Zone diet, dr. Barry Sears

By Dr. Davide Marciano

What is the Zone Diet?

In reference to this diet, the area is a metabolic state in which the organism works at its maximum peak efficiency. In it your body will function best: without hunger attacks, full of energy and with maximum efficiency during physical performance.

Food is the most powerful drug we have available and we must take it as it was, in a controlled manner and in the right proportions.

These are the cornerstones of DIET A ZONA, the most discussed diet in recent years.

Benefits of the Zone Diet

The founder of the zone diet, the American biochemist Barry Sears, claims that by balancing the three macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) an optimal physical and mental state can be reached.

Moreover, the area allows a considerable reduction of body fat, if this were present in excess.

All this would happen thanks to a fine hormonal control mediated by food.

Zone diet and control of Eicosanoids

Eicosanoids represent a group of hormones including prostaglandins, leukotrenes and thromboxanes, hydroxylated fatty acids, etc., produced in small quantities from every cell in our body. They are very complex and have a short life: they perform their physiological function and then self-destruct.

Many are their functions within our body. Like all hormones, eicosanoids, besides being chemical messengers, have antagonistic effects. That is, there are "good" and "bad" eicosanoids.

"GOOD" EICOSANOIDS	"BAD" EICOSANOIDS
Inhibit platelet aggregation	Promote platelet aggregation
Promote vasodilation	Promote vasoconstriction
They stimulate the immune response	Depress the immune response
They fight inflammation	Promote inflammation

Since in the human body balance is synonymous with health, while imbalance is synonymous with disease, the area aims to achieve the perfect balance between the production of antagonist eicosanoids, given that both serve to carry out the natural functions of our body.

Zone diet and control of insulin and glucagon hormones

Insulin, produced by the pancreas, is a strong anabolic hormone that has the function of storing nutrients inside cells.

When we eat, there is an increase in blood glucose in the blood that stimulates the intervention of insulin, which, conveying the nutrients in the cells, brings the blood glucose levels back to normal.

When we take too many calories and especially when they come from carbohydrates, we have a strong jump in blood sugar, thus triggering a high insulin response which, after filling the liver and muscle reserves, stores all the excess carbohydrates in the fat cells. In other words: excess insulin leads to fat accumulation.

Glucagon, on the other hand, is the antagonist of insulin, which means it mobilizes the stored energy reserves. It is stimulated by a diet rich in proteins and low in carbohydrates. Like insulin, when it is secreted in excess, it damages the body.

The area controls these two hormones through a balance between carbohydrates, proteins and fats, preventing them from having excessive glycemic fluctuations, responsible for fattening up and many diseases.

Furthermore, on the first book by Barry Sears, "how to reach the Zone", studies are reported that attest to the fact that this nutritional regime has led to improved psycho-physical conditions in patients suffering from very serious diseases such as diabetes.

Zone Diet Rules

In every meal you must take the right proportions of carbohydrates, proteins and fats (the calorie ratio must be 40% -30% -30%).
No more than 5 hours should elapse between one meal and another. If there is a longer time, you have to have a snack. In this way the day consists of at least 3 main meals and 2 snacks.
It is necessary to reduce as much as possible the consumption of sweets, bread, pasta, rice and refined cereals with a high glycemic index, ie strong insulin stimulators.
It is necessary to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits with low glycemic index, that is carbohydrates that gradually stimulate the insulin.
To have an adequate hormonal response, a snack must consist of at least a block of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
The last snack must be the evening snack (before going to bed), unless you have dined within the previous two hours.
As can be seen from the first rule, the Zone diet differs from the classic food pyramid that imposes carbohydrates (pasta, bread, cereals, etc.) on its basis. Compared to our Mediterranean diet, the zone diet reduces fats and proteins to a very small percentage, with a carbohydrate content of 40% (mainly in the form of fruit and vegetables), 30% protein (lean meats and cheeses, fish, eggs, etc.) and 30% lipid (preferably monounsaturated as olive oil).

Insights on the Zone Diet

Distribution of macronutrients in the zone diet The two Zone Diet Systems: How to Start Zone Diet: how to start it with Graudality Zone Italian-style Diet Example Zone Zone Diet Diet - Video: Benefits, Efficacy and Criticality Video Recipe - Bars with Cocoa Diet ZoneVideo Recipe - Homemade Protein Zone Diet Cookies