflammation in females and improving sperm quality in males. Once the mother is pregnant, her nutrition becomes paramount for the baby. This means following the same anti-inflammatory diet during pregnancy and especially focusing on fiber rich foods (especially fermentable fiber) for her gut health. Q: Most physicians recommend taking an omega-3 supplement when pregnant. Generally this is about 250-500mg or so of EPA and DHA. Do you think this is enough? A: I think that 250-500mg is too low a dose to reap all the benefits that come from omega-3 supplementation. For general wellness I recommend individuals consume about 3000 mg of EPA and DHA per day and this is the same amount I’d recommend for pregnant women too. Q: Do you need more omega-3s as pregnancy goes on or can you continue with the same dose? A: Throughout pregnancy I recommend women stay with the same dose of 3000 mg of EPA and DHA per day. This is because in the last trimester of pregnancy the fetus is making about 250,000 new brain cells per minute and that requires a lot of omega-3 fatty acids. Q: Once you deliver the baby can you stop taking omega-3s? A: I wouldn’t recommend it. Omega3 fatty acids only last about 24-48 hours in the blood so it requires you take a consistent dosage regularly. During the pregnancy, the fetus has been depleting the omega-3s from the mother’s reserve to develop its brain. What this means is that after the birth of the child, the mother can develop a sense of depression without continued omega-3 supplementation to replace her internal stores. I recommend staying either with the same dose or and you may even need to bump up the dosage after delivery especially if the mother is breast feeding to ensure adequate levels of EPA and DHA in her breast milk. I always recommend testing the levels of omega-3s in your blood to determine what dose is right for you by keeping your AA/EPA ratio between 1.5 and 3. Q: What are the benefits of omega-3s for both mom and child? A: EPA and DHA the omega-3s found in fish oil are known for their role in supporting heart health, a healthy immune system and inflammatory response as well as supporting eye and brain development. They’ve also been shown to help minimize the risk of allergies in children. They work by increasing the production of the hormones known as resolvins that are key to maintaining low levels of inflammation in both the mother and the child. Q: What do you look for in an omega-3 supplement? A: The vast majority of fish oil products use the same raw material (sardines and anchovies), but what separates one from the other is their purification to remove toxins that are found in all fish oil products. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are the most difficult toxins to remove from fish oil. That is why my standards for PCBs (less than 2 parts per billion) are 25 times more stringent than pharmaceutical standards and 45 times more rigid than those established for the dietary supplement industry. You also want to look at the total amount of EPA and DHA since that is where the health benefits of omega-3s come from. OmegaRx 2 supplies 750mg of EPA and DHA per gram (1 capsule). This is the highest purity fish oil with the highest amounts of EPA and DHA currently offered in the marketplace without a prescription. Each serving of OmegaRx 2 (4 capsules or 1 tsp) supplies 3000mg of EPA and DHA. Purity and potency are most important when looking to take an omega-3 supplement. But you also have to look at the price. Based on the cost per gram of EPA and DHA, OmegaRx 2 is probably the least expensive source of EPA and DHA (based on cost per gram) with the highest purity and the greatest potency. Q: When you have morning sickness the last thing you can stomach is fruits, vegetables or even protein. It seems like crackers and ginger ale becoming the diet of choice. What do you recommend for women with morning sickness? A: Pregnancy isn’t easy and morning sickness can be unbearable for some women. Morning sickness tends to decline as the pregnancy continues. My recommendation is try and keep up with your omega-3s and prenatal vitamin to cover your bases and the meals where you are feeling good try and get in as many vegetables and fruits you can even if it’s by adding it to a shake, with some protein powder, and some monounsaturated