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Matthew  Posts:49
 Aspiring

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| 10/11/2008 12:15 PM |
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Hi All. I have not posted anything in a while, but I wanted to share with the community my progress on The Zone. In June, I went to see the Doctor and had blood work done. My results were scary. Ht: 6'2" Wt: 340 lbs BP: 145/95 Glu: 157 Chol: 166 HDL: 28 LDL: 85 Trig: 266 T/H: 9.5 The doctor immediately wanted me to start taking medications for blood pressure, glucose and triglycerides. I was scared straight, especially by my Trigylceride/HDL ratio of 9.5 which Dr. Sears says is one of the best indicators of impending heart trouble - He recommends 1-2 I believe. I decided to start following the Zone Diet again (I had done so some years ago, but fell of the wagon). I resisted starting medications except for blood pressure control and the doctor agreed to monitor my progress closely. Needless to say, the doctor did not hold out much hope and told me that he believed that I would likely have no success with diet and exercise alone, and that I would have to start taking medication after my next visit unless I could demonstrate progress. It has now been about 120 days and my recent blood work has come back from the doctor's office. Here's how I am now: Ht: 6'2" Wt: 285 lbs BP: 110/65 Glu: 94 Chol: 123 HDL: 22 LDL: 75 Trig: 131 T/H: 5.9 A1C: 5.0 I have lost 55 lbs to date. My rate of weight loss was rapid initially, but has slowed down a bit. I have only lost 1 single pound of lean body mass. My blood pressure had been too low in the weeks before my doctor appointment. The doctor has reduced my prescription to the lowest dose possible. I am hopeful that I will be completely free of medication in 3 more moths. My glucose is now well inside the normal range. At my first visit, I did not have a A1C test (30 days glucose history). However, after 120 days, my A1C is also normal. My cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL are all normal. My only concern is that my HDL has decreased instead of increasing. This still leaves my Triglyceride/HDL ratio well outside of the ideal range. I have sent a note to Dr. Dears to ask why my HDL may be low and what I can do to correct it. I have not heard back yet. I am hopeful that, as my weight continues to drop, my HDL will start to increase. My doctor admitted he was wrong and was pleasantly surprised that I had been able to lose weight, avoid medications for glucose and triglycerides and show signs of blood pressure control without medication also. In his words, "You proved me wrong on the weight loss *and* the drugs." Unfortunately, he has never asked how I did it. It was simple. I followed the Zone Diet. If anyone is interested, I would be glad to share specific details, but I basically eat chicken, turkey, fish and low fat cheese as protein sources, fresh veggies for 3/4 of my carb blocks, favorable fruits for 1/4 of my carbs, and all favorable fats (almonds, olive oil, macadamias or avocados). I have almost completely avoided pasta, rice, bread and potatoes. I also take both Eico and Omega Rx capsules daily and they DO make a difference. Matt |
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Courtney  Posts:1
 Newbie
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| 10/11/2008 4:44 PM |
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Wow:
As a person about to embark on The Zone, I would like to congratulate you and thank you for sharing your story. I am eager to gain control of my health as well so kudos to you for making a change! |
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Sue K  Posts:8675
 Zone Expert

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| 10/11/2008 5:13 PM |
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That's great Matt! And please, tell your doctor how you did it! <img src='http://www.zonediet.com/desktopmodules/ntforums/images/emoticons/smile.gif' height='20' width='20' border='0' title='Smile' align='absmiddle'> For the HDL, watch your fats even more closely. Eliminate any incidental omega 6's and saturated fats for now (they will lower HDL). The low fat cheese isn't helping your HDL either. If you've been eating any sesame oil besides the small amount found in Zone fish oils, then eliminate it for now. I don't remember if you're exercising, but exercise raises HDL. The lower you keep your glycemic load, the more your triglycerides should go down, too. Just be careful not to take it so low in carb that you go into ketosis. At that point you'll no longer be in the Zone. Another tip, with the right amount of a Zone Labs fish oil and a little bit of cooperation from your doctor (as in a willingness to do a little extra BP monitoring for a few weeks), you could most likely be off the BP med right now. |
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sue
Lost 100 lbs 14 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!
To view my before/after pics and meal photos scroll over this picture and click when the link appears.
