Research expert, educator and endocrinologist Dr. Calvin Ezrin created the Ezrin diet as a nutritional response to type 2 diabetes. In the preface of his book "The Type II Diabetes Diet Book," Ezrin identifies insulin control and serotonin enhancement as two principles that create the structure of this diet. Following it, says Ezrin, can increase your health and help you achieve permanent weight loss.
Insulin Resistance
Ezrin considers his diet a novel approach to weight control and reversing the effects of type 2 diabetes. He outlines a condition called insulin resistance, brought on by high glycemic carbohydrates in your diet. These carbohydrates, says Ezrin, cause chronically high blood glucose levels that insulin becomes ineffective at controlling even though your pancreas is producing unusually high amounts. Because insulin plays a role in the production and storage of fat, insulin resistance ultimately leads to weight gain and eventually, type 2 diabetes. Weight loss via a low calorie, low carbohydrate diet combined with aerobic exercise, can reverse this condition.
Serotonin Depletion
Serotonin plays a role in weight gain, according to Ezrin, when chronic stress and the effects of low calorie diets cause your body to use all available stores and become serotonin deficient. Once this happens you begin having trouble sleeping and often start craving carbohydrates. Satisfying your carbohydrate craving temporarily raises serotonin levels as insulin assists in transporting tryptophane, an amino acid required for serotonin synthesis, to your brain. As serotonin levels once again begin to fall, carbohydrate cravings return. The only way to restore serotonin to normal levels, according to Ezrin is with regular, deep sleep.
Features
The Ezrin weight loss diet features two parts. The first addresses insulin resistance via your diet, and the second addresses serotonin deficiency via medication. The diet reduces your calorie intake to 1,000 calories per day and your carbohydrate intake to 35 to 40 g per day. In addition to achieving weight loss by calorie reduction, low carbohydrate consumption reduces insulin to a level where your body goes into a state called ketosis. Ketosis, says Ezrin enhances weigh loss efforts as it leads to decreased appetite and mild naturesis, or increased sodium output via your urine.
A mild antidepressant medication called trazodone is the method Ezrin advocates to achieve deep sleep. Trazodone, says Ezrin, is a serotonin modulator, capable of boosting serotonin levels enough so that you can get to sleep and stay asleep long enough for the natural process of serotonin restoration to occur. As your sleep improves, you gradually reduce your nightly dosage until you completely stop taking the drug.
Role of Exercise
Aerobic exercise is an additional requirement of the Ezrin diet. Although any form of aerobic exercise, including biking, swimming and aerobics classes is beneficial, the Ezrin diet recommends a daily walk as the form of aerobic exercise. This will not only assist in weight loss, says Ezrin, but also help keep blood pressure under control and increase cardiovascular health.
Considerations
The extreme low calorie, low carbohydrate content of this diet can lead to nutrient deficiencies. To ensure this does not occur, Ezrin recommends that you take a multivitamin and calcium supplement each day.
Member Comments