I initially followed the Zone plan when Dr. Sears first book came out in the mid 90s. We added fish oil when that book came out. I loved the results, but quit complying for any number of bad reasons. I became very overweight and developed type 2 diabetes and have required insulin for 10 years (totally noncompliant diabetic). I started taking fish oil again about one year ago. I restarted following the Zone diet program 2 weeks ago, and as long as I meticulously follow the plan, I am not requiring any meds for diabetes at all. When I take even a fraction of my insulin dose, I become hypoglycemic. I have always known that I could come off the meds if I only ate correctly, but I never expected it to happen so quickly. I am a nurse, and am being very careful about monitoring my bs during this time. Despite being off of insulin, my blood sugars are almost normal. I had become so insulin resistant that no amount of injected insulin was able to overcome my sugar-laden diet. . I am going to start the P90X Lean exercise program today. As long as I keep up with my blocks and don't undereat, it should go well.
I am pretty intrigued by the new Zone foods--the bread and pasta. I just may try them out. I like the pictures Sue has posted of different Zone meals. She uses alot of the zone pasta and bread. As long as I have cottage cheese, lowfat plain yogurt, string cheese, tuna, salmon, and chicken, almonds, EVOO, and tons of fresh and frozen fruits and veggies in the kitchen at all times, I can do well.
Also, I'm upping the quality and quantity of my FO. Increasing to 4g/day. And will add 1/4 of a baby aspirin.
Health--here I come!

Oh, forgot to add: 1 gm of ceylon cinnamon bark powder in capsule form daily.

Debbie, that's great! I'm very happy from you. Shows how powerful your lifestyle adn habits can be, doesn't it? I've been eatign meals based onn Zone foods since they came out 2 1/2 years ago. It's been fantastic for me. I'm very carbohydrate sensitive (not diabetic), and Zone foods have been amazing for me. I feel better with them than I ever did even with my best Zone meals, and, quite unexpected my me, my blood work showed a change for the better, too. After only a few months of Zone foods, to my surprise my cholesterol lowered drastically. I attribute it to the fact there is virtually no omega 6 in Zone foods. You can check out my results here: http://www.zonediet.com/forums/aft/58048

Keep up the good work!

This is wonderful news! Trying to prevent diabetes is one of the reasons I started this diet - besides losing weight. There are quite a few members of my family with it and some who have died of complications with it. It seems my odds are high I will get it and I'm hoping to prevent that.

Sue, your history with the Zone plan is very interesting to me. Someone who has been doing this long enough to really see results. You lost the weight years and years ago. You have been anti-inflammed for a long time. I'm glad to know that eventually one does not have to take tons of fish oil every day. I don't like to depend on things that I have to order. I'm striving for a self-sufficient lifestyle. Although, paying for FO and Zone foods is less expensive than paying for medications. I'm trying to get set for retirement and living on a fixed income that will not allow for spending much money on things like FO and other products. I grow my own food, including fruits and nuts. I have free range chickens. I'm going to be adding honey bees to my little homestead set up. I don't have any dairy animals, nor do I grow any grains. I hope to be healthy enough by then to be able to tolerate winter storage veggies like potatoes and winter squashes. I only eat meat and milk from pasture-fed animals. I drink raw milk. I believe that what the animals that we eat eat themselves has a big influence on the quality of the meat and milk. I hope that someday Dr. Sears studies this. Industrial agribusiness's love affair with genetically modified and selectively hybridized grains and soy which are used to feed people and animals all across the world has a lot to do with the current state of affairs. I am seriously hoping that, after getting uninflammed, that my body will be able to tolerate small amounts of heirloom whole grains along with a wide variety of other foods.

Debbie,
I also do this for diabetes prevention. Back in the days of childbearing, I had gestational diabetes (and knew only a little about the Zone). So, I am at higher risk of developing diabetes. During my second and third pregnancy, I had been introduced to the Zone and was able to keep my blood sugars under control.

You can definitely stay in the Zone without the products on this site. The fish oil is not necessary for staying in the Zone, but it does provide a great boost to the anti-inflammatory benefits of the Zone. I used to buy the fish oil on this site, but now I purchase it elsewhere, much less expensively, with the same ratios of EPA:DHA. The only other supplements that I take are elemental calcium and vitamin D.

I started with FO using the Sears liquid. I used that for a while, until I could no longer force myself to take it. I now use FO capsules from another source, making sure it is 5 star rated from the agency which evaluates FO. I know the Zone-manufactured foods are not necessary, but I am intrigued, none the less.

Thanks Debbie. Your lifestyle is interesting to me. BTW, fish oil need differs greatly among individuals, and is influenced my numerous factors beyond diet, including your mother's needs, her mother's, and her mother's and right on down the maternal line. Anti-inflammatory dietary practices are very helpful for lowering your level of inflammation, but they will only work for as long as you follow them. To maintian a low inflammation level it's necessary to continue to eat an anti-inflammatory dieteven after you reach the ideal level. The EPA in fish oil dilutes the AA in your body. The less inflammation your diet generates, the less EPA you'll need to reduce your inflammation levels, but the maintenance level of fisgh oil will not be the same for eveyone. For instance, the body of a person with AADD or ADHD degrades fish oil to the extent that these individuals, even when eating a Zone diet, require continuous daily supplementation with anywhere from about 12 to 16 grams of EPA and DHA daily to maintain the same low level of inflammaton that I happen to be ablet to acheive on a much smaller dosage.

Re changes in carbohydrate tolerance, I wish you luck with that, my friend. Maintaining a Zone balance for the past 17 years has not decreased my level of sensitivity to carbohydrate.

several typos in my previous post...sorry! :)