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Tom  Posts:85
 Aspiring
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| 10/11/2008 8:03 PM |
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Congratulations on the improvement! I look at the BP and triglyceride numbers and you really did a great job with both of those. Keep up the good work. Tom |
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Matthew  Posts:49
 Aspiring

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| 10/12/2008 12:06 AM |
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Thanks Courtney, Sue and Tom. I appreciate the kudos and the support. One more thing that I should have mentioned is that I am feeling so much better. My waist size has already gone down about 4-6 inches, too! Sue: - When you say to watch my fats, do you mean just to watch for Omega 6 specifically, or do you think I may be consuming too much fat? I do usually have at least an extra block of fat at each meal which I have found helps me with my hunger. - I do not consume much in the way of Omega 6 fats as far as I know. What common foods are rich in Omega 6? - Is the saturated fat in the cheese possibly lowering my HDL? I will switch to eating turkey for my snacks instead of string cheese. - I don't consume any additional sesame oil outside of what's in the EicoRx capsules. Thanks for the tip, though. - I have found that I am really, really sensitive to carbohydrates. I try to keep the glycemic load very low. I usually have a single slice of sprouted grain bread per week (4g carbs). The remainder is all favorable veggies (mushrooms, cucumbers, tomatoes, red peppers are all stapes in my diet). I try to stay on the low side of carbohydrates because if I even have 1/4 or 1/2 a block too many, I get sluggish and fuzzy-headed. I do have smoothies for breakfast which have milk, greek yogurt and fruit. Hopefully I can keep having smoothies for breakfast because they are so tasty and so convenient! - You and I have discussed fish oil in the past. I have found that 2 EicoRx and 4 OmegaRx capsules per day is all I can take. Any more than that, and I get diarrhea. Any suggestions? - Also, should I be taking any polyphenol supplement of any kind? Thanks! Matt |
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Sue K  Posts:8675
 Zone Expert

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| 10/12/2008 12:05 PM |
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You're welcome Matt! -I mean Omega 6 specifically (and saturated fat specifically). I don't think you're eating too much fat. -re: your Omega 6 consumption. I have no doubt that you eat very little already, but since it lowers HDL, cutting out as much as possible will be helpful. You do need a minute amount of it, but you will get all you need from the Zone favorable foods you eat without adding any extra. I don't eat much of it either, but need take care to eat very little (Barry Sears recommended this to me, the reasons are a long story, not related to HDL, but to AA.) - saturated fat is not helping. Cheese is considered a fair choice for a Zone protein source, not the best. Switching to turkey is a very good idea. -you're welcome on the sesame oil tip! -carbs...good! Berries will be your best choice for fruit because of your carb sensitivity. You're familiar enough with the Zone by now to be able to judge whether your smoothie is working for you. Keep listening to what your body is telling you and you'll do well. - re: FO dose, that may be all you require. re: diarrhea from FO dose, pardon the bluntness, but if it's true diarrhea (stool is all water and has no from to it) then you’re most likely at your current fish oil limit (though your FO dosage needs can change in the future). If the stool still has form to it, it's fine. You might want to play around with it a little. I've been through a lot of fish oil trial and error under the direct guidance of Barry Sears. Diarrhea was one of my several issues with it. I'm able to tolerate a larger dose when I take it with Sea Health Plus. -re: polyphenols, I highly recommend Sea Health Plus. I've also used Polyphenol Plus for convenience when traveling. Keep us updated! |
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sue
Lost 100 lbs 14 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!
To view my before/after pics and meal photos scroll over this picture and click when the link appears.
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ActiveForums 3.6
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Dr. Barry Sears is a leading authority on the dietary control of hormonal response. A former research scientist at the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Sears has dedicated his research efforts over the past 30 years to the study of lipids. He holds 13 U.S. Patents in the areas of intravenous drug delivery systems and hormonal regulation for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
A turning point in his research occurred in 1982. That year, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded for discoveries of the role that specialized hormones, known as eicosanoids, play in the development of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, auto-immune diseases, and cancer. Since eicosanoids are only generated from dietary fat, Dr. Sears reasoned that one could apply intravenous drug delivery principles to nutrition in order to control these exceptionally powerful hormonal responses with laser-like precision. In essence, his approach treats food as if it were a drug.
