Night Eating Syndrome

I really understand why most of us are tired after a hard of work. So, after dinner, it’s normal to envy resting and settle in…great idea! It preps our bodies for relaxation and sleep. Unfortunately, if we lie down with a huge belly full of food, we are putting a strain on our system. Now we all go through an occasional night of over-eating, which may not be too much of a problem if it only happens once in a while. However, making it a regular habit is a totally different subject and it’s called Night Eating Syndrome. What is it exactly?

Night Eating Syndrome is defined as eating little to nothing in the morning and throughout the day, and then binging at night (25% to 50% of daily caloric needs) post regular dinnertime, and repeated almost every night. 

The reason behind this behavior is highly linked to emotional eating; eating because of stress and insomnia, sadness and depression, anger and other different emotions that we go through every day. Night Eating Syndrome is not only described as an eating disorder, but as a mood disorder and sleep disorder as well. Many people suffering from this disorder are unable to fall asleep until they give into their cravings for food and start binge eating.

Japan, China, India, the ancient Mayan cultures and many other traditional societies, intuitively knew that eating late at night was not good for our digestive systems. Our ideal digestion requires us to eat earlier, lighter dinners. Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, is that late evening and early morning hours are the time for cleansing and healing the body. If we’re using the body’s energy to digest food (which should have occurred during the active day-time hours), we are depriving this body of precious cleansing time to help fight off disease, as well as heal itself, naturally.

TOP 8 Night Tips :

      1. Eat a moderate breakfast and a heavier lunch. Then a light dinner that still fulfills a healthy emotional “nourishing” component. 

      2. We've all heard of warm milk's magical ability to send us off to dreamland. Do you know why it's true? Dairy foods contain tryptophan, which is a sleep-promoting substance. Other foods that are high in tryptophan include nuts and seeds, bananas, honey, and eggs.

      3. Carbohydrate-rich foods complement dairy foods by increasing the level of sleep-inducing tryptophan in the blood. So a few perfect late night snacks to get you snoozing might include a bowl of cereal and milk, yogurt and crackers, or bread and cheese.

      4. If you struggle with insomnia, a little food in your stomach may help you sleep. But don't use this as an open invitation to pig out. Keep the snack small. A heavy meal will tax your digestive system, making you uncomfortable and unable to get soothing ZZZs.

      5. Brush your teeth earlier! It may sound too simple, but you may find that if you just brush your teeth earlier than right before bed time, you’ll tend to eat less. 

      6. It's no surprise that an evening cup of coffee might disrupt your sleep. But don't forget about less obvious caffeine sources, like chocolate, cola and tea.

      7. Protein, an essential part of our daytime fare, is a poor choice for a bedtime snack. Protein-rich foods are harder to digest. 

      8. When you feel like eating late at night, drink a cup of warm herbal tea with raw honey. Hot liquids are soothing, warming and nourish the emotions.

       REACH YOUR GOALS WITH PASSION...

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That Bloody Diet

You can’t seem to be able to get rid of those extra kilos? You’re getting desperate to get into shape, and fast! Oh! And you heard your neighbor talk about some kind of blood test! It’s supposed to tell you what makes you fat or thin, accordingly to your blood type! Now I understand, the beach is here and we all want to look great, and some may be fed up with the moderate boring type of diet! But do you really think it’s in your blood?

Many of my clients and entourage ask me about the “Blood type” Diet. I investigated about it, who does it, is it approved? What is it? What exactly is the theory behind it, and can we really use it to reach healthy targets?

Here’s the theory:

Peter D’Adamo, a naturopathic physician, contends that the key to good health is eating optimally according to your blood type. His theory is based on potential negative interactions between antigens on blood cells and protein components in food (lectins) resulting in a process of blood cell clumping (agglutination).

Dr. D’Adamo makes a variety of health claims from being better able to manage weight, fight cancer and heart disease, in his book, Eat Right for Your Type . According to the American Dietetic Association, those dietary plans are only based on blood type and does not take into consideration any individual variances.

But here’s where the theory becomes even weird. Because blood types evolved at different times throughout history, we should eat today the types of foods our ancestors typically ate at the time when our blood type was first recognized!
For instance, Blood group O was the first to be indentified 50,000 B.C.; and since that time, hunter ancestors were around, a meat-based diet, high protein diet was followed. That’s why, even today, in the 21^st century, blood O population should follow this same pattern. You can see details of other groups in the table below.

	Recognition	Diet
Blood type O (46% of population)	50 000 BC Hunter gatherers	Meat based diet, high protein diet
Blood type A	Sometime around 15,000 B.C	Vegetarian-based diet.
Blood type B	Around 10,000 B.C traveling ancestors, constantly moving locations.	Varied diet (meat, dairy, grains and vegetables) - omnivores
Blood type AB	Just 1,000 years ago. Transition to modern times.	People with AB group can the foods suitable for both blood group A and B.

