Chronobiotic nutrition "It is the timing of meals and timing of different kinds of nutrients during the day through the seasons," says Nan Allison, executive director of the Tennessee Dietetic Association. Morning foods Nuts: English walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts Fruits: apples, bananas, dates, figs, kiwi, peaches and plums, avocados, mangos, papayas Oils: olive, almond, walnut and ghee (clarified butter) Sweeteners: honey and maple syrup Midday foods Vegetables: squash, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cab! bage, cauliflower, corn, cucumber, eggplant, spinach, peppers, okra, l ettuce and other greens, lentils, beans including green beans, kidney beans, soy beans and navy beans Dairy: cheese, milk, yogurt Grain: wheat, barley, oats, rye and others Meats: beef, poultry, venison, turkey, lamb and rabbit Fruits: berries, grapes, melons Oils: safflower, sesame, soy, corn and ghee Sweeteners: brown sugar, honey and black strap molasses Evening foods Vegetables: artichoke hearts, asparagus, beets, carrots, garlic, ginger root, hearts of palm, kelp and seaweed, leeks (white part), malanga, mushrooms, onions, parsnip, potatoes, radishes, rutabaga, taro root, turnips, yams Fruits: pineapple Nuts: peanuts, water chestnuts Eggs Oil: ghee Fish: catfish, codfish, flounder, grouper, haddock, halibut, snapper, salmon, sardines, tuna and more *Note: Neutral foods to be eaten at any time include brown rice and herbal teas. |
More information To order the book Yes, No, Maybe: Chronobiotic Nutrition by Marcella Vonn Harting and G.I. "Atom" Bergstrom, send $18 plus $5 for shipping to Marcella Vonn Harting, 4650 East Thomas, Phoenix, Ariz. 85018 or order online. It's also available at amazon.com. Two books on nutrition for the whole body that are recommended by registered dietitian Nan Alllison are Nourishing Wisdom: A Mind-Body Approach to Nutrition and Well-Being by Marc David and Molecules of Emotion: The Science Behind Mind-Body Medicine by Candice Pert. Both of these books are available on amazon.com. For more information on solar nutrition visit www.eatsolar.com or www.livingtolive.com. |
In sync with ol' Sol
Chronobiotic nutrition bases eating habits on rhythms of the sun
By THAYER WINE
Staff Writer
The Tennessean (Nashville, TN)
If you woke up this morning and seemed all out of sorts, it may be because your body hasn't adjusted to the time change early yesterday morning.
To reset your body clock and put yourself back in sync, you can turn to solar nutrition, a strategy whereby you eat certain foods at certain times of the day. The theory is based on the relationship of the sun to Earth.
Solar nutrition, or chronobiotic nutrition is the focus of G.I. "Atom" Bergstrom's book Yes, No, Maybe, Chronobiotic Nutrition.
"Chronobiologists know the human body is calibrated to the cycle of the sun," he writes. "Nutrition is a chronobiological approach to the mastery of the rhythm of light regulating life on this planet."
In other words, if you eat foods in the times of their highest energy - depending on the sun's angle - your body will digest t! hem better and your body will function more efficiently.
Bergstrom illustrates the concept with images of a tree, a bush and a root.
Consider: The sun hits the top of the tree, where papayas, bananas, apples, other fruits and nuts get the early-morning rays. Foods such as vegetables, fruits and meats that grow up to 4 feet above ground, along with dairy products, absorb the sun's energy through the middle of the day. Edibles that grow underground or in the dark, such as root vegetables, mushrooms, fish and eggs, receive different radiation and residual heat from the sun at the end of the day.
The plan seems to work for some who have studied this theory.
"I'm very much a skeptic," Nashvillian Ken Roberts says. "But working with the principal that the sun is the source of energy appealed to me."
He says he started following the chronobiotic nutrition plan about a year ago. "I lost 10 pounds, have more energy and have fewer cravings for thing! s," he says of the effect the change has had in his eating habits.
His wife, Susan Roberts, who is also eating according to this plan most of the time, says, "I tend to be able to tolerate certain foods (such as dairy products) much better when I eat them (at the appropriate time)."
This eating plan isn't as far out of the mainstream nutrition recommendations as you might think.
"I don't discourage anybody from trying anything like this because it's not restricting any food groups," says Nan Allison, a registered dietitian and executive director of the Tennessee Dietetic Association. "They (authors) are determining (nutritional) needs on very different concepts," she says speaking of their theories on energy frequencies.
While the concept of chronobiotic nutrition isn't new, it also doesn't demand the sacrifices that some popular diets do.
"Eating in time is an inclusive eating plan that relates to appropriate functions of the organs at certain times of the day," says Anke Nowicke, a Nashville bio-energetic r! esearcher and homeopath. "It's based on the rotation of energy in the body according to Chinese medicine and light theories that have been documented for more than 2,000 years."
Allison adds, "Western medicine doesn't look at these concepts, but just because they haven't been proven by conventional scientific methods doesn't mean they couldn't be true."
Lisa Sheehan-Smith, assistant nutrition professor at Middle Tennessee State University, adds a cautionary note: "While this diet doesn't contradict guidelines for healthy eating, it doesn't appear to be validated by clinical research as to whether or not it works."
It does seem to work for some people. In the 18 months since she started following the plan, Nashvillian Avalee Suneima has found her body works better. "I'm more regular," she says.
She also has developed a system of adding a variety of foods to her meals.
"The idea is to include vitamins and minerals, protein, carbohydrates, wa! ter and a small amount of fat with each meal," she says.
The foods don't need to be punishingly plain or crazy exotic, but they should be varied, according to Bergstrom.
The mix of foods is no problem for breakfast. Suneima includes several kinds of nuts, dried fruits and portions of fresh fruits in season. Her lunch varies daily with small portions of meats and poultry, leafy green vegetables, berries, brown rice and other grains and dairy products. A Caesar salad with chicken with a piece of whole-wheat bread or a turkey sandwich would be good lunch choices. Supper might be grilled tuna or salmon with a baked potato and asparagus.
So what about the chocolate and other sweets? Chocolate comes from the higher parts of the trees, so Suneima has no qualms about having a satisfying piece or two of dark chocolate in the late morning. "Knowing I can have it at certain times of the day, I don't feel deprived," she says.
Bergstrom, as most nutritionists would agree, advises eating in moderation and choosing the least-proce! ssed foods.
Allison points out that this eating plan isn't for everyone, so it's always best to consult a health professional before radically altering your eating habits.
Thayer Wine writes about food and wine for The Tennessean. Reach her at 726-8995 or twine@tennessean.com.
