The way to a person's heart may well be through their stomach — at least according to a recent study. Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that limiting your calories may help slow down the rate at which your heart ages. The hearts of people aged 41 to 65 who ate nutritionally balanced, lower-calorie diets (1,400 to 2,000 calories per day) were found to be more elastic and better able to relax between beats than those who ate a typical Western diet (2,000 to 3,000 calories per day).
Past studies have shown that a low-calorie diet may have other health benefits, too, such as:
lower cholesterol and triglycerides
blood pressure scores similar to much younger people
less body fat
reduced risk of diabetes
That's good news for Zone dieters! While the Zone Diet isn't about counting calories, its prescription for controlling hormones and curbing cravings for unhealthy foods keeps your calorie consumption in check. Zoning your meals also helps control portion sizes and minimizes your intake of refined and processed foods — which also limits calories. So stick with the Zone — your heart will thank you for it.
MEMBERS GET MORE! You'll find hundreds of Zoned healthy living strategies on Dr. Sears Zone Diet Advantage. Join Zone Diet Today!
