How consistent does my diet have to be in order for me to stay healthy?
There are several different ways of being consistent with your meal plan. And it turns out that all of them can make an important contribution to your health. While many people are not familiar with diet studies in this area, we think that you will find the research results to be both interesting and helpful. A first way to be consistent with your diet involves the timing of your meals and snacks. Consistent timing pays health dividends—and for a variety of reasons. All of body systems work best in a certain "rhythm." Perhaps the best-known "rhythm" in our everyday experience is the "sleep-wake" cycle. This daily cycle (also called a "circadian rhythm") is linked to our hormone production, cell activities, and also to our digestion. The more consistent that you can be with your food intake during your waking hours, the more in sync your body can become with this daily cycle. Many aspects of your physical health—including your blood sugar regul...