How then shall we eat?

Today is Tuesday, January 7th


The topic or question of the day is:

 How then shall we eat?

 We shall tackle this question throughout the year.  Today we will concentrate on timing of food and some problems with schedules.

 The human body does not require particular hours for eating says Sarah Hale.  Considerations are:

  1. If your daily schedule is regular, adopt fixed hours of eating.
  2. When your schedule is irregular, be guided by your appetite.
  3. If you engage in hard, physical labor, you will require more food (some of us with desk jobs are eating in this category).

 Regular work schedules = regular mealtimes and easier planned eating.

 Irregular work schedules (shift work or 12hr. shifts) = grab what you can, when you can for most people.  Appetite should be considered, but often  food is plentiful on late night shifts and our eyes, noses and ‘work’ routines can lead to over-eating.

 Some problems I see in today’s society in regard to food intake:

1.  Many people have broken  “cut off” or “I am full” levers and are over- consuming food and left unsatisfied. 

2.  Many people are eating the wrong kinds of foods that are not satisfying or nutritious so they go searching for something else to suit their fancy. 

3.  The dopamine cycle problem.  Seeking foods to raise our “feel good” level (dopamine) that often leads to addiction.  More and more people want to taste “a party in their mouths” and love all the “purple cows” of the food industry with high “bliss points”.  We will talk about purple cows and bliss points tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

 Tip of the day

 “If you want to enjoy life, pay attention to what you are doing “  – Descartes

 Take action today: 

Pay attention to your appetite.  See if you can avoid a craving today by setting a timer for 1 hour and then drink a glass of water.  If you can’t stop thinking about food after the hour, eat a honey stick (15 calories) or a glucose tablet (15 calories found at any drugstore) and drink a glass of water. 

* If you have diabetes, or high blood pressure, you will need to check your values throughout the day.