Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

librarygeek — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 13:05:58 GMT

I think to responsibly transmit this information, the headline on mercola.com should have reflected the problem with the study. Too many people just read headlines, and in this particular case, the study was not commented on critically until the second section. Many people don't even take time to read that far. My one problem with this website is that I feel it uses sensationalism through titles as much or more than the mainstream media.

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

LikeItOrNot — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 09:46:43 GMT

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with the article. I am just sick of all these dumb studies with rodents on here and comparing them to humans.

They are HERBIVORES. The only fat they should be eating are a few sunflower seeds or something they might come across in a field. Sprouted seeds too, not the roasted David seeds you find at the register in Walmart.

Just like with humans - eat the wrong stuff and too much of something - you will get fat.

Rodents aren't meant to eat whatever these research people feed so of course it screws their bodies up. It doesn't even have to be high fat, they also get fat from the wrong kind of carbohydrates because people feed them cheap junk like corn, cereal and oatmeal rather than the things they would find in their natural habitat.

So if a rodent is out hunting in a field for food and comes across a pile of FATTENING seeds and eats them all,it's not going to disrupt his "body clock" because he's out there doing what he is supposed to be doing. Hunting, eating and hoarding food. Regardless of what time it is. If it smells something and follows it's nose, it's not going to stay sleeping because of what time it is..unless there's a risk of being killed.

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

bobbybiggums010101 — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:35:59 GMT

I think you all are missing the point of the article. The reason the mice were put on high-fat diets is that high-fat diets make the mice overweight. This paradigm is commonly used in biomedical research to produce an animal model of obesity. The mice eat more of this highly palatable "mcdonalds diet" than they would their usual diet. The point of the article isn't to say that high-fat diets are bad for the body clock, it's to say that being overweight is bad for the body clock.

Secondly, the reason they kept the mice in the dark all day was to study their intrinsic biological rhythm. Normally light keeps the rhythm entrained. In the absence of light, mice will still have a functioning biological clock. I've heard that for humans, this clock is 25 hours; that is, if kept in total darkness, humans will sleep for 8 hours followed by about 17 hours of awake time, then sleep 8 hours again. Or something along those lines...The point is, we have clocks that run regardless of the outside light. Light can alter the way these clocks work, but the researchers wanted to see how the internal clocks were functioning on their own. And it is very significant that they found a disturbance in these clocks in the fat mice. So yes, we do have light in real life, but our rhythms may not be functioning properly on the inside, making us tired at the wrong times (those of us who are overweight).

Obviously, there are caveats to this study, as there are in any study. Is it overweight itself, or the type of fat that was overfed that caused the changes in clock genes? (Could be inferred from the timing of clock disturbances relative to diet initiation & weight gain.) Is daily light exposure enough to override the effects of obesity/diet on the circadian clocks? These remaining questions do not take away from the potential value of this research in my opinion. One might argue, however, that this study tells us more of what we already know: that being overweight is bad for us.

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

BetterEating — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:27:56 GMT

For night shift workers, try using a sleep mask, ear plugs and even a sound machine to help sleep during the day. Night shift workers driving home in the morning should wear sunglasses to limit light exposure which will have a stimulating effect. Similarly, using a light box when you get up or havng one at work will help entrain your circadian rhythm and keep you alert. Enlist the help of a sleep disorders center specialist to help set up a "nap policy" at your workplace or contact www.sleepfoundation.org for more information. This does not mean you are being paid to "sleep on the job". Your breaks are your own time. Based on a NASA study, a 20 minute nap can boost productivity 400%. Why do studies find night shift workers are more prone to medical conditions? Probably a combination of factors. For example, think of someone you know who doesn't get much sleep, perhaps because of an impending divorce or working two jobs, etc. They are frequently sick, right? It's because lack of sleep weakens your immune system. Sleep is when your body does all it's repair work. If you don't get enough sleep or if your sleep is disrupted d/t stress, sleep apnea, etc, then you will suffer consequences physically and mentally. Less than 6 hours sleep or disrupted sleep is stressful to your body and causes release of stress hormone like cortisol. It's a glucocorticoid. Think of the root word, "gluco" is like glucose. Yes, so you are having glucose dumped into your system while you are sleeping poorly. This contributes to weight gain, esp in the belly). That's also why your blood sugar is up in the morning. Regardless of working day or night shift, you also need darkness to stim production of melatonin for deep sleep. One of the best ways to buy back the deep sleep of youth is through exercise as this will boost your melatonin for deep sleep at night. As recommended by EQ, the light box, vitamin D along with good foods and exercise help everyone.

