Everyday I am trying to figure out why certain meals don't work for me which is just about every one I eat. I haven't been counting blocks of fat when I eat chicken, fish or turkey and I have been adding extra fat and lowering the carbs. Should I be counting the fat in the meats mentioned? I always just count them as protein.

I am taking fish oil and Seahealth Plus but I really don't know how much I need. When I go to get blood work, what tests should I ask my doctor to check off so that I can possibly balance everything out better?

Thanks!

Hi kimberly,

If you're counting grams you would want to have a minimum of 3 grams of fat for each balanced block; that's a minimum or 9 grams of fat in a 3 block meal. Count the fat in your protein source plus any fat you add to the meal, to achieve these amounts. Remember that 1. You do not need to be specific to the gram, and 2. It's better to err on the side of a little extra fat than not to have enough. The block method takes into account that there is fat in the protein block (if fat free protein is used, double the number of fat blocks you add). The plate method will also yield enough fat as long as you stick with low fat protein sources. Zone foods already contain the fat you need, and you can add a little extra here and there to meals without negative impact to your weight loss.

The fasting insulin blood test (not to be confused with fasting glucose) will indicate whether your insulin is within the range of the Zone. A result of 5 or under is the ideal (above 10 is out of the Zone). In lieu of that you can use fasting triglycerides divided by fasting HDL as a substitute marker for how well your insulin is being controlled (anything less than 2 is good).

As for how much fish oil you require, you can determine it by having the AA/EPA test (available from specialized labs) and addressing your specific inflammation levels, or by following the suggested dosages in TOXIC FAT. The amount of Omega Rx you'd take daily depends upon your degree of wellness. It's explained in TOXIC FAT as follows (grams refer to total amount of EPA and DHA combined).

To maintain wellness, 2.5 g/day (4 caps; 1 teaspoon liquid).

For overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes, or before starting a diet, 5 g/day (8 caps; 2 teaspoons liquid).

For chronic pain, 7.5 g/day (12 caps; 3 teaspoons liquid).

For existing neurological conditions 10 g/day (16 caps; 4 teaspoons liquid).

As for Sea Health Plus, the dosage people take varies from 1 capful to as much as 1/2 cup daily, depending upon their specific circumstances.

Last, anytime you'd like to post a detailed food and exercise diary, including timing and how you feel 4 hours after each meal, I'll be happy to offer suggestions to try for improving your results. A tip, some medications, can interfere with the Zone by elevating your blood sugar and insulin levels. Beta blockers and some diuretics are common ones. Hormone replacement treatment can also make it difficult to see results.



Good luck!