The SOY ZONE - diet that helps balance the body

do you want to live a longer and healthier life? No doubt you've heard that "you are what you eat" and that a nutritious diet is the key to good health.

In this day and age, we are faced with a plethora of conflicting dietary advice and an overwhelming number of food choices. If you avoid all fat, do you still need to worry about calories? Is a high-carb diet the way to go? Or are the high-protein diets the best choice?

You're probably more confused than ever about what to eat. Most Americans don't know which way to turn and, partly as a result of heeding bad nutritional advice, we're in the midst of a growing obesity epidemic--with more than 50 percent of us overweight.

Let's cut through all the nutribabble and focus on one thing: If you balance the foods you eat, you achieve balance in your body, which will lead to a longer and healthier life. And that's exactly what the Soy Zone does: balance carbohydrates, protein and fat. I believe this is the healthiest diet in the world. It creates balance in your hormonal systems and keeps your body running at peak efficiency. You'll feel healthier and will have a lower risk of developing such life-threatening illnesses as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. At the same time, you'll experience more energy and a mental sharpness that will carry you through the day. If you're overweight, the Soy Zone is a perfect way to shed excess fat and keep it off for life.

The Soy Zone is the most advanced of all the previous versions of the Zone, which included meat. The "zone" I refer to is the balance of hormonal systems that occurs every time you eat. The Zone diet is a protein-adequate diet in which you consume about 40 percent of your calories from carbs, 30 percent from protein and 30 percent from (good) fats. For protein, I rely on soy, a natural form of plant protein.

If you're a vegetarian who hasn't experienced the promised benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle--if you keep weight on or are constantly fatigued--this diet's for you. You just have to make some simple adjustments, such as adding soy protein to your diet and reducing your intake of grains. The problem with traditional vegetarian diets is that they rely heavily on grains and starches, with relatively little protein. These diets are hormonally unbalanced because they contain huge amounts of carbs and little else.

Eating a diet based almost solely on carbs causes insulin levels to soar, which in turn causes blood sugar levels to drop quickly. As a result, may vegetarians find themselves feeling sluggish and always searching for more food (primarily more carbs to temporarily restore blood sugar levels). In this vicious cycle, they may find themselves gaining weight and never feeling fully energized.

Within two weeks on the Soy Zone, here are some of the positive side effects you can expect. You'll ...

1. THINK BETTER. By keeping your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day, you'll find you have a better ability to concentrate and won't have that mental haziness that can occur two to three hours after eating a high-carbohydrate meal.

2. HAVE INCREASED ENERGY. Eating more (but not excessive) protein will increase your levels of the hormone glucagon, which enables your body to maintain constant blood sugar levels for mental energy. You'll feel more refreshed in the morning and more energized throughout the day. Afternoon mental slumps will be a thing of the past.

3. LOOK BETTER. You'll probably lose 1 to 2 pounds of fat and about 2 to 3 pounds of retained water--up to 5 pounds--in the first two weeks. The retained water is due to excess insulin levels, which are lowered as you switch to fewer carbs and more protein.

4. FEEL A GREATER SENSE OF WELL-BEING. You'll feel less cranky and moody between meals because you won't experience those sugar lows that make you tired, hungry and irritable. Overall, you'll feel like your life is on an even keel, a sign that your hormones are, too.

5. HAVE FEWER CARB CRAVINGS. On the Soy Zone Diet, you'll be eating fewer calories than you're used to but won't feel as hungry. Resetting your hormonal balance will regulate your blood sugar levels, so you won't be craving carbs for short-term energy.

6. FINE-TUNE YOUR INSULIN LEVELS. Several recent research findings suggest that following the Zone Diet can result in an almost immediate reduction of elevated insulin levels, which is the underlying cause of diabetes and heart disease. You'll think better throughout the day because you will maintain constant blood sugar levels, which the brain needs to sustain mental acuity.

You'll perform better because you'll be able to gain access to your stored body fat and burn it off as a virtually unlimited source of energy. You'll look better because you will lose excess body fat while maintaining muscle mass.

Because soybeans are the only vegetables that contain more protein than carbs, they're the perfect way to get an adequate amount of protein through a vegetarian meal. Soybeans are virtually a complete protein, providing most of the essential amino acids, which you need to get through your diet to stay healthy. Besides being rich in protein, soy has unique properties that help your body maintain steady insulin levels even better than animal proteins do.