Hello everyone! I've been following the zone for over a year now. In that time, it seems my immune system is working in high gear! I have yet to truly succom to illness. For example, I have noticed that I'll occasionally feel the beginnings of a cold, for example...with things such as slight achiness, slight nasal congestion, slight chills, just that beginning stage of "uh-oh...I hope I'm not getting sick", 'ya know? But over this past year, as I keep my diet in the zone, I fight these illnesses off really quickly!...usually within 24 hours! I was even feeling like I was coming down with something this past Friday....by Saturday morning, I woke up and even forgot I had been feeling that little bit sick the day before until my mother asked me how I was feeling. This has even happened for me when all the others in our household were not in the zone and were holding on to illnesses. Believe me, I've definitely had exposure in caring for my two young children! More recently, I've been working to keep my 5 year old daughter's diet closer to the zone also. A few weeks ago, she seemed to be really coming down with a cold (runny nose, sneezing, looking kind of miserable) so I made sure that she was even closer to the zone over the next few days. Amazingly, within a couple of days her cold symptoms had disappeared! She was really surprised too!...and said "Mommie, why didn't my cold last very long???". I said "It's because you're making good choices and eating healthy foods...you're helping your body to fight those cold germs!...and it worked didn't it?" She agreed. I feel it must be from a combination of these three things: 1. keeping insulin/BS levels on an even keel 2. the amount of vitamins consumed in the zone through fruits and vegetables, etc....My daughter and I (and husband) do now take a multivitamin too. Furthermore, I've taken multivitamins daily in the past (before the zone) and had been through many long and drawn out colds, etc. so I don't think this is the sole reason by any means. 3. the balance of good and bad eicosanoids the zone diet strongly contributes to (I do now also take PGFO) but my 5 year old daughter does not. Anyone else with similar experiences? :D starz

[quote:9ff6085426="starz"]Hello everyone! More recently, I've been working to keep my 5 year old daughter's diet closer to the zone also. A few weeks ago, she seemed to be really coming down with a cold (runny nose, sneezing, looking kind of miserable) so I made sure that she was even closer to the zone over the next few days. Amazingly, within a couple of days her cold symptoms had disappeared! She was really surprised too!...and said "Mommie, why didn't my cold last very long???". I said "It's because you're making good choices and eating healthy foods...you're helping your body to fight those cold germs!...and it worked didn't it?" She agreed. I feel it must be from a combination of these three things: 1. keeping insulin/BS levels on an even keel 2. the amount of vitamins consumed in the zone through fruits and vegetables, etc....My daughter and I (and husband) do now take a multivitamin too. Furthermore, I've taken multivitamins daily in the past (before the zone) and had been through many long and drawn out colds, etc. so I don't think this is the sole reason by any means. 3. the balance of good and bad eicosanoids the zone diet strongly contributes to (I do now also take PGFO) but my 5 year old daughter does not. Anyone else with similar experiences? :D starz[/quote:9ff6085426] The zone is about keeping insulin levels on an even keel but a 5 year old would not fall into this catagory so the zone would have nothing to do with your 5 year old's immune system fighting colds and the zone cannot be credited. Daily multi vitamin/minerals are not strictly a part of the zone program. Taking multi vitamin/minerals has been encouraged for a century before the zone so the zone cannot be credited. Eating fruits & veggies has been encouraged for a century and more before the zone program so the zone cannot be credited.

I've experienced the same. Prostaglandin E1 has stong anti-viral properties, and increasing its levels by reducing dietary glycemic load can be beneficial in warding off illness--even in five year olds.

In regards to Tubarao's post, we all know that eating fruits and veggies with vitamins has been credited pre-zone, but few non-zoners eat the amount of f&v we zoners do. Multivitamins have been credited by non-zoners too, but that does not mean the zone is invalid. Is this a shark? Sounds pretty skeptical to me. Maybe the lack of excess starch to soak up and hold on to all those cold germs is the real hero! ( :lol: How's that for a non-scientific load of bunk?) Maybe better overall health, and the fact that your body doesn't have to work so hard to try to regulate its own insulin levels leaves it more strength to fight newly-introduced germs? Whatever it is, it's working, and that's wonderful. Congratulations! I have noticed stronger resistance to colds, but I think it's more likely my 7 years of teaching elementary school that has built up my tolerance--but if anyone wants to claim it's the zone, go ahead. I don't mind. :wink: Ronica

<The zone is about keeping insulin levels on an even keel but a 5 year old would not fall into this catagory > Were this true childhood obesety would be non existant. Insulin level is critical at all ages (But response increases with age) White Light

I have been zoning for over 1-1/2 years and colds don't knock me down at all anymore. They are never severe enough to make me skip workouts, stay home from work, carry around my own personal box of kleenix, etc. So yes, my experience is the same as yours. ---Kate

No doubt about it for me. Just 3 weeks ago a particularly virulent cold/flu was making the rounds in our school, and it was knocking people out of action for up to a week (one peer--a former Ironman competitor--was out for 10 days). I felt the bug doing its best to multiply and get a foothold in me, and I felt positively rotten for all of one day. That night I dosed w/ a few more capsules of fish oil and got over everything w/in 2 days. That's been my experience for the last several years, and I can tell you that--prior to the Zone--my immune system was a constant mess.

We've had 3 rounds of a nasty cold and intestinal virus make the rounds in my company over the past 2 months with most everyone having to take a few days of sick time due to these illnesses. I completely bypassed the intestinal bug. The cold barely made it's infection known with just a bit of a sore throat and stuffy nose for about a day and a half....then it was gone. The guy I share an office with was miserable with both illnesses and I'm thrilled that this stuff just zips on bye! Jim

Thank you for all of the great responses. I'm glad to hear there are others out there with similar experiences. Aren't we just lovin' it???? :D :D :D One thing I know for sure...I have so much more respect for good nutrition than I did a little over a year ago... (not that I didn't respect it then...I just have a much deeper understanding and appreciation for it now :) ) Anyone else out there feelin' so fine? :lol: Happy Zoning! :-) Starz