 The truth:
Medical experts say there is absolutely no direct link between our blood type and the diet we eat. It is universally agreed that the theory is still considered nonsense until more rigorous studies show otherwise.
Consequently you shouldn’t find eligible nutritionists or dietitians recommending this diet. Unfortunately, many professionals have taken advantage of this “under – study” study to make personal gain, especially when people are constantly looking for odd, strange and uncommon methods!
Many companies in Lebanon are also marketing such blood tests in a distorted image, to be able to sell more! The test is more likely to be recognized at some point in time, as being a Food Intolerance test, our ability to digest foods, and NOT as a “Food Detector for weight loss test”. 
My Nutritionist Opinion:
Almost certainly, this diet will help you lose weight, but this is because each of the diets for the four blood types eliminates specific groups of food such as wheat, dairy or meat products. This can result in poor nutrient intake, thus potentially causing deficiencies. For instance, cutting out dairy products will ultimately lead to poor Calcium intake, which might put you at risk for osteoporosis, while avoiding meat can result in low Iron intake, which can possibly cause anemia and more dangerously muscle loss. Deprivation is not a way out!
I’m really not a fan of this Bloody diet. I think it’s packed with pseudoscience; which means that although the diet gives the impression that it’s based on sound scientific research, in fact, it’s far from that, as it is still considered nonsense, by international organizations like FDA and ADA. It’s mainly about avoiding foods, including nutritious ones often times and that’s where I personally disagree.
My Dietetic Opinion:
Dieting should not be a burden! It’s a combination of positive thinking, sense of achievement on every step (not only final target) and most importantly, giving yourself credit for what you’ve achieved so far!
Dieting is a way of life; it’s learning how to mix bad and good nibbling and never feel guilty about it! It’s about enjoying the healthy side of dieting, not finding it so boring that you have to start all over again, again and again.

The general statements found in Eat Right for Your Type that suggest that all

blood type populations have specific problematic foods in common, are unfounded in the current scientific literature.

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On-the-Job Weight Gain

It’s no secret that sedentary jobs and lifestyles have contributed dramatically to the accelerating obesity rate over the last 20 years. Notice the emphasis put on the word ‘dramatically’. In fact, a study conducted by the University of Chicago in 2001, stated that a worker in a sedentary career may end up with a Body Mass Index 3.3 units superior than a person leading a well active job. This actually means an increase in weight from 60 to 71 kilograms!

Now that you’ve heard the bad news, let’s turn to the good news… Sitting at a desk doesn’t have to mean you’ll be just another statistic! Incorporating these simple strategies into your workday will bring you one step closer to being a healthier, more energetic you. Remember, any physical activity counts!
Now if you're doing your best to set aside time for physical activity either before or after work, good for you. But I understand that finding time to exercise can be a challenge for anyone who has a busy schedule. Why not work out while you're at work? You CAN love your less-than-active job and be fit. All you have to do is:

       1. Be sure to eat; It’s easy to slog through days of meetings, e-mails, and phone calls to find out at 4 p.m. that you haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. Do you know that your body needs the breakfast energy to get you through the day? It’s a priority to have healthy, enjoyable meals—along with 1-2 healthy snacks ( low-cal energy bars, yogurts, fruits or healthy nuts like soya nuts) that will give you a lift without adding to your waistline. Plan ahead and take them from home!

      2. Keep water at your desk; it’ll give your hands something to do when you’re stressed and will divert you from eating when you’re not really hungry.

      3. Look for opportunities to stand; You'll burn more calories standing than sitting. Stand while proposing a project, while reading files, while talking on the phone.

      4. Trade your office chair for a fitness ball; A firmly inflated fitness ball can make a good chair. Improve your balance and tone your core muscles while sitting at your desk. Use it for squats or other exercises during the day.

          5. Pick up the pace; If you’re a Salesperson, a Medical Representative or if you’re involved in a job that involves walking, just do it faster. Keep your chin up, your shoulders straight and remember to breathe freely while you walk.

6. If you travel for work, plan ahead; Walk or bike to work. If you drive to work, park at the far end of the parking lot. If you're stuck in an airport waiting for a plane, take a fast walk. Book a hotel with fitness facilities — such as ellipticals weight machines or better yet a pool.

      7. Choose wisely; Whether you normally go out for lunch or eat in the cafeteria, be conscious about your daily meal choices. Learn how to eat wisely, and notice the light feeling that makes you feel better in mid-afternoon, on all days when you eat healthy.

Make those healthy habits a relatively painless part of your routine. You’ll be surprised how quickly minor changes can improve your energy level and help you get fit. And the results show when you test your body composition, before and then after these few changes. If you make time for you, you’ll find yourself with additional energy that will lower your stress and help you get through life’s challenges. 

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