I have to tell you my exciting news!  My annual physical is the day after tomorrow and I just received my lab results this afternoon.  A short history for perspective, I'm 58, post menopausal, and in spite of 15 years of strict adherence to all parts of the Zone (including mostly veggies for carbohydrate the past 3 yrs) my total cholesterol, LDL and trig, have been elevated for several years.  I've been anxious to find out the impact of eating Zone foods for last 9 mos., but I was totally blown away when I got the lab results.  They're totally beyond my wildest dreams considering my recent years' history in spite of practicing strict adherence to the Zone.  This year’s insulin results are pending, but I assume they are equally fantastic.  Hopefully they’ll be in by my physical on Friday.  I've been doing the 1-2-3 plan since the end of first week of November 2009, and rarely adding meat to meals in an attempt to eliminate as much omega 6 as I can. 

Wow, I still can’t believe it!    Though I'd been maintining around my ideal body fat% for many years after initially losing 100 pounds, I've become much leaner and further lowered my body fat % since I've been eating Zone foods.

  

Total Chol.

August 1, 2009...215 (228 in June 2008)

July 24, 2010...183 (-32 points since last year)

 

Trig

August 1, 2009...96

July 24, 2010...59 (-37 points since last year)

 

HDL

August 1, 2009...60

July 24, 2010...61 (+1 since last year)

 

LDL

August 1, 2009...136 (145 in June 2008)

July 24, 2010...110 (-26 points since last year)

 

Fasting Insulin

August 1, 2009...3 (3 in June 2008)

July 24, 2010...pending

__________________________________________________

sue

Lost 100 lbs 15 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil. ZoneFast 1-2-3 is the best!

Consultant of Zone Labs

Certified Zone Affiliate

View my Zone Fast 1-2-3 meal photos here:  http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...3%20Meals/

View my classic Zone meal photos here:  http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...4/?start=0

 

Congratulations! I know the sense of relief that comes when you have hard numbers to indicate lower risk of disease!

Thanks xee.  Yes, it's a big relief.  I'm still amazed the changes were so profound, and  that my LDL lowered by approximately 20%, when I had already been eating a very strict Zone diet for many years when I switched to Zone foods and  the 1-2-3 plan.  And to think I had placed my first order for Zone foods more out of curiosity than with any idea they could help me so much.  Thanks again. 

Congrats Sue!!! Isn't it great living knowing that you're extending your own life & quality of life for years?

My blood pressure dropped significantly, it was borderline high, at risk, with a lower number of 79, and now it's rating on a normal active day at 59! That's after 7 weeks of the Zone foods and exercise.

I haven't had my cholesterol checked in years, last time I did, it was like 190, but I have a strong belief that based on my eating and activity, I had likely 220-240 & very high Trig. I don't plan on taking labs until the end of September when I submit for a life insurance physical ahead of the birth of my daughter. I'm getting a big policy and I want my rating to be crazy good low, and the blood labs are pivotal in that. Thank God for this open path to success. I hope more people find success in this the way you have shown here; your work here in helping the community stay positive and informed is invaluable and you really deserve these great results! Congrats and keep it up!!!

Sue, that's fantastic! I'm SO happy for you -- you are truly dedicated to the Zone, and it has really paid off !

Laurie

Sue's dramatic LDL change is due to the quality protein being consumed in her diet for the past 9 months, no AA.
AA is more inflammatiory than saturated fat.

Exactly.  You hit it right on the nose Tech.   The lack of AA in Zone foods is precisely the reason I've decided  to stick with the 1-2-3, plan, and I'll add, a mostly vegetarian version.  That and I love eating this way; it's so easy and delicious.  I have a strong family history of Alzheimer's (my dad, all his siblings and his mom, my grandmother), and I have an inability to tolerate more than an extremely low maintenance dose of Omega Rx (Barry helped me determine my dose of 1 capsule Omega Rx every third day,  a very small amount compared to most people, nowhere near the usual basic 2.5 g dose).  These two facts make it very important for me to keep my inflammation levels low by controlling my AA levels using basically diet and lifestyle alone, since I can't take significant amounts to dilute any excess AA.  To that end, I'm also taking 1/2 cup of Sea Health Plus daily, for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits (also per Barry's advice).  My next AA/EPA test will provide the rest of the picture.  My last an AA/EPA was a couple of years ago and I plan do my next one as soon as the new Zone labs test is available.  

