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mslb_32  Posts:0
 Newbie
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| 12/09/2003 3:55 AM |
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| I am so confused!!! I don't really understand how to get into the Zone. Can someone please help me understand how to use the blocks???? :( :( :( :( |
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adam_h  Posts:0
 Newbie
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| 12/09/2003 5:17 AM |
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| Getting into and staying in the Zone means preventing your blood sugar from rising too high too fast. The Zone achieves this by What, How and When you eat; it's not as much a matter of calorie reduction or denial you find in traditional 'diets'.
It seems complicated, all that counting and measuring. I assure you it becomes second nature in no time.
If you don't already understand the "eyeball" method, check out:
[url]http://www.drsears.com/drsearspages/enterthezonepg.jsp[/url]
...from the Zone Tools section of the main page. It's an easier way to get started understanding portion size and matching up macronutrients in appropriate ratios.
You should also have at least one of the Zone books on hand. They all have lists of block amounts of many foods.
Beginners' how-to:
Every time you eat, match Protein, Carb and Fat block for block.
-[b:bf3fd53dc1]One Protein block equals 7 grams.[/b:bf3fd53dc1] That's simply one ounce of meat, chicken or cheese, 1.5 ounces of fish, or 2 egg whites.
-[b:bf3fd53dc1]One Carb block is 9 grams [/b:bf3fd53dc1]of insulin-producing carbs (that means what's left after you subtract the grams of fiber). Best choices are fruits and vegetables, as they have more fiber and more bulk. Poor choices are starches, grains and sugar, as only a tiny portion has lots of insulin-stimulating carbs.
-[b:bf3fd53dc1]One Fat block is 3 grams.[/b:bf3fd53dc1] (The first Zone books say 1.5 grams of fat is a block, but it's been changed to 3). The fat you should add to your diet should be monounsaturated, like nuts, olives, avocados, and their oils.
Read labels to get actual grams of macronutrients for your specific foods, but don't be afraid to round off numbers.
[b:bf3fd53dc1ΩgP, 9gC, 3gF[/b:bf3fd53dc1]. Match them up, one block each for a snack, 3 or 4 each for a meal.
Remember to look at your [b:bf3fd53dc1]Hand[/b:bf3fd53dc1]: Eat at least five times a day. The Protein serving should be about the size of your palm. Don't eat more than 5 blocks (of each) at a sitting. Don't go more than 5 hours between eating. Eat breakfast within an hour. All this regulates your blood glucose and your insulin. It's also helpful to start eating eat your protein and fat portions first, and finish with your carbs. (This slows the carbs' absorption into your blood stream.) And drink a ton of water.
Once you get started you can learn how to tweak your 'hormonal carburetor'. Don't hesitate to use this site and ask questions.
Don't sweat the small stuff. It gets easy. |
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DrSearsWellnessSupport  Posts:0
 Newbie
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| 12/09/2003 5:54 PM |
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| I wouldn't say that the fat blocks have been "changed" If you use a lowfat protein source, you figure that for every block, there is already 1.5 grams of fat contained (i.e. chicken breast) If you are using a fat free protein source, then you will add 3 grams for every block. Simply stated a 3 block meal should contain a total of 9 grams of fat, and a 4 block meal, 12 grams of fat. :mrgreen: |
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adam_h  Posts:0
 Newbie
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| 12/09/2003 7:29 PM |
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| Dear Tech:
I know that. I was keeping it simple for the Newbie.
I didn't mean to imply that Sears "doesn't know what he's talking about." Fat blocks, the concept of 'net carbs', and of course doubling the recommendation of FO are evidence of the evolving study of Zone Labs. |
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Sue K  Posts:8551
 Zone Expert

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| 12/09/2003 9:36 PM |
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| [quote:568226bdc5="adam_h"]Dear Tech:
I know that. I was keeping it simple for the Newbie.
I didn't mean to imply that Sears "doesn't know what he's talking about." Fat blocks, the concept of 'net carbs', and of course doubling the recommendation of FO are evidence of the evolving study of Zone Labs.[/quote:568226bdc5]
Fat blocks should not be included in your statement as being "evidence of the evolving study of Zone Labs" because they have remained the same since the first Zone book (ETZ) was published.
Sue |
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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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adam_h  Posts:0
 Newbie
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| 12/09/2003 10:28 PM |
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| OK, OK. Potato, po-tah-to.
