Q: I'm allergic to a variety of foods and grains. There are only a few vegetables my digestive system can tolerate, and so I've had to substitute basmati rice for half of my carbohydrates for some meals. Does this affect the rate of weight loss significantly? Do you have any suggestions? (I'm allergic to all grains except for millet and white rice.)
A: Part of your allergy stems from an over-active immune system. Adding about 5 grams of EPA and DHA per day should decrease your allergies to a lot of food ingredients. Rice is a very high-glycemic carbohydrate that will increase insulin levels, which in turn will increase the inflammatory response to other food ingredients. You might try replacing one meal a day with a Zone Shake and then slowly add more fruits and vegetables back to your diet.