Also, for those reading this who have been following my Zone 1-2-3 Journal postings in the Zone Foods forum, you'll note I have not eliminated all saturated fat from my diet.  In fact, I'm including more (small amounts of) saturated fat in my meals and snacks now than I ever have in all my years in the Zone. 

Another thing I found interesting, I was eating a Vegan version of the Zone for a couple years, about 10 years back, (not an easy task) and these new lab results are even better than those (those LDLs were 115 and 120).  This is the lowest LDL and best overall lipid results I've had in the past 15 years, and probably ever, since I only have results back 1995.  Back  then, at age 42 or 43 just before starting the Zone, my triglycerides were 216 and my HDL was 36 (don't have an LDL reading from then).  
_____________________________________________

sue

Lost 100 lbs 15 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil. ZoneFast 1-2-3 is the best!

Consultant of Zone Labs

Certified Zone Affiliate

View my Zone Fast 1-2-3 meal photos here:  http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...3%20Meals/

View my classic Zone meal photos here:  http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...4/?start=0

 

     

Thanks Steven!  I'm more than happy to share my info here.  At first I was a lurker in the Zone forums 10 years ago, but as I began to quickly realize that my Zone experiences had given me the answers to the questions and concerns being voiced by others, I considered it the least I could to start posting.  It's become my mission to spread the word about the Zone to hopefully help others be able to realize the same results I've experienced.  I'm in awe of the work of Barry Sears, and of the man himself, how he continues to expand and improve upon the Zone, and especially the manner in which he makes his knowledge and discoveries readily availabe to everyone.    

You're right, it does feel great to have the hard proof it's working.  As a cancer survivor it feels even better than great, if that's possible. 

You have much to be proud of Steven.  You've accomplished a lot in only a couple short months and have a lot to look forward to.  Taking your blood pressure back to a good place is excellent. Keep taking Omega Rx.  It's a vasidilator and a powerful addition to your Zone lifestyle in many other ways.  I'm not sure you're if familiar with my high BP experiences.  You can read more about it here: 
http://www.zonediet.com/Community/F...fault.aspx
2.28.09 (look at the12:06 PM posting).

Thanks again, and my best to you and your wife. 

 

Thanks Cran, good to know you are doing well.

Thanks Laurie.   

Honestly, without the discoveries of Barry Sears, I most likely would not be where I am today. 

Hi Everyone,

Last year when I began this thread I wrote that I was blown away by the great lab results I had after 9 months on the Zone 1-2-3 plan. Ditto once again, today, 10 months later (19 months on the Zone 1-2-3 plan). My blood labs form last Saturday show I've improved on the excellent results I had last year by increasing my HDL another 21 points to 82, higher than it's ever been. For those unfamiliar with how to read cholesterol results, with HDL the higher the better. As you read my results and see the increase in total cholesterol from last summer keep in mind that the increase is due to the phenomenal increase in HDL. I've read that the way to make substantial gains in HDL is to exercise more, yet I have not increased my amount of exercie since last year. If anything I've performed slightly less aerobic exercise due to the rediculously high amounts of snowfall we had here this winter. I'm convinced the lack of AA in Zone foods is what has made all the difference. I've been doing the 1-2-3 plan since the end of first week of November 2009, and rarely adding meat to meals in an attempt to eliminate as much omega 6 as I can. And wow, I still can’t believe it! :)


Here are the results I posted in this same thread last year, with this week's added.



Total Chol.
August 1, 2009...215 (228 in June 2008)
July 24, 2010...183 (-32 points since last year)
May 28, 2011...206 (increase due to the significant increase in HDL; this is very good)

Trig
August 1, 2009...96
July 24, 2010...59 (-37 points since last year)
May 28, 2011...58 (-1 since last year)

HDL
August 1, 2009...60
July 24, 2010...61 (+1 since last year)
May 28 2011...82 (+21 since last year)

LDL
August 1, 2009...136 (145 in June 2008)
July 24, 2010...110 (-26 points since last year)
May 28, 2011...112 (+2 since last year, -33 since June 2008)