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Subject: Pre-diabetic? You're kiding!

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Andrew User is Offline
Posts:4
Newbie
Newbie

11/02/2009 10:34 AM
Four months ago, my doctor told me I was pre-diabetic (fasting glucose of 101. Should be <99). This came as a shock to me. I have always eaten natural, healthy foods, with a balance of protein from meat and dairy and powdered protein, carbohydrates predominantly from vegetables and fruit (some grain), and fats from dairy, meat and olive oil. I exercise strenuously (Crossfit.com) 5-6 days a week, plus commute by bike to work, play soccer with my daughter, etc. I am 5'9", 155 pounds, with around 5% bodyfat. Basically a sort of lean athlete physique. I'm 38.

After this test, I went onto a more strictly Zone diet. I cut out the remaining grain from my diet except for morning oatmeal, started spacing my meals more regularly and focusing more carefully on balancing the amounts of macronutrients. I also started taking fish oil supplements.

The results? Four months later, my fasting glucose level was 100. My hemoglobin A1c was 6. In other words, the diet made very little change to my pre-diabetic status. More data:

HDL chelesterol: 43
LDL cholesterol: 114
Mildly low hemoglobin, but normal iron levels.

I am, frankly, pretty frustrated and scared. I don't know what else I can do to help myself with this diagnosis. If anyone has some words of advice, I would be most grateful.

thanks,
Andy
Sue K User is Online
Posts:8665
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

11/02/2009 10:53 AM
Stick with mostly Zone favorable veggies for your carb blocks, limiting fruit to one serving a day of berries, (or better, no fruit at all). If you can post your typical menu for a day, listing specific foods and amounts, I'll be happy to take a look to see what could be changed to help.

Also, make sure you're eating at least 19 blocks daily, and increase the amount of monounsaturated fat that you now adding to your meals.

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.

Zone Dinner Party (link)
Andrew User is Offline
Posts:4
Newbie
Newbie

11/02/2009 11:33 AM
Sue,

Thanks for your speedy reply. Here's a sample daily menu for me. Any thoughts?

Post-workout snack (6:45): 8oz protein drink with 2% milk (30grams protein)/3 oz white grape juice
Breakfast (7:30): 1 cup cooked oatmeal/10 or so blueberries/4oz protein drink (15 grams protein)/5 grams fish oil
Lunch (noonish): salad with 6oz turkey/apple/iced tea
Snack (2pm): 10-12 almonds/half-apple
Dinner (7pm): chicken breast/collard greens/squash/milk/6oz wine/5 grams fish oil
Snack (9:45pm): usually a small helping of what was left from dinner. In this case, a bit of chicken and squash, for example.

Water consumption in the range of 35-40 oz during the day.

For what it's worth, I feel very good on this menu. I'm focused, I don't feel hungry, and I have set personal records in lifting and endurance this year. But I obviously want to heed the warnings from the blood test.

Thanks,
Andy
Sue K User is Online
Posts:8665
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

11/02/2009 12:18 PM
Hi Andy,

For starters, you’re starving your body. You're not eating enough, you're not drinking enough water and your meals are not Zone balanced. Some are missing protein, some are missing carb and there's fat missing all over the place. The minimum amount of fat needed is 12 grams in a 4 block meal, 9 grams in a 3 block meal. You should be increasing well beyond those amounts, both to support your workouts and to increase your low body fat (it's too low).

Your carb is mostly fruit and some oats, with very little veggies in your day. Even if you meals were balanced in regard to P, C and F, the amount of fruit (and juice) you're eating would give you some difficulty in achieving the best Zone results. Too much crab from fruit probably also has a lot to do with your glucose readings and A1C result. Bottom line, the higher glycemic load of your meals, plus the lack of enough protein and fat to help control the entry of all that carb into your blood stream, is resulting in higher blood sugar levels.

To help things, follow the Zone diet principles for P, C and F balance, eat an appropriate number of blocks daily, eat most of your carbs in the form of favorable veggies, at least double your daily water intake and last, at least double or triple the amount of monounsaturated fat blocks you add to meals and snacks.

Also, consider the fish oil to be supplemental. Don't count it toward the fat in your meals.


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.

Zone Dinner Party (link)
Andrew User is Offline
Posts:4
Newbie
Newbie

11/02/2009 12:54 PM
Sue,

Again, thanks for your input. While I have been thinking Zone, I haven't been tracking my diet. It's evident that I need to do so in order to get both enough food, and balanced food. For what it's worth, the lunch "salad" is not iceberg lettuce, but a big bowl of diced carrots, beets, snap peas, cucumbers, etc. So I may not be quite as veggie-poor as it appears. Still, I obviously need to start actually writing things down to keep myself honest.

