The Problem with Frequent Eating
Years ago, I remember telling my clients to eat 3 meals and 2 snacks each day to keep their blood sugar balanced. If you are eating high carb foods, you will know that within an hour or two of eating them you will be hungry once again. This is because carbs spike blood glucose, which then increases insulin levels which increases appetite.
For those with autoimmune disorders, we want less inflammation! We all have some degree of inflammation due to the environment, toxins, and stress that is everpresent in our lives.
This cycle is well known by those who follow plant-based diets due to the high amount of carbs the body takes in.
When you eat little to no carbohydrate your glucose is stable, so hunger is more stabilized.
On the flip side is the ketogenic camp, which most people are also using to balance blood glucose. People on this type of diet need only to eat 2 or maybe 3 times per day max.
When you eat little to no carbohydrate your glucose is stable, so hunger is more stabilized. Also, eating higher fat as with the keto or carnivore diet is far more satiating and in the long term helps your leptin hormone to tell you that you are full.
For most people, this is inferior to LESS frequent meals because that is fewer insulin spikes that your body will have to incur.
Small frequent meals on the low carb side of the fence are helpful for those who have had lap band surgery, have low stomach acids, or just have a difficult time eating enough at one sitting without getting indigestion. For most people, this is inferior to LESS frequent meals because that is fewer insulin spikes that your body will have to incur.
A recent study published by the Department of Nutrition Sciences at the University of Alabama reported that a time-restricted eating window improves glucose levels, improves sleep, aging, and autophagy in humans. The individuals consumed food between 8 am and 2 pm as compared to those in the control group who consumed food between 8 am and 8 pm. Those who ate during the restricted feeding window showed an increase in BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), increased ketones and an alteration in the diurnal patterns in cortisol. Researchers believe time-restricted eating may have an overall anti-aging effect.
Why is less Insulin a good thing? Insulin is a fat-storing hormone. This means that the less you increase it, the easier it will be for you to lose weight. This is what we mean when we say weight loss is a HORMONE issue, not so much a caloric issue.
Also, insulin increases inflammation. For those with autoimmune disorders, we want less inflammation! We all have some degree of inflammation due to the environment, toxins, and stress that is everpresent in our lives. We can help, however, by not contributing to the spikes in insulin by eating low carb and less frequently.
Other diseases implicated in the case of high insulin levels include Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity, Hypertension, PCOS, Alzheimer’s, and Atherosclerosis.
To reduce body fat and lessen your risk of diseases, follow a low carbohydrate diet and eat more fat so that you can eat less often.
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