fat. Q: Can fish oil help with some of the aches and pains of pregnancy? A: Yes. Carrying around extra weight can take its toll especially in pregnancy with the pressure on the joints and stretching. The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help with joint support and to help minimize some of the inflammation that results in pain. Q: Women who might not struggle with high blood sugar or high blood pressure prior to becoming pregnant might start to have these numbers creep up during pregnancy or even lead to gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. Can diet and supplementation help? A: The Zone diet is really ideal for individuals who are looking to support healthy blood pressure and healthy blood sugar. The Zone diet is not a weight loss diet, but an anti-inflammatory diet. I like to think of it as an anti-inflammatory lifestyle.Inflammation underlies many of these conditions associated with pregnancy. Omega-3s have been clinically shown to help support healthy blood pressure. Polyphenols which give fruits and vegetables their color, especially polyphenols found in berries known as delphinidins, may further help with blood sugar control. That’s why I consider all three dietary components (diet, omega-3 fatty acids, and polyphenols) to be important during pregnancy as well as afterwards whether the mother is nursing or not. Q: If you can’t swallow fish oil capsules, what would you recommend? A: Liquid fish oil is a great alternative for individuals who can’t swallow capsules or who require higher amounts of omega-3s. You can add the liquid omega-3 fatty acids to some high-quality olive oil (rich in polyphenols) and take it orally. Better yet, you can make an emulsion by adding some dry lecithin to about 3-4 ounces of water and the liquid omega-3 and then blend them with a high-speed hand blender. If you can swallow smaller capsules, but not the standard size microcapsules might be an option too.
Zone Pesto Recipe
Basil is an herb that is in abundance in the summer months as it thrives in warm weather. It is easy to grow in containers, raised beds or even on your windowsill. Basil is a delicious addition to tomato and mozzarella, pasta, salads or even its occasional debut in ice cream. It is also one of the main ingredients in pesto sauce. Pesto consists of basil, garlic, pine nuts, hard cheese and olive oil blended together. It is easy to make, rich in polyphenols and a great accompaniment to Zone PastaRx. Check out our recipe below. Recipe Yield: Approximately 1 1/3 cups. Serving Serving 1 teaspoon. Prep Time: 15 Minutes Ingredients 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup pine nuts (walnuts can be used too) 2 cloves garlic or 1 tsp chopped 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese 2/3 cup Zone Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Instructions In a food processor or mini food processor pulse the basil leaves and pine nuts several times. Add garlic and cheese and pulse a few times making sure to scrape the sides. With the food processor still going, slowly add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil through the hole in the top of the lid in a steady stream. Blend until EVOO is fully incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy! Makes a great addition to Zone PastaRx Fusilli Notes: To avoid turning brown, cover pesto tightly with plastic wrap and make sure the plastic sits on top to avoid air getting in. Refrigerate up to 5 days. If you want to make bigger batches you can freeze pesto in ice cube trays. Once the cubes are frozen store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Variations: If you don't have all the ingredients for pesto use what you have on hand. Here are some suggestions for substitutions. Basil: Other leafy greens can work in place of basil like spinach, arugula, or I've even seen recipes with parsley, cilantro, and rosemary. Nuts: Pine nuts can be pretty pricy and since you don't need many in this recipe you can substitute other nuts you might have on hand like walnuts, pistacchios or cashews. Cheese: Other hard cheeses can be used in place of the Pecorino Romano. If using parmesan cheese avoid the shaker style parmesan cheese and go with shredded parmesan instead. Nutrition Facts: 1 tsp = 25 calories, 2.5g Fat, 0g Carbohydrate, 0g Protein.