This area of his research led to various patents in the area of hormonal control by essentially using food as an oral drug delivery system to modulate eicosanoids especially for cardiovascular, diabetic, and neurological patients.
The impact of Dr. Sears’ revolutionary work in the dietary control of hormonal response began with the publication of his landmark book, The Zone. Since its publication in June 1995, The Zone has sold more than 2,000,000 hardcover copies, and became a #1 best seller on the New York Times book list. In addition, The Zone has been translated into 22 languages indicating a worldwide response to Dr. Sears’ research. His second book, Mastering the Zone, published in 1997, also became a New York Times bestseller with hardcover sales in excess of 500,000 copies to date. His third book, Zone Perfect Meals in Minutes, published in 1997, quickly became one of the best-selling cookbooks of 1997 and an another New York Times bestseller. The Anti-Aging Zone was published in 1999 and provides the molecular insights into how the Zone Diet can reverse the aging process. The Omega Rx Zone, published in 2002, explores the molecular foundation of chronic disease and how high-dose fish oil can dramatically reverse it. His latest book The Anti-Inflammation Zone discusses how to combat silent inflammation in order to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and many other inflammatory conditions—and how to reverse these conditions if they are already present. To date more than 5 million hardcover copies of his Zone books have been sold in the United States.
His research has elevated food from more than simply a source of calories to being recognized as an exceptionally powerful drug. Because of his revolutionary research, Dr. Sears has been a frequent guest on many national programs such as 20/20, Today, Good Morning America, CBS Morning News, CNN, and MSNBC.
Dr. Sears continues his ongoing research as President of Zone Labs, a biotechnology company in Danvers, MA as well as the President of the non-profit Inflammation Research Foundation in Marblehead, MA. In addition to continuing research on the hormonal effects of food, Dr. Sears has expanded his research in developing innovative dietary approaches to treating cancer and neurological conditions, as well as his on-going work in treating cardiovascular diease and type 2 diabetes.
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I have been taking the Fish Oil for over 3 years now. I am 44 playing hockey and working out. The Fish oil helps with the pain that I get from playing hockey. It greatly enhances my performance on the ice and while working out. I have noticed a big difference in my energy, attentiveness and memory. If I miss a day for whatever reason, I notice a huge difference and it feels like something is missing. Anyway that is my short little story and it comes from the heart.
– Carter B.
I am a nutritionist and Ph.D. doctor of health and nutrition. For Dr. Sears to figure out balancing fat, carbs and protein, is really beyond brilliant. It is a milestone in diet history. I go over people's diet/emotional journals. Mostly all the time, we discover that the fatigue, irritability, unstable emotions were due to the imbalance in their diet. Using the Zone to balance them out, helps control weight, roller coaster emotions and gives them energy. Dr. Sears is so right when he says food is medicine. He has figured out the most powerful drug combination going, called The Zone.
Best and healthy wishes,
– Elaine W., Ph.D., N.C., M.A.
I have a very exhausting job as a flight attendant. I read the "Omega Rx Zone" about 4 years ago and started taking the fish oil. I am 47 and have been flying for 22 years. I am very active, I run and lift weights. But combining lack of regular sleep, a physically demanding job, and irregular eating patterns this job takes a toll on the body. Since taking the fish oil, I have noticed that I do not get exhausted. I get tired, but not exhausted. I stopped taking it for a couple of months and then started taking another company's fish oil. I started getting exhausted again. I came back to Zone Labs and will continue with the fish oil for the rest of my life. I believe in the product and it makes a huge difference in my life. It makes a difference with my running as well. I also bring the bars and shakes with me on the road. It is almost impossible to eat the way I should at work. I haven't found the right secret. At least I have my Zone fish oil, bars, and shakes.
– Kathryn S.
I have been in the Zone, for about 1 month now. I wanted to share with you how wonderful I think this program is. I have been a personal trainer for almost 10 years and actively compete in numerous athletic activities. The Zone program has helped me to achieve a better awareness of my nutritional needs and the results I have seen are amazing! I have lost nearly 13 lbs since I have been in the Zone. I feel more mentally alert, more focused at work, have greater intensity during my training, have made significant strength gains, and just feel better over all. With that said, I would like to thank you for helping me in my quest for "super-health"!