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

Marje — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 03:01:55 GMT

Wow! This is the first time I have commented, just having registered! Wouldn't like to get into a room on a dark night with you lot! even less on a full moon! No-wonder mood swings are sometimes referred to as being Moony! My mother in law used to say 'he's affected by the phase of the moon' when things weren't going right. Myself I usually can sleep well. Prefer the curtains open so I can see when the dawn comes otherwise I might never wake! Sometimes (about five times in my life, and counting) I don't sleep as soon as I hit the pillow. Then I appreciate the time spent in bed. Otherwise I sometimes wonder whether I even went to bed, I don't remember the hours asleep unless I dream. Love fatty and sweet foods. Trying to stop them so I can lose weight but otherwise I am fine. Will the change in diet affect my sleep??

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

Anita L. Albright — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 06:43:39 GMT

One day about 2 years ago, I realized that I had slept sound as can be for five or six nights in a row.

My chronic, insane insomnia had suddenly came to a halt, hmmmm.... how could this be possible? What had I been doing different?

There was only one thing that was suspect. It was adding 3-1/2 tablespoons of coconut oil to my diet every day for medicinal purposes.

So I decided to see what would happen if I didn't take?

That night, I tossed and turned until I finally gave up, got up and took the oil, figuring it wouldn't work taking it that late (I always took it in the morning) but guess what, despite that I still was asleep in 15 minutes!!!

This works for everyone I have ever suggested try it!

My insomnia was bad... 3-4 nights a week I slept only 2-3 hrs. I was miserable and it was effecting my entire life.

There are days I just completely forget to take it and sure enough, the raging insomnia is right back again. Time and time again when this has happened, I get up, take it and I am out for the count again!

So here we have coconut oil, the closest thing to mother's milk with respect to it's level of lauric acid and what do they tell you to take when you can't sleep? A glass of warm milk, which only has very low levels of lauric acid.

It's just amazing stuff and it has changed my life, in fact, maybe saved my life. Without sound sleep I could well have ended up fighting cancer or God knows what!

So anyone else out there whose not sleeping at night, try this and post back, let me know how it does for you... oh and don't forget, only organic coconut oil! (I know, I'm preaching to the choir but just can't seem to get off the soapbox!)

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

hypoxic — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 04:04:16 GMT

I am a respiratory therapist. Now how do i go to my employer and tell then i cannot work night shifts anymore? Should I find a different proffession? If everybody did that then who would manage patients on ventilators?

I appreciated Dr. Mercolas suggestions, but just like the study it doesnt apply to real life and real people.

Its the labor laws that have to change. Employers exploit their employee by making them work varied shifts, 12hours shifts. Most hospitals you have to work more than 72 hours to get overtime. Figure that one out. You have to work 6 12hr shift in a row inorder to get paid overtime. They force you to take call on your days off. So when you do get a chance to sleep guess what? You get called in. Call is manditory. Then the hospital you work for offers free physical and lab test to all emploees. Then they start writing up and disiplining all of the employees with health problems. Guess what most of them are night shift workers.

Are you depressed yet? Well go to your local hosptial and check yourself in. Do you feel safe? Or will you bleed to death on the floor before the ER nurse will triage you. I have worked 3 12hr night shifts and 2 12hr days shifts this week so far. I got called in last night 2am and was scheduled a 12hr day shift today. Do feel safe having me change paramenters on your babies ventilator?

