- Healthy Living is a life style. It is about the hair and skin care you use, natural solutions you select to clean and take care of your home and garden, and last but not least the food you eat. If you travel often, food may be key to beating the effects of jet lag.
- Dr. Makoto Akashi and a team of researchers at the Research Institute for Time Studies in Japan’s Yamaguchi University to show how insulin levels can affect our circadian sleep rhythms.
- According to EndrocrineWeb, “Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that allows your body to use sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates in the food that you eat for energy or to store glucose for future use. Insulin helps keeps your blood sugar level from getting too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia).”
- Circadian rhythms are party responsible for our alertness, sleep patterns and the timing of other physiological processes.
- Our internal clock activates our genes at the right times of the day, so we can adapt to the rotation of the earth.
- “Chronic desynchronization between physiological and environmental rhythms not only decreases physiological performance but also carries a significant risk of diverse disorders such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, sleep disorders, and cancer,” explains Dr. Makoto Akashi from Yamaguchi University.
- The circadian clock is composed of two main areas. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the first part is controlled “a part of the brain called the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN), a group of cells in the hypothalamus that respond to light and dark signals.” Our brain processes light and dark and helps you feel sleepy at the appropriate time.
- The second area of the circadian clock, which is less understood by scientists, is the area that responds to food. Akashi and his team conducted experiments with mice and tissue cultures and found that the release of insulin after eating may help reset the circadian clock. “Insulin-mediated phase adjustment of the clock in feeding-relevant tissues may enable the synchronization between mealtime and tissue function, leading to effective digestion and absorption,” Akashi says. “In short, insulin may help the stomach clock synchronize with mealtime.”
- This research shows that our circadian clock can be manipulated and the effects of jet lag can be cut short through dietary practices.
- This study is very important and can benefits those who travel often in different time zones.
- “For example, for jet lag, dinner should be enriched with ingredients promoting insulin secretion, which might lead to a phase advance of the circadian clock, whereas breakfast would be the opposite,” says Dr. Akashi.
- These dietary changes might not work well with those who have insulin resistance, a common symptom of type 2 diabetes.
- Please consult your health practitioner before changing your diet if you suffer from insulin resistance or diabetes.
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- Note: None of the information in our website is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. The content on our website is for educational purposes only.
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- REFERENCES:
- 1. “The Role of the Endocrine System in Feeding-Induced Tissue-Specific Circadian Entrainment.” Cell Reports. Cell Reports, 10 July 2014. Web. 14 July 2014.
- 2. “What You Eat May Affect Your Body’s Internal Biological Clock.” EurekAlert! Cell Press, 10 July 2014. Web. 14 July 2014.
- 3. “What You Eat May Affect Your Body’s Internal Biological Clock.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 10 July 2014. Web. 14 July 2014.
- 4. “Food Influences Body Clock and May Ease Jet Lag.” News Scientist. News Scientist, 11 July 2014. Web. 14 July 2014.
- 5. “What Is Insulin?” EndocrineWeb. EndocrineWeb, n.d. Web. 13 July 2014.
- 6. “Insulin Basics.” American Diabetes Association. American Diabetes Association, n.d. Web. 14 July 2014.
- 7. “Sleep Drive and Your Body Clock.” National Sleep Foundation. National Sleep Foundation, n.d. Web. 14 July 2014.
