Barry Sears, Ph.D. is a biochemist

Biochemistry

Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...

 (b. June 6, 1947, Long Beach, CA) best known for creating and promoting the Zone diet

Zone diet

The Zone diet is a diet popularized in books by biochemist Barry Sears. It advocates consuming calories from carbohydrates, protein, and fat in a balanced ratio.- Theory :...

, which is aimed at achieving stable blood sugar

Blood sugar

The blood sugar concentration or blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood of a human or animal. Normally in mammals, the body maintains the blood glucose level at a reference range between about 3.6 and 5.8 mM , or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL...

 levels, hormonal

Hormone

A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...

 balance, low inflammation, and good health. As stated in several of his books, the Zone diet was born of his desire to avoid dying of a heart attack

Myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...

, a fate that all other men in his family had been victims of. In more recent years, Sears has popularized the use of fish oil

Fish oil

Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of oily fish. Fish oils contain the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid , and docosahexaenoic acid , precursors of certain eicosanoids that are known to reduce inflammation throughout the body, and are thought to have many health benefits.Fish do not...

 and Omega-3 fatty acids to reduce system-wide inflammation

Inflammation

Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...

in the body. He recently revealed in an interview that he began studying lipids primarily because they were difficult to study.

Publications by Barry Sears

• The Zone: A Dietary Road Map to Lose Weight Permanently: Reset Your Genetic Code: Prevent Disease: Achieve Maximum Performance, Harper Collins, May 1995.
• Mastering the Zone, Harper Collins, 1997.
• Zone Perfect Meals in Minutes, Harper Collins, 1997.
• Zone Food Blocks, Harper Collins, 1998.
• The Anti-Aging Zone, Harper Collins, 1999.
• A Week in the Zone, Harper Collins, 2000.
• The Soy Zone, Harper Collins, 2000.
• 100 Great Zone Foods, Harper Collins, 2001
• The Omega Rx Zone, Harper Collins, 2002
• Zone Meals in Seconds, Harper Collins, 2004.
• The Anti-Inflammation Zone, Harper Collins, 2005.
• Toxic Fats: When Good Fat Turns Bad, Harper Collins, 2008.

• 28 articles in biochemistry, medical, pharmacy, and nutrition journals

• 13 U.S. patents for blood tests, processing chemical compounds, reducing blood pressure, and reducing excess insulin.
• 4 U.S. patents pending for reducing inflammation in the body

External links

• DrSears.com Dr. Sears' home page, includes autobiography, links to Zone diet articles.