September 2008 was a month I won't soon forget. We learned just how dependent we are on electricity after a wind storm came through and left us in the dark for 5 days. At the time, we owned a pop-up camper and we enjoyed family time in many campgrounds in our area. But this wind storm left us "camping" while we were at home.
Without much advance notice, we had no working refrigerator, freezer, stove, coffee pot, cell phone chargers, alarm clocks, TV, computers, air conditioning, fans, washing machine, clothes dryer, etc. etc. At first, it was a somewhat fun adventure but after a day or two, the "fun" wore off. Thankfully, we did have a gas grill and that became our new outdoor stove and coolers with ice became our new refrigerator.
One of the things we quickly noticed was our need to utilize the sun. The moment the sun went down, it was tough to read or play cards because it was only possible then by candlelight or flashlight. Going to bed soon after the sun went down seemed like a good idea. We were delighted when the electricity came back on 5 days later but many of the lessons from that time were stored in my memory and gave me a renewed appreciation for electricity and all its conveniences.
Once in a while, my father in law will talk about the "good old days" and how he was 14 years old when his childhood home first got electricity. He knew what it was to read and study by the light of a lantern and he watched his mom cook and bake on a wood stove. Periodically today, someone will say something about the "good old days" and he'll chuckle and quickly respond saying, "The only thing good about the 'good old days' is that they're gone!" After experiencing the wind storm and living without electricity for 5 days, I clearly see his point. But there are valuable life lessons from living without electricity.
If we look back a century ago compared to today, so many daily processes including food preparation and meal times have changed significantly. Life on a farm is closely aligned with the circadian rhythm which is a natural, internal process that regulates the 24 hour sleep-wake cycle. These 24 hour circadian rhythms are very evident in animals who have no clock on the wall or phone in their pocket. They have an internal body clock. It's fascinating to watch chickens move to the chicken coop as it's approaching sundown. Nobody tells them, they just know it's that time. Before electricity, we were more in tune with the circadian rhythm for work, sleep, and food consumption. When the weather is warmer, I enjoy opening the door leading to my deck in the morning. As I've become more conscious of the circadian rhythm, I enjoy stepping outside in the early morning. I've noticed a huge difference between standing just inside with the door and windows open versus stepping out onto my deck. Standing outside, I feel the air moving, hear the birds more clearly, and experience the waking of God's creation to a new day.
About 6 months ago, my daughter in law, Alisha sent me a podcast to listen to. The presenter is Dr. Michael Roizen, the chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic who discusses some of what to eat but just as importantly, WHEN to eat. Dr. Roizen was interviewed by Dr. Mark Hyman on his weekly show, The Doctor's Farmacy. You can check it out on YouTube. (Search "Dr. Michael Roizen What to Eat When" for the 33 minute podcast - it's episode #33 of The Doctor's Farmacy). In summary, our metabolism is the highest in the morning and earlier afternoon. As the afternoon progresses toward evening, we move to a pre-diabetic state. Night time eating is a real problem both from a weight gain perspective but also for digestion. Dr. Roizen says, "If you need a light bulb to eat, you really shouldn't be eating." We should eat when the SUN is up.
Having visited Europe a few times exposed me to their eating patterns. Eating the largest meal around noon and a very small meal at dinner is very common in most European countries and it just makes sense to me. After listening to this podcast and thinking about my own body's response to night eating, I decided to become more conscious of eating earlier in the day when my metabolism is higher and my body has more time to complete digestion. I knew it would be helpful for my body to complete digestion before bedtime and the benefit would be a better night's sleep. By not eating in the evening, my body would be able to focus on restoration and healing during my sleeping hours. When I eat my last food by 6:00 - 7:00 pm which is several hours before bedtime, I get some of the intermittent fasting benefits. According to Ayurveda (the traditional Hindu medical system) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), our digestive system aligns with the sun. When the sun rises, so does the digestive system and when the sun sets, the digestive system slows down. Basically, the digestive system sleeps when we sleep. Our bodies also need to sit upright to digest food well, so eating shortly before lying down to sleep can cause digestive problems and contribute to acid reflux. There's an old saying that goes along with eating with the sun, "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper."
When I made the change with my eating schedule, it wasn't my intention to lose weight but after about a month or so, I had lost 5 or 6 pounds without changing what I was eating or the quantity of foods consumed. I simply changed WHEN I was eating. Within a few weeks, I also noticed that my sleep schedule was better when I didn't eat beyond 6:00 - 7:00 pm. It's not a requirement that I must keep.....it's just a loose framework for meals that I try to follow on days when it's convenient. This revised eating schedule isn't something I have to do, it's something I choose to do. When I work WITH MY BODY and the natural circadian rhythm that God created, my body's response is better digestion, better sleep, and more energy to do the things I need to do and the things I greatly enjoy.
Maybe you want to switch a typical "big dinner" into your breakfast or lunch time and a typical "skimpy breakfast" could be moved to dinner time and possibly become a small salad or a bowl of vegetable soup. Your body may surprise you with beneficial results from this simple lifestyle change!
Below you'll find a recipe for Chicken Quinoa Salad which is an easy meal to pack and take with you. When you make this salad, cook extra chicken and extra quinoa to freeze for the next time you want to make it.