Thank you!
– Rob Y.
I read 'The Zone' and as exactly as I could followed the advice for diet. I noted weight loss progress. Over six months, I lost 33 pounds. One year has passed since then. I have maintained the new weight, guided always by Zone concepts. The Zone is powerful - I have found it fantastic and I am very grateful to Dr Sears.
– Lyn S.
Before I stumbled across the Zone I was weighing close to two hundred pounds and I was depressed. I used to be a gymnast as a young man. I would think, "look at me now," when I looked in a mirror. The day I found 'The Zone' book, I was intrigued and as I read it the science made sense and so, I began to follow the "treatment". I began to lose weight and I was feeling way more energetic. I am forty two years old, I am very active and my weight is down to 162 lbs, 38 pounds lost on the Zone. I cycle, walk, jog, swim and I can now perform some of the more simple gymnastic skills I did twenty years ago...I literally feel like I have turned back the clock.
Thank you!
– Jack J.
I have been on the Zone diet for 7 years. I did not go on the diet to lose weight necessarily; but fairly quickly I lost 25 pounds, going from 190 to 165; from a 36-inch waist to a 32-inch waist. I primarily did the Zone to live healthier. My health is excellent now. I just turned 62 years old. My Zone is my eating lifestyle now; I seldom stray; and I do not miss anything. It is The Good Life.
– Curtis Y.
My wife's doctor told her to read "Enter the Zone" and to do the diet, so I told her I would do it with her. After only one week on the plan we went on a strenuous hike (the first of the year), and when we stopped at our favorite coffee shop on the way home I was able to get out of the car and stand upright and walk into the place without pain or stiffness. The Zone had eliminated all the inflammation that had always forced me to stumble all humped over into the coffee shop any time we skied or hiked all day.
Thank you, Doctor Sears.
– Larry C.
I used to have a lot of knee pain when I walked or ran. I have been taking Omega Rx for almost a year now, and rarely have any pain. I believe it is the anti-inflammation action of the oil. I feel smarter as well. Thanks for developing such a superior oil!
– Joe W.
Prior to following the Zone Diet, my body fat was around 15% and my weight around 153 pounds. No matter what I did, my weight and body fat did not change much. I regularly cycled 20-30 hours per week logging well over 400 miles. That had little impact on body fat or weight. Diet also seemed to have little impact on body fat or weight. Within a couple of months of following the zone diet, my weight dropped rather quickly to 142 pounds and body fat to about 8%. I still regularly cycle up to 20 hours per week (during the summer). I have also started strength training. I eat about 16 blocks per day. I take 3.6 grams of fish oil per day, along with Vitamin E, Alpha Lipoic Acid, CoQ10, and B & C vitamins. I also take GLA, which in my opinion, has significantly reduced fatigue and improved recovery times after exercise.
– Jeremy S.
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All polyphenols have antioxidant properties than can be measured by their Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC), but not all polyphenols have anti-inflammatory properties. The polyphenols in Dr. Sears’ Zone Polyphenol Plus have been carefully chosen to have both.
Polyphenols are the phytochemicals that not only give fruits and vegetables their color, but also help regulate inflammation. In addition, polyphenols also activate the key enzyme (AMP kinase) that helps restore cellular ATP levels. Polyphenols also help regulate the activation of inducible inflammatory proteins (such as COX-2 and inflammatory cytokines).
There are more than 4,000 known polyphenols, and the richest sources are fruits and vegetables. In general, the more color a fruit or vegetable has, the richer the polyphenol content.
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Zone Labs’ Ultra Refined Omega-3 Concentrates are three times fresher and contain less than 1/10th the mercury than what is allowed by the Norwegian Medicinal Standard and European Pharmacopoeia Standard
Zone Labs adheres to the International Fish Oil Standard (IFOS), an independent third party validated laboratory quality standard that is more rigid than any other global standard for purity.
