These chemical reactions are fed solely by our nutrition intake.  If you do not consume a nutrient, & thus it is not present when required by the chemical reaction / system function, the system function calling for that nutrient will fail or be compromised.

None of the 'evolving pop diets' ever made any sense to me.  But marketing and pop media has convinced millions of people that proper nutrition was unimportant and that fad diets are the way to go.

Our bodies are complex machines, machines comprised of millions of cellular chemical plants. 

1. The purpose of food / nutrition is to fuel the millions of internal cellular chemical reactions taking place in your body at this instant .. & simultaneously at all instants throughout your day.. 

2. These are the chemical reactions that determine your energy, your healing, your cognition, your mood, your immune response ..  your health

3. Food choice DEFINITELY effects the day to day function of your human machine.

4. Food choice DEFINITELY  effects how your feel.

   1. The proper nutrients present simultaneously are necessary for optimal function of YOUR human machine.

   2. The human machine operates best when ALL the proper materials for function and repair are provided by proper nutrition.

   3. Pop diets often restrict certain necessary nutrients.

   4. & ultimately nutrition directly effects the longevity of the human machine in which you reside.

• NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating meals that include all ingredients known to improve cardiovascular health could add years to your life, according to a new study..

• Boston, AP, March 5, 2005.  The link between obesity and cancer is well established, the American Cancer Society's adoption of the cause marks an escalation of the war on obesity

• March 25, 2005. Researchers with Veterans Affairs and the University of California at Los Angeles found that a diet high an omega-3 fatty acid found in relatively high concentrations in cold-water fish dramatically slowed the progression of Alzheimer's disease in mice.

• August 14, 2005: A new study conducted by researchers at The University of California Irvine suggests that folates or B-vitamin nutrients found in oranges, legumes, leafy green vegetables and folic acid supplements are more effective in limiting Alzheimer's disease risk than antioxidants and other nutrients.

• Many hormones are formed from lipids, fat.  Testosterone & estrogen are fabricated from cholesterol.

• DALLAS, March 4, 2005 : Cholesterol, maligned for its role in heart disease, is needed for healthy cell membranes and for anchoring cell signaling pathways, say Texas scientists.

  • Dec 17, 2004  http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=340254

What's good for the heart is good for the brain.

People can delay and perhaps even prevent Alzheimer's disease by taking steps like eating low-fat diets rich in antioxidants, maintaining normal weight, exercising regularly and avoiding self destructive drug addictions, including smoking and excessive drinking.

An underlying premise of this program is that humans require at least as much 'input attention' as a car.

We 'understand' that our cars need special fluids and inputs for proper operation.

unleaded gas & 30 weight oil & water  & clear brake fluid & red transmission fluid & thick axle lubricant & green antifreeze & dangerous battery water & tire pressure, front - rear, alignment, front - rear  & head lights, low beam -high beam & cruise control & tail lights-turn lights-brake lights

& proper CD ( cassette?  satellite? ) music w/ 4 ( 8? )speakers for optimization .. 

et al in our beloved cars ..

But often we do not consider the proper ingredients necessary for our own cellular chemical reactions / bodily functions.

The Healthy & Hormone Friendly diet we recommend has plentiful protein, sufficient GOOD fat & moderate carbohydrates.

• Eat sufficient protein, lots of vegetables & fruits and minimal processed ( sugars / white bread ) carbohydrates. 

• No magic diet is suggested here ..  just intelligent, planned & scheduled nutrient consumption.

• Including sufficient protein & good fat / oil is conducive to tissue / muscle growth, proper hormonal secretions, optimized cognition and mood.

Especially low on processed  (= high glycemic index) grains & sugars.

In Registered Nursing School, (seems like 19th century, when 3x5 index cards = computer database. LOL) while we were taking classes in nutrition we were also taking microbiology, organic chemistry + anatomy & physiology. 

We studied the complex nature of the human body & the many nutritional ingredients required for proper metabolism and effective cellular replication. 

The Krebs cycle, ATP, ADP, the mitochondria, the permeability of the cell membrane and countless other details that seemed like busy work at the time.  However this knowledge of how the body actually functions has allowed me to look at nutrition as a real science not an abstract concept.

The fact that the classes on nutrition were mixed with courses on microbiology + anatomy & physiology provided credence to the principles of science in nutrition.   

A nutritional philosophy focusing on nutrient dense unprocessed food with vitamin supplementation has been the basis of a proper diet for most of this author's life. 

As we enter for the 21st century, science at the cellular level has complicated much of previous nutritional philosophy.

August, 2004: High-carb diets may increase more than just waistlines. New research suggests they might raise the risk of breast cancer. Women in Mexico who ate a lot of carbohydrates were more than twice as likely to get breast cancer than those who ate less starch and sugar, scientists found.

