Since time immemorial, volumes have been written about how long to sleep and what to eat and how much exercise to get and so on. But it’s been only relatively recently that the focus has turned to when to do these things. The goal is to ascertain whether the timing of these activities makes a difference to our health. And, if so, to determine what timing is more (or less) auspicious when it comes to going to bed, waking up, eating our meals and exercising. In this month’s Dishing It Up – Timing is Everything, we’ll look at some recent articles on this timely topic. When it comes to optimal health, is timing everything or just one piece of the puzzle?
This month in Dishing It Up …
- What is Your Chronotype & Why Does it Matter?
- How Changing the Timing of When You Eat Can Make You Healthier
- There is a best time of day to exercise and it may lead to better results
- Unlocking Your Body’s Clock: A Saliva-Based Personalized Circadian Profiling
Lastly, while not related to chronotype or circadian rhythms, I thought I’d include this informative article on a topic where timing really is everything, and that is hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
- Clearing the air on hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Are you sliding down a sugary, slippery slope? You know the one I mean. The one that begins innocently enough in the fall with a slice (or two) of Thanksgiving pecan or pumpkin pie and then a wee bit of Hallowe’en candy a few weeks later. You gain momentum with heaping helpings of holiday treats followed by boxes of Valentine’s chocolate. Before you know it, you’re gathering and gobbling the Easter bunny’s chocolate eggs (not to mention, if you love them as much as I do, hot cross buns). Suddenly, you find yourself awash in sugar. You have more of a sweet tooth than you used to and sugary treats have become a daily ritual, not just a holiday indulgence.
As 2020 comes to a close, I have been thinking a lot about my brain. Partly because who among us hasn’t felt like we were losing our minds at some point during this pandemic year? And partly because it feels like my brain has been misbehaving of late. I recently read that up to 80 percent of women going through menopause (this includes me) have the potential to develop neurological symptoms (and an increased risk of dementia). Food for thought. And enough to send me to my library to refresh my memory on how best to feed your brain.
Let’s bone up on osteoporosis, as it is a significant concern for many women in menopause. Make no bones about it … osteoporosis can result in premature death, especially in the case of hip fracture. According to 
This morning as I was getting ready to head outside, I lamented/cursed having to layer on just about everything in my closet. Yes, I am a wimp and I really do not love the cold. As I covered up every exposed bit of me (I would have donned a balaclava if I owned one), I thought that now would be a very good time to remind folks to up your vitamin D supplement if you haven’t already.
Could pomegranate seed oil be an effective treatment for menopausal hot flashes? According to a 2017 study conducted in Germany, perhaps the answer is yes. I recently attended a symposium at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine entitled Advances in Women’s Health, presented by supplement company