What is a Healthy Diet?

This is the internet age or era. Information has never been so easy to compile and gather. Whatever subject we wish to know about is right at our fingertips on the keyboard.

This applies to diet as well. All over the internet you see lists of how to eat- "Top 10 Healthy Foods" "Top 8 Foods to Avoid" "How to watch out for trans-fat" etc. In the history of humans, we have never been subject to so much education on what is good dietary practice in regards to eating. Then can someone please tell me why are we in the midst of a heart disease epidemic?

Dr. Barry Sears tries to answer my question with the launching of his new book- Toxic Fat. You may know Dr. Sears as the developer of the Zone Diet (you know, the diet that Jennifer Aniston and Dara Torres, the 41 year old Olympian swimmer in Beijing, both follow. Tiger Woods is also rumored to follow it). Some of you may also know it as the 40-30-30 diet ie when you eat 40% Carbs 30% Protein and 30% Fat.

From Dr. Sears'press release-

Dr. Sears' New Book, Toxic Fat, Explains 'If You're Fat, It's Not Your Fault' Follows His #1 Bestseller, The Zone

Now in Toxic Fat: When Good Fat Turns Bad he shows how our current pro-inflammatory diet has caused the activation of a "fat trap" in genetically predisposed individuals, while at the same time increasing hunger by changing levels of hormones in the brain that now override normal appetite suppression.

"To lose weight and keep it off requires rebalancing of hormonal signals in the brain. These signals have been radically altered by recent changes in the American diet induced by governmental agricultural policies started in the 1970s," Dr. Sears said. "We need to look at foods we eat as powerful drugs that can either reduce inflammation or increase it."

Dr. Sears also demonstrates that the reduction of inflammation can be as simple as 1-2-3. That is for every one gram of fat, you should consume two grams of protein, and three grams of carbohydrates; and you have to do it the best you can at every meal.


Although the "diet" being promoted here sounds similar to the original one, being a big fan of Dr. Sears and his diet for a long time, I am looking forward to reading this book. It should give me a better understanding of his health teaching for heart disease and diabetes.

And I think diet is the wrong word. Diet implies that you have to cut back on foods, sometimes not eating. Actually, in the Zone, one is able to eat more food. Of course- the choice of food is the key.

For more information on the Zone Diet, buy one of Dr. Barry Sears books, not only will you look better, you will feel better too.

However, one thing I have to disagree with is his new slogan "If You're Fat, It's Not Your Fault." Yes, I agree with the premise that some people are more predisposed to being overweight due to genetics. However, if I'm eating a Super Sized Value Meal at McDonald's everyday and sitting on the couch watching TV all night, and then I get fat- Yes, it is my fault.

I believe we as humans have gotten away from personal responsibility with this 'It's not my fault' mentality. Blame everyone except ourselves. Yes, we can't always control everything that happens to us, but how we deal with the hands we are dealt is something we can control. We have a choice of what we eat, just like we have many other choices in life. My father used to compare life as sailing a boat. He said "God sends you the weather, but how you deal with the weather is up to you Captain."