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Summary: Works for athletes, too
Review: I'm 35 and bought a copy of the Anti-Aging Zone for my parents. They loved it and I got a second copy for myself. I've always been in decent shape, but I've seen some stunning changes in the last two months. I'm about 30% stronger and considerably faster. I've lost about 12-15 lbs of fat and have gained about 5 lbs of muscle. The serious athletes among you might want to use the Zone and supplement with glutamine and creatine (both essential amino acids which are shown to increase lean/fat ratios). Dr. Klatz's book on HGH is a good companion to the Zone series. When there is a disagreement between the two, I've usually found the Zone to be more accurate. I've seen some other strange effects from being in the Zone, like grey hairs being replaced by brown ones and a marked reduction in muscle soreness after workouts. This is a great book to get for your parents, if you want them to be around for a long time. I'll be first in line for Athletes in the Zone, if Mr. Sears ever gets around to writing one.
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Summary: This is the book Sears should have written in the 1st place.
Review: I've read the other books and thought well maybe but after reading this one I'm a believer. It has new information and research that make his theory much more convincing.
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Summary: Difficult, but essential reading
Review: If you're just starting out on the Zone, this book 's definitely not the one to start out with (get Mastering the Zone.) In fact, one should also read the original Zone book as well before embarking on The Anti-Aging Zone. But, for those who are well-versed with Zone's eicasanoid theory, this book is a definite must for all ages. Anti-Aging Zone is essentially an introduction to endicrinology that specifically elucidates the roles of insulin, cortisol, growth hormone, testoserone and other hormones, how each affects the aging process, and how each is affected by your diet. Moreover, it discusses how the new drugs (DHEA, Viagra among others) affects you on a hormonal level. Needless to say, there's ALOT of science here, but Sears manages to organize it in such a way that the reader can absorb the gist of the whole book without necesarrily understanding everything the first time. Of course, rereading each section will help greatly, but it's not an obstacle to making the book useful. Athletes, especially bodybuilders, will benefit from this book too, since the 4 above mentioned hormones are critical to building muscle. All in all, the Anti-Aging Zone, provides the solid science that alot of faithful Zoners have been waiting for years.
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Summary: Live Well or Die Gruesomely--your choice
Review: Techically, not a "Diet" by a system to moderate your "autocrine" hormones. It made the difference between my wife having moderate asthma to no asthma (ongoing 14 months). But it's more than that. If you would like to choose to maximize the likelihood of not getting the major civilization diseases, i.e., heart attack, stroke and cancer--read this book. If you want your brain to last as long as your body--read this book. Your choice: live well or die gruesomely.
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Summary: Live Well or Die Gruesomely--your choice
Review: Techically, not a "Diet" by a system to moderate your "autocrine" hormones. It made the difference between my wife having moderate asthma to no asthma (ongoing 14 months). But it's more than that. If you would like to choose to maximize the likelihood of not getting the major civilization diseases, i.e., heart attack, stroke and cancer--read this book. If you want your brain to last as long as your body--read this book. Your choice: live well or die gruesomely.
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Summary: Layman's explanation welcome
Review: Thanks to Mr. Sears for the insights in explaining to the layman the intricacies of the body's hormonal functions and the aging process. For those of us who wish to accept our years and get on with it, I recommend Grace Lee's no-nonsense best seller -"On The Way To Over The Hill; A Guide To Aging Gracefully.
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Summary: I want to order a dozen paperbacks for all my aging friends
Review: There is a lot of pseudo-science out there. This one's for real. The problem with the world today is nobody accepts what you say but everyone swallows what you write. Check it out for yourself. When your hair gets thicker and you have to cut your nails twice instead of once a week then you know something is happening. Fat is good for you. Just remember: No pizza No pasta No noodle No rice No bread No noodle No pizza No rice It's a simple diet and you'll live never to regret it.
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Summary: The best Zone book to read
Review: This is Barry Sears' most technical book so far about the biological principles behind his Zone diet. He describes biological markers of aging and mechanisms of aging. He also gives a short course in hormones, which are strongly involved in aging. Sears explains his anti-aging pyramid, which consists of meditation, moderate exercise and his Zone diet. Unlike the US Department of Agriculture food pyramid, which put bread, grains and starches at the bottom, to be eaten in big amounts, Sears' pyramid puts these at the top, to be eaten very sparingly, to reduce insulin secretion. Insulin is so important to his Zone diet that he devotes an entire chapter to its effects on the body. He also devotes a chapter to cortisol, a hormone important in stress reactions. Plus, he has a chapter about eicosanoids, which are hormones that are very important in coordinating important body functions. Insulin strongly affects the output and mix of eicosanoids. Since maintaining the correct amount of insulin in one's body is fundamental to his Zone diet, Sears gives a list of 14 different signs that one has the right amount and kind of eicosanoids active in one's body. These signs consist of such varied things as hair strength and texture, appetite for carbohydrates, length of time of appetite suppression between meals, sleeping time and grogginess on awakening. If all of these 14 different signs have the right status, it's an indication that one has had the right amount of insulin in one's body recently. Sears ranges widely enough to get into trouble. For example, he recommends Coleus forskohli as an anti-cancer agent. Actually, it's catnip for some kinds of cancer.
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Summary: Dr. Sears does it again
Review: Yes, Barry Sears again ties together how hormones interact and what they do to you. If you liked 'Enter the Zone' you will like this one too. This doesn't cover how to do the Zone diet (See Zone Perfect Meals in Minutes instead) but does give much more information on different hormones and their affect on health (including our nemisis insulin ;). Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, though.
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