The Zone Diet for Healthy Weight Loss and Hormonal Balance
The Zone diet is a favorite of celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Rene Zellweger, Madonna, and Bill Cosby. It is a popular plan that helps thousands of dieters around the world to lose weight. The key to losing and maintaining healthy weight is to stick to a menu that consists of 30 percent proteins, 30 percent fat, and 40 percent carbohydrates. The diet is based on carbohydrates such as whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables, protein sources, and monounsaturated fats. Avocado, almonds, and olive oil are a good choice of healthy fats.
Apart from offering diverse food choices for healthy weight loss, the diet focuses on achieving hormonal balance as to keep the body healthy. Hormonal balance is important for health while imbalance can cause headaches, mood swings, loss of mental clarity, osteoporosis, hot flashes, and loss of muscle mass. The Zone diet is based on the premise that food is a drug, and the meal plan helps to optimize and maintain the body’s proper metabolic function.
A diet that achieves the optimal balance between fats, carbohydrates, and protein allows people to control 3 important hormones – eicosanoids, glucagon, and insulin. Eicosanoids are hormones that control the synthesis of other hormones and signal to the body that inflammation has occurred. An imbalance can cause chronic infections, high blood pressure, stroke, and allergies. Glucagon is a hormone that controls blood glucose and is very important for maintaining optimal glucose levels. This hormone controls the rate at which glucose is produced. Insulin is another major hormone involved in lowering the level of blood glucose. Insulin participates in glucose metabolism and in fat, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism. In addition, the hormone makes the cells in the body more receptive to minerals such as magnesium and potassium.
There are other benefits to being on the Zone diet, including increased energy, reduced risk for diabetes and heart disease, and lower risk of inflammations. People on the Zone diet are less likely to develop vitamin deficiencies, and their intake of vitamin K, E, C, and A is higher than on other diets. This means that they eat foods with more minerals and vitamins. The diet features a combination of non-starchy vegetables, proteins, and foods that contain low amounts of saturated fats. Saturated fats are a risk factor for heart problems, heart attack, and stroke. They are found in products such as butter, cream, high-fat cheeses, and fatty meats. While on the Zone diet, it is recommended to consume foods that contain unsaturated fats. These include polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Foods with monounsaturated fats include seeds, avocado, canola and olive oil, and peanut butter. Foods that contain polyunsaturated fats are soybean oil, corn, flaxseed oil, and fish. Unsaturated fats are beneficial in that they reduce cholesterol levels, decrease cardiovascular risk, lower blood pressure, and facilitate the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
The Zone diet is an excellent choice for people who are looking for a healthy way to lose weight. Apart from helping to maintain the body’s hormonal balance, following this meal plan leads to better mental and physical performance and reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. Other benefits include lower risk for chronic diseases, inflammation, hypertension, and increased blood flow.
The Zone diet is also a great choice for people with poor eating habits. They learn to size up their portions and eat fewer products that are high in sugar. Another advantage is that unlike many low carb diets, people are allowed to consume some foods that are rich in carbohydrates. This is good news for people who can’t live without carb-rich foods.
Finally, this diet is a good option for people who are allergic to yeast, wheat, and grains. Sufferers can maintain a wheat-free plan, thus avoiding complications such as swelling, fainting, difficulty breathing, and other life-threatening reactions.
There are only two disadvantages – the Zone diet is time-consuming, and some people find it expensive to follow. The advantages, however, outweigh the disadvantages, including quick weight loss, a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, and healthier lifestyle.