- No company in the worlds runs more tests with IFOS than Zone Labs
- Zone Labs receives a 5 out of 5 star IFOS rating for every batch it tests
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| Standard |
IFOS Standard for a 5-Star Ranking |
Council for Responsible Nutrition |
European Pharmacopeia |
Norwegian Medicinal Standards |
| Peroxide |
< 3.75 meg/kg |
5 meg/kg |
10 meg/kg |
10 meg/kg |
| Totox Levels |
< 20 meg/kg |
26 meg/kg |
NA |
NA |
| Lead |
< 10 ppb |
10 ppb |
100 ppb |
100 ppb |
| Mercury |
< 10 ppb |
10 ppb |
100 ppb |
100 ppb |
| Dioxans and Furans |
< 1 ppt |
2 ppt |
2 ppt |
2 ppt |
| PCBs |
< 45 ppb |
90 ppb |
NA |
NA |
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"IFOS – THE TOP GLOBAL PURITY STANDARD FOR OMEGA-3 FROM FISH"
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Zone Labs products show no detectable lead or mercury when tested down to 10ppb, which is 10 times below the Norwegian Medicinal Standard and European Pharmacopoeia Standard limits.
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Zone Labs products are three times fresher than the minimum allowed by the Norwegian Medicinal Standard and European Pharmacopoeia Standards (based on average peroxide values).
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Zone Labs starts with only wild, small fish from pristine Chilean waters and ends with proprietary validation and testing processes to achieve an IFOS certified 5 star rating.
8-Step Manufacturing Process - Quality Assured
Testing to specification all raw materials, bulk products, packaging material and finished products – always using stringent internal standards and in-process testing.
- Extraction of fish oil
- Winterization – remove limited amounts of saturated fats
- Absorption – remove heavy metals
- Preliminary Molecular Distillation – refining “touch up” to reduce contaminants
- Oil conversion to ethyl esters
- Ethyl ester thermal fractionation – remove additional saturated fats
- True Molecular Distillation – final refining to remove pcb’s and long-chain monoenes
- Rigid Processes – proprietary validation, inspection and encapsulation methods. Independent lab verification of IFOS requirements and certified 5 star rating
No farmed fish. No large fish. Pristine waters.
Zone Labs starts with wild sardines & anchovies fished from cold, pristine waters off of South America where there are less environmental impurities.
A recommended serving of Zone Labs Ultra-Refined Concentrates delivers 8 times more omega-3’s than a typical retail fish oil supplement.
Most fish oil supplements have 30% or less of the healthy omega-3s EPA and DHA, with the remaining 70% of the capsule containing unbeneficial, lesser refined fatty acids that contribute to their bad taste and gastric side effects.
Getting a clinically valid dose of omega-3’s is easy with Zone Labs’ Ultra-Refined Omega-3 Concentrates.
Typical Retail Dose = 300mg omega-3
Standard Zone Dose = 2400mg omega-3
A serving of canned tuna has 12 times less omega-3’s than
Zone Labs Ultra-Refined Omega-3 Concentrates
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Commonly consumed fish and shellfish in the United States
Mercury Source: Food and Drug Administration, FDA 1900-2004, “National Marine Fisheries Service Survey of Trace Elements in the Fishery Resource". Omega-3 Level Source: American Heart Association Website.
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Mercury level
in parts per million (ppm) |
Omega-3 fatty acids
(milligrams per 3-oz. serving) |
| Zone Omega-3 Products |
< 0.01 |
2400 (standard 4 capsule serving |
| Salmon (fresh, frozen) |
0.014 |
1200 |
| Flounder or sole |
0.050 |
480 |
| Pollock |
0.041 |
450 |
| Crab |
0.060 |
400 |
| Scallops |
0.050 |
290 |
| Shrimp |
ND* |
290 |
| Catfish |
0.050 |
270 |
| Clams |
ND* |
250 |
| Cod |
0.095 |
210 |
| Canned Tuna (light) |
0.120 |
200 |
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Zone Labs’ leading product. OmegaRx delivers all of the benefits of Zone Labs’ ultra-refined omega-3 concentrates.
Advantages
- Delivers clinically proven health benefits from the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA*
- Promotes a healthy heart, healthy brain, healthy immune system, healthy circulatory system, healthy joints, healthy moods, healthy triglyceride levels and a healthy pregnancy*
- Combats silent inflammation
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