The Tony Ferguson Weight Management Diet: an Information Fact Sheet for Community Members

The Tony Ferguson Weight Management Diet: An Information Fact Sheet for Community Members

Overview:
The Tony Ferguson Diet is a weight loss and management diet, which is based on specialized shakes, soups, bars and muesli. The diet is advertised as low GI and low carbohydrate. The diet is designed to induce the individual into a state of ketosis, ‘Ketone bodies are produced mainly in the mitochondria of liver cells. Its synthesis occurs in response to low glucose levels in the blood, and after exhaustion of cellular carbohydrate stores, such as glycogen. The production of ketone bodies is then initiated to make available energy that is stored as fatty acids.’ (Wikipedia, 2012). The individual is advised to consume 2 specialized meals per day along with two servings of fruit, 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of lean meat.

Advice:
Advice to the consumer is that of caution. The human body requires carbohydrates to survive. Many functions of the body require carbohydrates to function effectively. The Tony Ferguson diet effectively induces the body into a mode of starvation, can develop into disease. Ketosis is the desired state of the Tony Ferguson diet, this is where ‘Ketone bodies provide an alternative fuel source during starvation, but when their production exceeds their use, they accumulate in the blood, causing ketosis, a condition that disturbs the body’s normal acid-base balance.’ (Whitney et al, 2011). When the body is in a state of starvation and it is experiencing a lower than required amount of carbohydrates, ‘the body finds a way to use its fat to fuel the brain. It adapts by combining acetyl COA fragments derived from fatty acids to produce an alternative energy source, ketone bodies.’ (Whitney et al, 2011). This state can change the normal pH of the blood. ‘This is ketosis, a sign that the body’s chemistry is going away’. (Whitney et al, 2011). The blood glucose of the human body is maintained by homeostasis and is extremely important for many of the body’s major functions. ‘When a person eats, blood glucose rises. High blood glucose stimulates the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin stimulates the uptake of glucose into cells and storage as glycogen in the liver and muscles. Insulin also stimulates the conversion of excess glucose into fat for storage. As the body’s cells use glucose, blood levels decline. Low blood glucose stimulates the pancreas to release glucagon into the bloodstream. Glucagon stimulates liver cells to break down glycogen and release glucose into the blood. Blood glucose begins to rise.’ (Whitney et al, 2011). Carbohydrates are essential for human nutrition and as such, this extreme diet may cause extremely adverse effects. It is recommended that a varied and nutritionally sound diet and exercise program be implemented and that extreme diets such as Tony Ferguson be implemented only as a last resort and always under medical advice.

Reference List:
Author Unknown, 2012, Wikipedia, Viewed: 11 April 2012, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketogenesis.

Whitney, E. Rolfes, S. Crowe, T. Cameron-Smith, D. Walsh, A. 2011, Understanding Nutrition, 1st Ed, Cengage Learning, Melbourne.

Chosen Diet:
http://us.tonyferguson.com/1448.aspx