Weight loss trends have always been interesting and it’s phenomenal knowing that there are so many aspects to them. A lot of experts have often focused on what you should eat, and how much you should eat. But an essential part of diet plans and charts has been the element of time too. It’s important to know, for instance, that citric fruits should ideally not be consumed at night. Chrono-nutrition is all about fixing time for what you eat, to get the maximum benefits from your diet.
Our body gets accustomed to different clocks that act like rhythms or patterns. For instance, circadian rhythm is all about going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day. Your body gets adjusted to these timings and becomes a habit. Similarly, chrono-nutrition, is a technique developed by Dr Alain Delabos, a French nutritionist and professor Jean-Robert Rapin. However, the practice of following schedules for meals has its origins in Ayurveda (ancient Indian system of medicine), as well as traditional Chinese medicine. The fundamental idea is similar- eating at specific times of the day is important for maintaining good health. And this turns into a pattern that needs to be abided by.
Our body has a master-clock which is known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which takes notice of and manages changes in our body due to changes in behaviour or external environment. It keeps a tab on our heart, liver, and stomach clocks apart from others. Traditionally, your breakfast should be packed with energy, and as the day proceeds, you must move to lighter meals.
Disturbing this regime might not be a good idea. For instance, eating heavily at night, especially fried foods, can cause acidity and weight gain. On the other hand, skipping your breakfast might result in more binging throughout the day, with a rise in blood sugar levels.
There are three important meals once should focus on- breakfast, lunch and dinner. The ideal interval should be about 4 hours, except between dinner and breakfast (12 hours) since the body needs time to break down stored fats.
So, followed diligently, chrono-nutrition can help in managing weight, lowering cholesterol, reducing the risk of developing diabetes, and in better immunity. Make sure you consult a dietician or nutritionist before setting a meal pattern.
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