By Nima Y.V., Candok Health Coach @ candok.in —
When to eat is equally important as what you eat.
The idea of eating, what to eat, when to eat and how to eat are becoming tricky in the industrialized world. Nature has given us intuition, instincts and awareness to consciously learn and embrace healthy life. After a newborn has consumed milk for a few months on a hunger basis, human beings develop a master clock based on the day and night cycle. This 24 hour body clock- circadian rhythm sets the timing and regulates several functions including, sleep, hunger and digestion.
Thriving performance and an active young lifestyle demands a lot of nutrition and calories. The general rule is simply to eat on schedule and whenever we feel like eating. This is not an argument for young people but, taking care of health means different things at different stages of ageing. Overcoming such habits and building a routine may be one of the first steps. Most of us, if not all, wish to lead a healthy life. Our commitments and jobs, circumstances and lifestyle plays a major role and influence our health and wellbeing.
One of the first things to focus on in your journey to a healthier life should be to know how the digestive hormones influence your eating and what steps we can take to make sure you are in control of the digestive hormones.
Learning new habits: Basic habits necessary for overall well being
1.A fixed eating schedule:
Should I eat when I am hungry or on a fixed schedule ?
Maintaining a regular eating schedule may help control lifestyle diseases.
Most of the time we find people eating every 3 hours during the day. Getting a schedule for your daily meals helps your body clock (circadian rhythm) release hormones in a predictive way. This also allows you to enjoy the meals. Keeping a regular schedule as much as possible helps your body know when you will be eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you are unable to eat meals on schedule, you may have a quick snack so that you provide enough fuel for your body.
Dealing with a reset- The constructive way: In case if you are eating several meals a day, it is possible to remove the roadblocks and reset your body clock. This internal clock that controls our daily activities including sleep, hunger and digestion can be trained. Training the clock is synchronizing both the meal timing and the internal body clock. Getting to a fixed schedule makes it more predictable, leads to health of organs and optimal performance of mind and body.
2.Slow balanced food; not fast food:
Slowing down and focusing on what you are eating allows you to enjoy the taste, texture and aroma. A balanced diet chewed well and enjoyed, not just prevents hunger but also provides all required nutrients and caloric requirements for the individual. Ingesting food slowly also helps avoid overeating there by preventing obesity and chronic lifestyle conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
3.Timing-An equal priority:
Breakfast: If you are not following an intermittent fasting plan, it is advised to have breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up; this assists in providing the required nourishment for the body.
Lunch: Lunch should be consumed four or five hours after breakfast. If in a situation the meal is delayed more than 5 hours; a healthy snack, preferably a serving of fruits between two meals is highly recommended.
Dinner: As basic as it may sound, it is also recommended to have dinner before 7:00p.m. If you are on a weight loss goal or if you have any chronic conditions, it is better to avoid nighttime snacks. In order to avoid late night snacking you may also want to sleep early. Sleeping early- adequate sleep hours also brings added health benefits.
Having a better eating schedule and good eating habits can help you stay healthier. If work schedule doesn’t permit you to have meals on time or if you have to work on night shifts it may be advisable to find options to nourish your body as per the requirement so that you will be able to maintain an ideal BMI and protect yourself from chronic illnesses.
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Click here to speak to a Candok Health Coach for your personalized consultation.
Candok Health Coach can provide guidance, prepare a customized diet plan, suggest basic physical activity and guide you through your journey to health and wellbeing. If you have any chronic conditions, based on the requirement, the coach will involve your treating physician to monitor and taper medications as required.
Understanding and applying Nutrition Series. Edited by Candok editorial board, Candok Lifestyle. Live Life, Naturally!