A well-known longevity doctor says we all should follow the “12-hour Rule” if we want to stay young and healthy.
According to Dr. Valter Longo, who heads up the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, and has investigated ageing and disease throughout his career, people should, “Confine all eating to within a 12-hour period”
He writes, in his blog, “For example, start after 8am. and end before 8 pm. Don’t eat anything within three to four hours of bedtime.”
He also added: “Follow a diet with high vitamin and mineral content, supplemented with a multivitamin buffer every three days.” Dr Longo is not alone in his views, as numerous studies have praised the benefits of eating earlier in the day.
This includes a 2014 study by Harvard scientists, which examined the eating habits of 26,902 men over a 16-year period. Each participant reported on the times of day they ate breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as any additional snacks.
The research team were particularly interested in understanding how these eating patterns impacted cardiovascular health and disease risk. Notably, findings revealed that men who ate later in the evening had a 55% higher cardiovascular risk, compared with those who didn’t. Additionally, men who skipped breakfast also had a 27% higher risk of cardiovascular disease than others who prioritized it.
The authors also reported that men who ate late at night were more likely to smoke, sleep less than seven hours a night, or have baseline hypertension as compared to men who did not eat late at night. Interestingly, they also found that late night eating abstainers were more likely to be married and work full time and ate on average one time less per day than the late night eaters. That would seem to indicate a correlation between late night eating and stress overeating.
For those struggling to resist late-night nibbles, it’s vital to recognize that certain food choices are superior to others. Dr. Longo’s research suggests that spicy dishes, sugary treats and even papaya are associated with disrupted sleep.
However, other options such as bananas, yoghurt and oats contain tryptophan – a compound linked to enhanced relaxation. Rosey Davidson, author and sleep consultant at Just Chill Baby Sleep, previously explained: “Nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, are packed with magnesium and melatonin, while turkey is an excellent source of tryptophan [too].
“Chamomile tea is also worth mentioning, as it contains apigenin, an antioxidant that may reduce insomnia and promote relaxation.”