High Fiber Foods
Fiber is a word we often hear and see called out on food packaging. Commercials make you think it’s a nutrient for older adults to help with irregularity, lowering blood cholesterol, or even heart health, but it’s actually a nutrient for all ages. Here we’ll tell you what it is, how it fits within the Zone Diet, how much you need, and why Dr. Sears thinks it's beneficial. What is Fiber? Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that can’t be digested by the body. This is beneficial because it helps slow down how quickly carbohydrates are broken down into sugar and absorbed. It is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes. It is found naturally in foods but can be included as a food additive during manufacturing, like inulin and oligosaccharides, to help boost the fiber content. Benefits of Eating Fiber Lowers Cholesterol Blood Sugar Control Weight Management Heart Health Gut Health Regularity Types of Fiber Fiber can either be soluble or insoluble. Soluble fiber tends to slow digestion by attracting water and helping foods swell (think oatmeal). Insoluble fiber tends to pass more quickly through the body aiding digestion (think non-starchy vegetables). Dr. Sears writes extensively about the benefits of fermentable fiber. This can either be soluble or insoluble fiber that reaches the colon where it is fermented by the bacteria in our gut. The result of this fermentation is that it produces beneficial changes in the composition or activity of the bacteria in our gut helping to improve our overall health and well-being. The Health Benefits of Fermentable Fiber Intake of fermentable fiber found in foods like non-starchy vegetables plays a critical role in helping to reduce gut-derived inflammation. We now know that the gut and the bacteria that live there have a significant impact on keeping inflammation in our body under control. The higher your intake of fermentable fiber the less risk you have for developing gut inflammation which has been linked to diseases such as obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disease as well as neurological conditions. How Much Fiber Do You Need Each Day? Fiber is nutrient for all ages. It is recommended that individuals consume about 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories consumed. On average this about 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men per day. *Amounts based on 14grams/1000 calories Fiber and the Zone Diet Individuals following the Zone Diet should meet their recommended intake of fiber per day. Since the diet recommends consuming primarily non-starchy vegetables, limited amounts of fruits, and small amounts of legumes it is naturally a high fiber diet. In general, individuals should aim to consume about 35 grams of net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber) at each meal. To learn more about how many carbohydrates you should consume each day and what carbohydrate choices fit within the Zone check out our Body Fat Calculator and Food Block Guide. Why We Recommend Carbohydrates be Consumed with Protein Now that you know the ideal carbohydrates to choose it’s important to couple them with low-fat protein and small amounts of heart-healthy fat. The rate at which carbohydrates raise blood glucose varies depending on the type of carbohydrates you eat and whether there is fat and protein in the meal too. Even though vegetables and fruit are the best carbohydrates choices, they still raise blood glucose levels when consumed alone. To further stabilize blood glucose and control inflammation in the diet you want to balance your carbohydrate intake with lean protein found in low-fat dairy, eggs, and lean meats and a small amount of heart-healthy fat. This is the foundation of the Zone Diet. When making a Zone meal we recommend aiming for one that is under 400 calories, has less than 12 grams of fat, 25 grams of protein and about 35 grams of net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber). If you have the right balance of protein to the carbohydrate at a meal, you help control hunger and fatigue while minimizing inflammation. High Fiber Food List Each of these foods is a good source of dietary fiber and a very healthy choice but it’s important to also take into account the total amount carbohydrates it supplies as well as the protein. Based on this list and the Protein/Carbohydrate ratio you can see why Dr. Sears recommends non-starchy vegetables be the primary source of carbohydrates (and fiber) in the diet as they will have the least impact on spiking blood sugar levels. Those foods with a Protein to Carbohydrate ratio greater than 1 Dr. Sears considers the best.
Weekly Self Care Journal
Amid the stress and anxiety of what is going on in the world there are signs of hope and beauty around us. This can be found in the kindness and generosity of others from making masks, celebrating birthdays with car parades while practicing social distancing, donating money for relief efforts or Mother Nature beginning to show her beauty with flowers and trees springing to life. When the fog has begun to lift from our current situation how do you see yourself emerging on the other side? Will you come out stronger, more rested and energized, will you have more gratitude for the things we take for granted, or will the stress and anxiety have taken its toll. While we know there is so much of this situation that is out of our control, when it comes to our mental and physical health that is one area we can control. We want to help you get to the other side of this both mentally and physically. We’ve decided to create this journal you can do each day where you jot down how you are feeling, what you are grateful for and how you're going to do something for your health through movement and good nutrition. This will help to make you mindful of the things you can control and give you something to look back on in the months ahead of how you made the most of a difficult situation and came out stronger, grateful, and healthier on the other side.