Clocks Change: Prevent The 'Fall Back' - langlands health & fitness

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It?s the time of year again that we all love to hate, the last weekend of October and the perennial winding back of the clocks. There can be no escaping the fact that winter has just slapped you in the face and blown a big fat raspberry at your attempts to ignore the slight chill in the air as you head out for a run, even on those glorious sunny autumn days.

The clocks go back this weekend. Don?t let your health go with it.

It was with increased interest therefore that I found myself reading a recent article published on the excellent healthuncut.com blog this week (seriously recommended reading if you?re interested in staying healthy and keeping on top of research ? bear in mind that the authors do have a book to sell, but for the most part it is highly informative, well founded stuff).

It was suggested that this time of year tends to coincide with a slide towards increased waistline and impending bouts of ill health, (news, what news huh?) ? this was particularly true for us Brits and even more of an issue if you live north of the border. Basically, the earlier onset of darkness and the overall loss of daylight throughout the winter months plays havoc with our bodies natural rhythm, in terms of?physical, hormonal and?behavioral? processes. We produce increased levels of the hormone melatonin (associated with periods of?darkness) which acts as a signal for the body?s metabolism to slow down and rest. This means that if we eat our main meal in the evening, our bodies are at their least prepared to be able to properly process the large caloric intake and increased levels of insulin resistance become prevalent (a precursor to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease). Added to this, serotonin (the happy hormone) is also depleted and leads us to ?comfort? eat in order to raise mood by eating sugary or fatty foods, thereby worsening the overall health effects. All quite depressing and familiar sounding stuff isn?t it?

So? What can we do to tackle this and prevent it happening to us?

Here are some simple strategies for you to take forward:

1. Exercise more (if you don?t do any at the moment) or maintain the same level of exercise you do in the summer (if you already partake in a healthy exercise regime ? don?t give in to the bodies urge to do less). This will ameliorate the reduction in serotonin we experience in winter and therefore keep you feeling happier, as well as positively affecting your body?s metabolism.
2. Eat your large meal earlier in the day, reduce your simple carbohydrate intake in the evenings (especially foods like white bread, white pasta, white rice, baked goods, soft drinks etc).?This will work in concert with the change in your metabolic rhythm, thereby preventing the insulin spike you would otherwise experience at the end of the day and the ensuing increase in fat storage.

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Source: http://www.langlandshealthandfitness.com/2012/10/clocks-change-prevent-the-fall-back-to-poor-health/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=clocks-change-prevent-the-fall-back-to-poor-health

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