November, 2004  WASHINGTON (AP) - A multiyear study involving more than 100,000 participants provides added support that eating lots of fruit and vegetables is good for the heart.  The research team studied 71,910 females in the Nurse's Health study and 37,725 males in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The research began in the mid-1980s and the report followed the participants until 1998.

We recommend stacking nutrients & FOOD! & Physiologically Optimized Exercise

  Healthy food combos ward off disease & infirmity.

• Example: Eating tomatoes and broccoli together may offer better protection against cancer than eating either alone.

  • Both are known to contain cancer-fighting chemicals & when put together they interact to maximize the effect.

  • Dr Erdman, professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois, presented his findings at a US conference on food and cancer. July, 2004.

    • "Separately, these two foods appear to have enormous cancer-fighting potential. Together, they bring out the best in each other and maximize the cancer-fighting effect," Erdman said.  
• In a Harvard study at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. 13,388 nurses were evaluated comparing long-term eating habits & current status over 10 years.
  • Researchers found that women in their 60s who ate more cruciferous and green leafy vegetables than other women went on to show less overall decline over time on a bundle of tests measuring memory, verbal ability and attention.
    • Such foods include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, romaine lettuce and spinach.
      • Ice Berg lettuce salads are better than Jell-O .. but not much else.
      • Use Romaine, Spinach or Cabbage for salads.
    • Those who had habitually eaten the most of the green leafy vegetables showed less decline than those who had eaten the least.
• The studies all ''add to the growing understanding that we may be able to reduce our risk of Alzheimer's by changing our lifestyles -- losing weight, changing our diets and staying mentally and socially active,'' said Marilyn Albert, who chairs the Alzheimer Association's Medical and Scientific Advisory Council.

• The microbiology and physiology of  tissues at the cellular level documents the complex nature of providing the cells the needed raw materials through proper nutrition and supplementation. 

• The numbers of specific nutrients that must be present in the body, simultaneously, and in the proper ratios is phenomenal for the millions of chemical reactions that are occurring constantly &  simultaneously in our bodies 24 hours per day.

• The exact nutrients necessary for optimum function change throughout the day.  

  • Our hormonal & physiologic needs change with activity and time of day ( circadian rhythms ).  

  • This is why we offer different secretagogue stack formulations depending on time of day & situation.

• "High Glycemic index Carbohydrates are HGH's enemy" could be our slogan!

  • The high blood sugar that results from 'high glycemic index carbs' ( sugar & processed grains ) diminishes the bodies need for HGH & thus reduces the natural secretion of HGH.

  • High glycemic index carbs send our bodies into a hormonal flux nightmare. 

  • Many body systems react to increased blood sugar. 

  • This type of food tends to be non nutritious & detrimental to hormonal health.

This diet is simple.  Eat sufficient protein, lots of vegetables & fruits and minimal processed carbohydrates.  No magic, just intelligent, planned & scheduled nutrient consumption.

Both of my favorite nutrition experts, Dr. Sears and Dr. DiPasquali, recommend a lower carbohydrate diet than recommended in the FDA food pyramid dietary model! 

Both experts recommend a higher protein, higher fat and lower carb diet than is currently being exposed by many of the government / FDA / Department of Agriculture "experts".

• I do not agree  with Dr. Atkins nutrition program, but I agree with this statement.  

  • DR. ROBERT ATKINS: "It's countered to the misinformation that the American Heart Association has been putting out. Just look at a package of Fruit Loops and you will see the American Heart Association's seal of approval on that box, and that's a junk cereal that's full of sugar, has nothing in it besides sugar and starch, and the American Heart thinks that's good. Yes, I'm very, very proud to take a position quite contrary to theirs."  

  • Dr. Adkins has quite a few disciples, however anyone who is an advocate of eating the "Fried Pork Skin / Fat" and little vegetable matter is difficult for me to endorse !

• Dr. DiPasquali's diet allows you to 'lowish carb'  for 5 or 6 days per week & "reasonably binge", :-) , on what ever you want for one or two days.  

  • This will make sticking to a "diet" easier & will eliminate the over whelming cravings that can dominate your sub conscious hunger center.

  • This 'breaking' of the 'low carb' diet will also serve to 'reset or raise' your basal metabolism.

• Your weight goal ( gain, lose, maintain ) will necessarily regulate optimum caloric intake! 

The Barry Sears, Zone Diet is the first pop diet that has made any sense to me.  The Zone diet recognizes that protein, essential fatty acids, and essential nutrients are necessary for a healthy existence.  This concept has been ignored by most previous pop diets.  The Zone diet recognizes that consumption of nutrient dense, unprocessed food is an intelligent diet.