(BPT) - In the world of healthy eating, chrono-nutrition has a long-standing history, and shines a spotlight on the time of day you eat being just as important as what you eat. The new year provides the opportunity to reflect on nutrition goals and to determine how to better optimize health for a “new year, new you.” In 2019, chrono-nutrition for vitamin use will take nutrition to the next level.
What is chrono-nutrition?
A biological clock is an instinctive mechanism that controls the body’s activities, including waking, sleeping and doing other activities on a regular cycle. For example, “jet lag” occurs when your internal clock, or circadian rhythms, become out of sync with the current location’s time. The same is true for food and vitamin supplements. The goal is to align nutrition patterns with each person’s internal clock.
Which vitamins and when
According to Dr. Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer of the Cleveland Clinic, chairman of the medical advisory board for Persona and author of the new What to Eat When book, “most people focus on the food part of chrono-nutrition and do not consider their vitamin routine. Following a chrono-nutrition program for meals and dietary supplement intake will align nutrition patterns with internal clocks, preparing the body to meet health goals.”
Most people take their vitamin supplements at different times of day — often at varying times day to day. A good supplement program provides specific nutrients at specific times of the day. A personalized vitamin program, like Persona, guides its subscribers on which supplements to take when by providing easily marked individual packs.
Out of more than half a million people who took Persona’s online nutritional assessment, nearly 70 percent reported sleep concerns while 20 percent said they experience reduced energy levels. There are key times of the day to consider when taking nutritional supplements to help support sleep patterns and energy levels.
- Magnesium taken at night can help activate neurotransmitters responsible for relaxing the body and mind, encouraging a more restful sleep.
- Supplements with energetic properties like cordyceps and fermented ginseng are best taken in the morning to help the body remain focused throughout the day.
- A multi-vitamin can be split down the middle with half taken in the morning and the remaining amount before bed to better distribute the nutrients the body receives.
- Iron and calcium should be taken separately because they compete for absorption in the body. Taking iron with vitamin C also enhances absorption.
Don’t forget sleep and exercise
Overall wellness programs include healthy sleep routines and exercise programs. Synchronize food, dietary supplement, sleep and exercise programs for holistic health that will keep your body ticking to the right rhythm for overall health and wellness — in the new year and beyond.
