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Why When We Eat May Be More Important Than What We Eat with Professor Satchin Panda #81

Oct 30, 2019 1h 33m 35 insights
RE-RELEASE - This episode originally aired as a 2-part episode almost 18 months ago and has been one of the most popular episodes to date. After releasing Episode 77, I have had many requests for more information on the impact of circadian clocks on our health. I have therefore decided to re-release this conversation with world-leading expert in circadian biology, whose research in this area is truly ground-breaking. So, here it is! We know that snacking late at night isn’t a good idea, but until recently, there was little research into what health benefits we could gain from avoiding it. This week, I talk to world leading expert in circadian biology, Professor Satchin Panda, whose research has shown that mice who were restricted to eating within an 8-10 hour window were completely protected from obesity, type-2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease! Professor Panda discusses the findings of his ground-breaking research and explains that when we eat really may be more important than what we eat. We delve into sleep, how research in this area may influence the timing that pharmaceutical drugs are given in the future, why we should wait an hour after waking before eating or drinking anything and much more. Professor Panda’s wealth of knowledge in this area is amazing and this is a really fascinating conversation. CAUTION: If you have diabetes or are on any blood sugar lowering medications, talk to a healthcare professional before you go for prolonged periods without eating. Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/81 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/ Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Adopt Time-Restricted Eating

Restrict all food and caloric beverages to an 8-12 hour window daily to prevent and reverse chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease, while also improving physical and mental health.

2. Prioritize Daily Rhythms

Pay close attention to the timing of your eating, sleeping, and activity, as aligning these daily rhythms can substantially reduce overall disease risk.

3. Allow Gut Repair by Not Eating at Night

Avoid eating at night to enable your gut lining to repair itself, as digestion during this period hinders the natural regeneration process and can lead to inflammation and gut problems.

4. Manage Light Exposure for Circadian Rhythm

Control your exposure to light, especially in the evening, as artificial light is a primary disruptor of your body’s internal clock, leading to confused brain signals and poor decisions.

5. Go to Bed Early for Repair

Prioritize an early bedtime to maximize growth hormone release during the first half of your sleep, which is essential for bodily repair processes, including stomach lining regeneration.

6. Prioritize Sleep for Better Food Choices

Ensure you get sufficient sleep, as a sleep-deprived brain is prone to making poor food decisions, leading to increased consumption and cravings for energy-dense, unhealthy options.

7. Structure Day for 12-Hour Eating

Aim for a 12-hour eating window by ensuring 8 hours in bed for sleep, avoiding food for at least 2-3 hours before bed, and waiting an hour after waking before your first meal.

8. Delay First Meal by One Hour

Wait at least one hour after waking before consuming any food or caloric drink to allow melatonin levels to drop and your pancreas to prepare for optimal digestion.

9. Synchronize Family Eating Times

Implement a consistent 10-12 hour time-restricted eating window for the entire family, fostering shared meal times and promoting collective health and well-being.

10. Sustain TRE for Lasting Benefits

Maintain a time-restricted eating pattern for sustained weight loss, increased energy, better sleep, and reduced acid reflux or heartburn, as these daily improvements drive long-term adherence.

11. TRE Boosts Physical Performance

Engage in time-restricted eating within an 8-10 hour window to optimize physical performance and endurance, potentially outperforming those on healthy diets without time restriction.

12. TRE Enhances Motor Coordination

Older individuals practicing time-restricted eating may experience improved motor coordination and reduced susceptibility to falls.

13. TRE Improves Mental Health

Eating all food within an 8-10 hour window can improve mental health, in addition to preventing disease and enhancing physical performance.

14. Treat TRE as Daily Hygiene

Practice 10-12 hour time-restricted eating daily for general health, similar to brushing teeth, and consider occasional shorter windows (6-8 hours for 2-6 weeks) for a deeper ‘cleanse’.

15. Avoid Post-Lunch Caffeine

Refrain from consuming tea or coffee after lunch to ensure better quality sleep at night, as caffeine can remain in your system for many hours and disrupt sleep.

16. Limit Caffeine to Eating Window

Restrict all coffee and tea consumption to your designated eating window to avoid disrupting sleep and other circadian rhythms.

17. Opt for Black Coffee/Tea

If consuming coffee or tea outside your eating window, choose it black (without milk or sugar) to minimize pancreatic activation when insulin response might be low.

18. Gradually Reduce Caffeine on Weekends

To reduce caffeine dependency, try cutting down on coffee/tea during weekends to manage potential headaches, then continue this reduction during weekdays for improved sleep.

19. Caffeine Abstinence for Deep Sleep

Consider a periodic 2-3 month abstinence from caffeine to experience deeper, more restorative sleep and enhanced focus.

20. Morning Caffeine Need Signals Sleep Debt

If you rely on coffee to wake up, view it as a warning sign of insufficient sleep and consider going to bed earlier to reduce this dependency.

21. Avoid Eating at Wrong Times

Be mindful of when you eat, as consuming food at times misaligned with your circadian rhythm can disrupt it and contribute to disease development.

22. Prevent Gut Issues by Avoiding Night Eating

Refrain from eating at night to prevent gut problems, inflammation, and potential development of food allergies.

23. Avoid Unhealthy Sleep-Deprived Snacking

Be aware that a sleep-deprived brain craves energy-dense, unhealthy snacks at night, so consciously choose healthier options or avoid late-night eating.

24. Conscious Circadian Rhythm Decisions

Use awareness of your circadian rhythm to make simple decisions like when to dim lights, prepare for bed, and close the kitchen to re-align your body’s natural rhythms.

25. Take Arthritis Meds at Night

For arthritis pain, taking medication at night before bed can be more effective in reducing morning pain than taking it in the morning.

26. Take Blood Pressure Meds at Bedtime

Take blood pressure-lowering drugs at bedtime to not only reduce blood pressure but also help restore its natural circadian rhythm.

27. Avoid In-Flight Food for Jet Lag

To combat jet lag, avoid eating during flights, focus on resting, and upon arrival, immediately align your first meal (breakfast/dinner) with the new time zone’s local eating schedule.

28. Listen to Body’s Wisdom on Eating

Pay attention to your body’s signals after eating late; if you feel discomfort or a ‘food hangover,’ your body is telling you to avoid late-night eating in the future.

29. Self-Experiment with TRE Window

Experiment with an 8-10 hour eating window for improved cardiac performance and endurance, or a 10-12 hour window for general health benefits, finding what is most sustainable for you.

30. Wear Minimalist Footwear

Wear Vivo Barefoot Shoes (or similar minimalist footwear) for walking, work, and exercise to potentially alleviate back, knee, and hip pain.

31. Children’s Minimalist Shoes

Encourage children to wear minimalist shoes to support their natural movement mechanics and promote better long-term mobility and function.

32. Pass On Minimalist Shoes

Pass on minimalist shoes like Vivo Barefoot to siblings, cousins, and friends, as their thin design makes them durable and less prone to molding to individual feet.

33. Utilize Product Free Trials

Consider taking advantage of 100-day free trials for new products, like Vivo Barefoot Shoes, to try them without risk and return for a full refund if not satisfied.

34. Participate in Circadian Research

Download the My Circadian Clock app (circadianclock.org) to track your eating/drinking habits and contribute to global circadian rhythm research.

35. Consult Doctor for TRE with Diabetes

If you have Type 2 Diabetes and are on blood sugar-lowering medications, consult a healthcare professional before implementing prolonged periods of not eating (time-restricted eating).