From Zone Food Blocks:[quote:0daa672286]In my previous books, I...set a fat block at 1 1/2 grams of fat to counter-balance the same amount of hidden fat in low-fat protein. When the added fat and the hidden fat...were combined, a total of one fat block of 3 grams...would be acheived. With this book, I am being more rigorous... (p. 10)[/quote:0daa672286]
Hope you're still with us, mslb. |
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appleali  Posts:0
 Newbie
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| 12/10/2003 3:51 AM |
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| question question adam! when you say subtract for fiber what do you mean? i looked for that in the books i have of his. the week in zone, mastering zone and 100 foods. i didn't see that anywhere so i didn't understand what you ment by that. i am very interested to know how that goes. :wink: |
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RBrownson  Posts:0
 Newbie
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| 12/10/2003 5:54 AM |
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| I'm not Adam, but here's a quick answer.
Take your Carbs.
Subtract any fiber.
Voilà! Your Carb count is the sum.
Example:
Food A has 26 g. carbs. and 8 g. fiber.
The carbs you count are 26-8=18 g. carbs, which is 2 blocks (1 block carbs is 9 g. 9x2+18)
This is nice for new foods that are not "on the list". (For example, I enjoy German whole-rye muesli bread, and can zone it this way.) Our bodies cannot digest fiber, so it passes through us. That's why we don't count it.
Don't worry--you'll figure things out the more you try. Don't get stressed. Eventually, this will all be easy. This is a great place to start--the forums are full of info and lots of helpful people. You won't die if you don't have it 100% by tomorrow, but you will feel better the more you zone. Try not to panic--we all made mistakes at first, but everyone finds their own way of doing it, and all of us are living testaments to the fact that it works and it's wonderful!!!
Happy Zoning!
Ronica |
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adam_h  Posts:0
 Newbie
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| 12/10/2003 6:01 AM |
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| [edit: LOL! Ronica beat me to the post. I am Adam, and here's a less quick answer:]
Fair question, AppleAli. From Dr. Sears' latest book, The OmegaRx Zone:[quote:bde096433f]Although fiber (both soluble and insoluble) is technically a carbohydrate, it cannot be broken down into simple sugars, and therefore will have no impact on insulin. On food labls, total carbohydrate content includes both fiber and carbohydrates. Taking this into account, I develped the concept of [i:bde096433f]insulin-stimulating carbohydrate content[/i:bde096433f] for foods. This simply is the total amount of carbohydrate a food source contains minus its fiber content. (p. 254,5 ~ italics his)[/quote:bde096433f]
As I pointed out in my above posts, Zone science is changing (for the better) For example, before his recent concept of insulin-stimulating carb content, Sears' earlier books list cooked broccoli as one cup per block, while the ORxZ says three cups is one block.
This is because more than half the carbs in broccoli are fiber. Obviously, foods with more fiber are better.
Anything with a food label (in the USA, anyway) breaks down the carb content into Dietary Fiber and Sugars. Subtract the grams of fiber; what's left is what you count toward your Carb Blocks.
According to my kitchen's labels, one cup of romaine lettuce has 4 grams total carb, 2 grams of which is fiber. So that leaves only 2 grams of insulin-stimulating carb per cup. In contrast, one slice of white bread has 12 grams of carb, and only half a gram of fiber.
And here's the info from my kid's box of Frosted Flakes (it's his, I swear): Per 3/4 cup serving (ha) there are 28g total carbs. Dietary fiber is only 1 gram. The remainder is 3 blocks of pure sugar.
Got milk? |
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katey  Posts:3
 Newbie
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| 11/19/2008 8:46 PM |
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Sue, I have seen your comments on many topics that I've searched on this site so far. I was wondering why you subtract the fiber grams out of total carbs to then count your carb grams. We called the 1800 number and asked about that calculation and they say that they don't do this in the Zone, though I wish they did! Any thoughts or advice or wisdom would be great! We've been trying to eat in the Zone for over a week now and are both feeling the difference. We were very hungry the first few days but then it got better. I am not true to it all day long (give into pregnancy cravings for a piece of chocolate or a glass of chocolate milk!) But I think it DOES make difference eating this way - I have "reactive hypoglycemia" and it is doing wonders for this blood sugar issue I've struggled with for my whole life, I think. Thanks for your time! katey |
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Sue K  Posts:8551
 Zone Expert

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| 11/19/2008 10:11 PM |
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Hi!
Zone books explain to count only the insulin stimulating carb. Fiber grams are included in the total carb count on nutrition labels but they do not stimulate insulin. By subtracting them from the total grams of carb from any given food, the remainder will be the amount fo insulin stimulating carb.
Congrats on you pregnancy! I'm a new grandma! Note that n Dr. Sears explains in his books that pregnant and nursing women should add one more fully balanced block (1P plus 1C plus 1F) to each meal.
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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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