Why Proper Timing in Eating is Needed?

As the country marks Nutrition Month this July, a health expert says there should be proper timing in people’s eating habits to keep the body healthy and address obesity problems and illnesses related to it.

According to Dr. Lani Mercado, a noted endocrinologist, while people eat foods to supply the nutritional requirements of the body, they should be aware of the correct timing to do it.

She notes that as people put food in their body during the eating process to energize themselves and protect themselves from getting sick or be resistant to different sicknesses and infections, the same food they take can sometimes be the source also of illness and obesity problems if there is lack of proper timing.

“After eating, our cholesterol intake is shooting up to three times… If we eat a heavy fatty meal in breakfast (longanisa/tocino), we should follow it with salad or ‘pangat’ in the in-between meals,” Dr. Mercado said during a health forum spearheaded by the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) and held at Annabel’s Restaurant in Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City.

Mercado said that following the “fatty or cholesterol-rich meal” with the non-fatty food will create a way to clear the fats or cholesterol that may accumulate in the body.

She added that “while we cannot prevent ourselves from eating foods with cholesterol, it is important to learn to practice the act of controlling too much intake of it in the body.”

According to her, heart attacks nowadays happen two to four hours after eating cholesterol-rich foods such as “lechon” and other similar foods that can trigger a heart attack.

She cited cases wherein people suffer heart attack and even die as a consequence after eating lechon or high-cholesterol foods in parties.

During these modern age, she said most people — in order to save time and avoid the inconvenience of cooking and preparing their own food — prefer to eat in fast food restaurants which usually offer enticing foods filled with much cholesterol.

In contrast to that, in the past or older times, most people had to exert much effort before they could eat, meaning they had to burn much calories in preparing and cooking their own food.

Mercado said that part of the proper timing of eating is being aware to control the intake of cholesterol, especially if one is already suffering from high blood pressure problems, hypertension, heart attack or prone to experience stroke.

This can be done by having regular cholesterol count.

She also said that it is important that people will be encouraged to do more physical activities that are needed to burn cholesterol in the body.

At least one hour each day should be dedicated in physical activity such as exercises, dancing, walking, jogging to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Mercado reminded that it is also important that people become aware that as they eat food, the nutrients like iodine for thyroid function needed for brain development, calcium and vitamin D for healthy bone function and prevention of osteoporosis are included or not absent.

She said that as people grow old, they should have stored much calcium in the body to avoid osteoporosis.

Calcium can be derived from green leafy vegetables, aside from the seashell foods that are usually expensive.

Vitamin D, on the other hand, can be taken by exposing oneself under the heat of the sun.

Mercado said that iodine intake should not be forgotten to avoid thyroid problems.

One source of iodine, according to her, is the iodized salt that can be bought from the market.

She added that fatty and cholesterol-rice foods should also be mixed with foods that will prevent the rise of blood pressure.

Mercado made the reminders as part of the Nutrition Month celebration this July.

The National Nutrition Council (NNC) announced earlier that this year’s Nutrition Month theme will focus on the growing problem of obesity in the Philippines.

The 2015 Nutrition Month campaign, “Timbang iwasto sa tamang nutrisyon at ehersisyo,” (Correct weight through right nutrition and exercise) aims to make people aware about how they can prevent obesity. This will be done by providing them with adequate information.

July of each year is designated National Nutrition Month by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 491 signed into law in 1974. In 2014, the campaign focused on disasters and their effect on nutrition among Filipinos. (PNA) SCS/LSJ/EDS