There are so many diets available to people looking to lose weight that it can be an impossible task trying to sort through them to find something that will work for you. Also, many of them follow a principle of abstinence, rather than moderation, for certain foods. This type of dieting is not only difficult to maintain, but it is also not very healthy. Starving your body of any type of food, whether it is an energy source, such as carbohydrates, or a craving, such as sweets, will cause you to end up binge eating and/or never feeling fully satisfied. The best diet is the one that allows you to eat all sorts of foods in moderation and understands how the human biochemical system works.

Dr. Schwarzbein, and endocrinologist by trade, gained some valuable insight while she was studying her patients and the aging process. She realized that many people were aging improperly as a result of their diet, rather than the natural processes of the body. She came to believe that poor diet was one of the root causes behind obesity, aging, depression, diabetes, and a whole host of other conditions that plague most people.

To combat these issues, Dr. Schwarzbein decided to come up with her own diet and throw out the traditional food pyramid in the process. Rather than worry about the typical food groups, she separates all foods into proteins, fats, non-starchy vegetables, and carbohydrates instead. Dr. Schwarzbein believes that sugars are addictive and as a result she does recommend that you stay away from them whenever possible.

To sum up the diet, she recommends a diet that is high in lean protein (fish, chicken) and healthy fats (olive oil, omega-3′s), while keeping carbohydrates to a minimum. She blames carbs for a lot of insulin and glucagon levels, and correctly so. Unless you are an endurance athlete, a diet high in carbohydrates can wreak havoc on your blood sugar. By keeping this in check, she believes that you will return to a natural hormonal balance and will have natural energy levels throughout the day.

Dr. Schwarzbein also blames increased levels of serotonin from caffeine, alcohol, and sugar for many of your common cravings and overeating habits. Her philosophy is that these foods cause a “high” during ingestion that your body becomes addicted to. When you regulate these foods, your body stops depending on and looking for that high. She recommends cutting back on these so that you can avoid cravings all together, which can keep you from the binge eating, which is often a result of withdrawals from these types of foods.

Her diet is based around a four week program and includes recipes for non-meat eaters also looking to lose weight. She combines a set of solid and healthy recipes with a plan for maintaining your weight loss over time. Her diet uses basic dietary principles, but it is still very effective nonetheless.

If you are looking to find a way to cut through all the crap that is so often associated with fad and trendy diets, then consider the Schwarzbein principle as your next step. If you learn to follow these habits, she claims you will not only lose weight and retain a natural look, but you will also slow down aging and heal yourself from many common diseases and disorders. If you are suffering from something like diabetes, then it might be time to look at your diet and try what the doctor recommends. It certainly can’t hurt, and no one ever complained about slowing down aging and losing fat in the process.