The only way to stop this madness is to stop employers from forcing employees to work like this. Talk to your politicians and we will all sleep better and become healthier for it. I have been told by my hospital that I either work this or find another job. Problem is i have worked at every hospital within a 100mile radius of where I live and they are all the same. They all force employees to work unsafe hours and then fire them when they get overweight and diabetic. Sad

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

MickoZ — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 22:27:09 GMT

It may not be optimal or what with the logic that we sleep when it is dark and wakeup when it is clear. But I have often loved to live at night and even felt better. I used to be way more productive at night (now I cannot say since I works on a regular basis, I have lost a load of energy...). Also I often felt "brain dead" the morning. Probably there was other factors why I felt better and was more productive at night, but I often thought about the hypothesis that there is some people who are more "early birds" and other who are more "nigth birds" (just like there is different kind of people for nutrition, e.g. protein-type, fat-type, etc.) --- some can probably deny or would say that it is ridiculous (maybe, but it is not an hypothesis I would discard so easily).

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

HappyPenguin — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 18:40:40 GMT

Wait a minute ... this article:

www.mercola.com/.../knee_light.htm

reports that the claim was wrong that light on the back of the knees reset the circadian rhythm. The original researchers didn't take enough care to shine the light only on the back of the knees.

That isn't directly on the point of today's subject article, but it does seem that Dr. Mercola isn't being as careful about evidence he chooses to cite as he ought to be. I'm just saying there seems to have been a little slip up here. The main points of Dr. Mercola's argument isn't affected by that.

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

cowgirl7 — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 18:09:48 GMT

I think the black out drapes may be neccessary for city or urbain dwellers but a waste of money for country folks with no artificial outside lights. We live on the top of a mountain surrounded by boreal forest and no neighbours for almost a mile. Some nights are pitch black while at other times the full moon and cloudless sky make it seem almost like daylight. Either way, it is natural. We have no curtains on our huge bedroom windows and have no trouble sleeping.

Bonita

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

Lori Anderson — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 16:31:41 GMT

Dr. Mercola,

Any thoughts on this: In nature, away from artificial light, the natural light at night varies throughout the month with the moon phases and cloud cover, leaving only a handful of nights with true darkness around the new moon phase.

I remember when I lived out in the country, there were many nights during the full moon when the light poured into my window. I probably slept less on those nights, but it was wonderful and magical to lay down to rest and be bathed by moonlight.

I know artificial light at night is bad for sleep, but what about starlight and moonlight?

Discuss!

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

Gerald Sutliff — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 16:20:15 GMT

I'm glad there were several comments/questions about the the kinds fats; after all not all fats are equal. Fat from raw milk products are fundamentally different from most other fats sold for consumption. Ditto for virgin coconut oil. Animal fats must vary greatly depending on the animals' food sources.

IMHO the study is worthless; I say "pass the butter".

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

terryd1960 — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:41:19 GMT

If we all stop working the night shift, as Dr. Mercola advocates, who is going to take care of the millions of very sick people in this world who need round-the-clock care? I refuse to abandon my patients because it MIGHT make my life longer. And the good doctor's suggestion to rotate between shifts is so far off base I almost choked on my tea. Most of the research in this area has been conducted with nurses, and as a nurse, I have been reading about the night-shift/cancer link for some time now. The research says just the OPPOSITE - stick to one or the other, bouncing back and forth between shifts EXACERBATES the detrimental effects of night shift work. It IS important to sleep in total darkness, which I strive to do, but unfortunately, this doesn't solve the issue of the lack of waning daylight and darkness prior to falling asleep, which is what signals our bodies to begin melatonin production, so the melatonin problem remains to be solved.

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

chubby — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 13:55:19 GMT

CONCERNING SLEEP APNEA PROBLEMS --- my research indcates that sleep apnea is often caused in overweight persons due to belly weight pushing up against the lungs when lying down --- I found RELIEF from the problem ( AND SNORING ALSO ) by SLEEPING IN A SEMI - UPRIGHT POSITION IN A RECLINER CHAIR ----- hope this helps ----------- KEN

re: Do High-Fat Foods Disrupt Your Body Clock?

cremi — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 12:56:17 GMT

I myself eat around 70% of fat (calorie intake) or more per day. Natural, animal, unprocessed fat. I personally know more than 50 people who do so. All of us have noticed lost of body fat, increased energy, better sleep, decreased need of sleeping - most of us are sleeping now 4-5 hours and feel excellent and no one is overeating... well, my opinion is that "study" is manipulated, as many others.