Author: Barry Sears, Ph.D.

Publisher: HarperAudio/ReganBooks

Pub. in: January, 1999

ISBN: 0694521167

Pages:  

Measurements: 5.6 x 5.0 x 0.4 inches

Origin of product: USA

Order code: BB00081

Other information:  

The # 1 New York Times Bestseller

The Zone is a new, more thorough, take on an old idea - the paleolithic diet. It isn't a hugely radical idea - just a balanced diet. The Zone advocates eating 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% monounsaturated fat, spread over the course of a day, in order to avoid huge fluctuations in blood sugar and binge/craving cycles. It also advocates eating more fruits and vegetables and less refined sugars and grainy carbs. Unlike other books touting the paleolithic diet, The Zone explains the reasoning behind it and gives specific guidelines to calculating each individuals' dietary requirements. It's also easy to implement with some good 'rules of thumb' - Sears doesn't advocate being fanatical about it.

The premise of the book is simple:

1. Virtually all functions in your body are controlled by a group of hormones called eicosanoids.

2. Hormones work in pairs that counterbalance each other so you don't get too much of any kind of activity in the body.
3. These hormone pairs get out of balance if we don't eat balanced meals, and eat them frequently enough.

4. Dr. Sears figures the best balance is this: figure out your individual protein needs, then eat approximately this ratio at every meal: for every 7 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbohydrate (preferably fruits & vegetables rather than starches), and 1 1/2 grams of monounsaturated fat. He believes this to be the ideal ratio for maintaining balance of your eicosanoids, and thus, all functions in your body.

5. If you follow this eating style, according to Dr. Sears, you will lose body fat and gain muscle mass until you reach your body's ideal balance. Then you will hold steady.

6. Since eicosanoids control every body system, an imbalance may contribute to virtually every problem in the human body, including diabetes, hypoglycemia, insomnia, cancer, heart disease, etc. Therefore, keeping (or returning to) proper balance of eicosanoids is extremely important to all aspects of health. This may sound like an inappropriately sweeping statement, and it hasn't been tested, but it is the logical, inescapable conclusion based on how eicosanoids affect us.

According to Dr. Barry Sears, "The Zone" is "that mysterious but very real state in which your body and mind work together at their ultimate best." Based on Nobel Prize-winning research, this book helps readers reach this state by teaching them groundbreaking nutritional principles. The basic premise is simple: calorie counting doesn't work. Maintaining the correct ratio of fats (yes, fats), proteins, and carbohydrates is what's important.

Designed to take the reader beyond wellness and into truly optimal health, Dr. Sears' life plan helps people lose weight permanently, avoid disease, enhance mental productivity, achieve maximum physical performance, and balance and control hormone and insulin levels. The plan is easy to follow - there are no rigid menus, just clear, sensible guidelines on how to create a personal nutrition program. With sample recipes (such as old-fashioned oatmeal and salmon mousse), a list of good and bad carbohydrates, recommendations on convenience foods, and tips on eating out are also included.

Like most other popular dietary programs, The Zone created a lot of debates among the readers and practitioners. While we believe that this program is sure to yield impressive results if you exercise discipline in following the guide, we suspect that the reason why some people hate it is because they can’t stand the restrictions. And understandably, failure to work through the program sometimes results in misinterpretation.

Target readers: Everyone who cares about their diet, nutrition and health.