156. Regularity of Eating
Today’s reading: “The Ministry of Healing” pp. 303b–304.
Three major recommendations come out of today’s reading,
- Regular meals, no overeating, with minimum 5–6 hours between (no snacks).
- Two meals a day are better than three.
- Avoid eating late at night, if you have a sedentary lifestyle it could be fatal.
There is a vast amount of confusing information out there on these three points, but as with most things it is simply best just to do what Ellen suggests. It is worth noting that she often qualifies her tips with things like “some”, “often”, “for persons of sedentary habits”. So not everything applies to everybody. Don’t force it on others and test it out on yourself.
Saying that, in this murky area, there is some science that supports what she says,
Two meals a day (often part of intermittent fasting) seems to help diabetics, weight-loss and Alzheimer’s (at least in mice).
97% of Americans snack. This has consequences for obesity but not as great as the consequences of a high-energy diet overall.
Late-night eating is associated with acid reflux (heart-burn) which can lead to (fatal) esophageal cancer and stomach ulcers.
The vicious cycle of stress increasing cortisol which increases late night ice-cream and chocolate craving which disturbs the circadian rhythm (as cortisol alone does) causing obesity which is tied to fatal diseases such as Alzheimer’s, and diabetes, heart disease.
Note that if you have to eat late, go “nutrient-dense and calorie-light”. In other words, fruit and vegetables.