I will start tracking my meals today. I don't have another blood test for six months, so I will have a true measure of the progress at that point. In the meantime, maybe I can eke out a little more from my sport performance on the increased food intake. If I break that elusive 400lb deadlift mark, I'll post it!

Thanks again,
Andy
Sue K User is Online
Posts:8665
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

11/02/2009 12:57 PM
Thanks for the additional info Andy. Good luck and please keep us updated!

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.

Zone Dinner Party (link)
n User is Offline
Posts:2
Newbie
Newbie

11/04/2009 7:32 PM
Hello!
I am very, very new here, but I just wanted to say that some ethnic groups are more susceptible to diabetes, even when they are at a healthy weight and do everything right.
So don't get down on yourself! Don't beat yourself up. You sound very committed and I am sure you will figure out what to do.
Best of luck,
Fredericka7
Michael User is Online
Posts:79
Aspiring
Aspiring

11/04/2009 9:52 PM
Hi andrew
What kind of fish oil are you taking?
check the lables
Dr. Sears recomends 5 grams EPA/DHA a day
Hopefully that will help

MT

Michael Thompson

Web log of a fish geek
http://MTbucket.blogspot.com
Robert User is Offline
Posts:1
Newbie
Newbie

11/11/2009 9:35 PM
Yes, I had the same problem. I bought a blood sugar tester and checked levels every 2 hours. What I found
was that after 7-8 hours fasting my glucose was 80. After 10 hours fasting glucose was 120. I did some research and found some people's bodies only go so long (7 -8 hrs.) before they start to break down muscle tissue and convert it to glucose, so the longer you fast the higher your blood sugar goes. Most doctors are
unaware of this I think.
Nevertoolate51 User is Offline
Posts:26
Aspiring
Aspiring

11/12/2009 8:31 PM
Pleae don't give up!!!

14 weeks ago my Dr. informed me that they found sugar in my urine and my hemoglobin was 9.8. If I didn't lower my blood sugar by my next visit, he was putting me on meds. My sister in law suggested that I should read about the Zone Diet. I began 13 weeks ago been 90% good exercise at least 30 minutes 5 times a week. Today I got my blood results; my hemoglobing went from 9.8 to 7.0 and no sugar in my urine and lost 16 lbs. Dr. wanted to know what I have been doing and to keep on doing. This diet works and it seems that it is my way of life. If you don't have a better choice, please stick to it longer and keep a very strict journal. The people in this community are willing to help us. DON'T GIVE UP!!!!
Sue K User is Online
Posts:8665
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

11/12/2009 8:41 PM
Congrats, that's great Nevertoolate51! Keep up the good job!

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.

Zone Dinner Party (link)
Nevertoolate51 User is Offline
Posts:26
Aspiring
Aspiring

11/13/2009 10:15 AM
You and CranberryCat have been a big part of my success, answering the same "dumb" questions over and over again must not be easy but I appreciate it and I'm sure many more people do also. I felt very welcome to my new way of life I have a long way to go on the weight loss but I feel that I'm more infomed and I have the tools to meet my goals. Thank you



______________________________________________________________________

When you know better you do better.
Sue K User is Offline
Posts:8665
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

11/13/2009 10:40 AM
NTL 51, questions aren't dumb! :-) Though I've answered some of your questions, you deserve the credit because you are the one who implemented the info into your lifestyle and turned your health situation in a good direction. You're doing great!

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.

Zone Dinner Party (link)
Cranberrycat User is Offline
Posts:5313
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

11/14/2009 10:17 PM
NTL, WOW! That is a huge compliment. It really makes me feel good to know that I helped to make a difference in someone's life. I am happy to be able to play a role. But, I would agree with Sue that you are the one who is doing the work. Keep going!

Cranberrycat

We don't own the earth; we borrow it from our children.


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Dr. Barry Sears, PhD.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.

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.

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.

Why OmegaRx From Zone Labs?

Certified Purity and Proven Potency

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

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  • No company in the worlds runs more tests with IFOS than Zone Labs
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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

 

 

 

 

 

"IFOS – THE TOP GLOBAL PURITY STANDARD FOR OMEGA-3 FROM FISH"

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.

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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  1. Extraction of fish oil
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No farmed fish. No large fish. Pristine waters.

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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

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.

  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
* ND: Mercury concentration below detection limit.

 

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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*
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  • Combats silent inflammation

 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

 

 

 

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