Prevention’s DTOUR diet is said to result in less body fat, lower blood sugar, and boost energy   (Source:  www.prevention.com)

Below is our outline of their program.  For a complete description of the DTOUR diet click on Prevention-Diabetes.

DTOUR Basics

To shed pounds and help balance your blood sugar, follow these rules:

A.  Include foods with calcium, fiber, omega-3s, and vitamin D in your daily menu.
These nutritional superstars–the “Fat-Fighting 4″–work together to balance your blood sugar, boost your energy, reduce inflammation, and help you lose weight. (Meet the Fat-Fighting 4 Super nutrients!)

Fat-Fighter #1: Calcium
Scientists aren’t sure how calcium burns body fat—some believe it reduces the fat-producing effects of a steroid hormone called calcitriol, says Barbara Quinn, RD, author of The Diabetes DTOUR Diet.

What we do know is that it works: Researchers at the University of Tennessee found that obese people who went on a low-calorie diet that contained three daily servings of calcium-rich dairy lost 70% more weight and 64% more body fat than those who ate just one serving of dairy a day.

     Calcium food sources: Fat-free milk and low-fat dairy, spinach, kale, broccoli, and white beans

Fat-Fighter #2: Fiber
Foods high in fiber are nutrient-rich, filling, and low in calories—a combination that makes them weight loss wonders. According to a study done at the University of Minnesota, people who stuck to higher-fiber diets lost 2 to 3 pounds more per month than those who followed lower-fiber diets. Fiber triggers hormones that control appetite, which also helps with weight loss, adds Quinn.

Plus, both soluble and insoluble fiber help control blood sugar: The soluble type dissolves in water and forms a thick gel during digestion, which can interfere with and slow down carbohydrate and glucose absorption in the intestines, explains Quinn. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water. It stays solid and moves quickly through the digestive tract, so intestines have less time to absorb carbohydrates, and blood sugar levels stay even. When Finnish researchers tracked 4,316 men and women over the course of 10 years, they found that the people who ate the highest percentage of cereal fiber were 61% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

     Fiber food sources: Whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice, barley, oatmeal and oat bran, apples, pears, citrus fruits, carrots, beans, and artichokes

Fat-Fighter #3: Omega-3s
New science published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that women who ate a balanced diet including omega-3s lost 1 1/2 more pounds of torso fat than women on the same exact diet but minus the omega-3s.

These healthy fats slow the rate of digestion, which makes you feel fuller longer, so you eat fewer calories throughout the day, says Quinn. “Omega-3s also reduce inflammation, a major risk factor for diabetes, and appear to improve insulin resistance,” she says.

     Omega-3 food sources: Tofu, enriched eggs, shrimp, salmon, tuna, walnuts, flax, and flaxseed oil.

Fat-Fighter #4: Vitamin D
A landmark study from Tufts-New England Medical Center showed that low levels of vitamin D raise a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 46%.

“Researchers believe vitamin D quells cellular inflammation that contributes to diabetes,” explains Quinn. Plus, your body needs D to absorb calcium—and together, they can help fight diabetes: According to the Nurses’ Health Study, an ongoing investigation of more than 83,000 women, those who consumed more than 1,200 mg of calcium and more than 800 IU of vitamin D a day were 33% less likely to have developed diabetes than those taking in less of both nutrients. On the DTOUR Diet, you get 400 IU per day, so include a daily multivitamin that also contains 400 IU of vitamin D.

     Vitamin D food sources: Salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, fortified whole grain cereal, fortified fat-free milk, and Swiss cheese

B.  Eat frequently.
That means about every 3 hours, for a total of three meals and two snacks a day. Eating at regular intervals keeps blood sugar steady, which helps tame hunger, prevent overeating, and maintain high energy levels. Studies show that people who eat less often during the day actually weigh more than those who consume the same number of calories but eat more frequently.

C.  Practice portion control.
Many times it’s not about what you’re eating, but how much, that leads to weight gain. To learn to keep calories in check, pull out a measuring cup and spoons and a food scale, and weigh and measure your meals and snacks following the serving sizes in our meal plan.

More information about the DTOUR diet:

For more information about the DTOUR Diet, to learn about recipes, or to participate in Prevention’s program, click on www.prevention.com.

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