Nancy Dell: Circadian rhythms & wt; Safest Choice eggs

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) -  

1. I recently switched to a night shift and gained 15 pounds. Does Circadian rhythm affect weight?
Lisa, Internet

Circadian rhythm refers to rise and fall of hormones and messengers in the body, and yes, hectic schedules of modern day life can get you "out of sync" can cause weight gain according to researchers at Stanford University and the University of Jerusalem.

The Mayo clinic recently found insufficient sleep caused people to eat 549 more calories each day because it increases your hunger hormones. A study published in the journal Obesity found that high fat diets disrupt your internal clock and deactivate your body's fat burning enzyme called AMPK.

Animals who ate at the wrong time of the day like late in the evening gained 2 and a half times more weight than animals that ate during their active hours.

So what can you do to avoid body-clock disruptions and weight gain?

Set your body clock to "fat-burning" Mode

• Eat low fat foods
• Set 3 regular meal times
• Eat Carbohydrates at Breakfast
• Make Lunch the Largest Meal
• Eat Protein at Dinner
• Avoid night time eating
   

Researchers say, minimize fats, especially animal fats. Eat 3 times a day and try to eat at the same time each day. These researchers say don't graze all day. Eat carbohydrates in the morning to regulate the body's production of the feel, good brain chemical serotonin. Make your largest meal lunch when your metabolic rate is higher. Eat a light dinner of mainly protein and vegetable and do not eat after dinner. If you do, you will disrupt your body's signals to breakdown fat.

2. My son likes to make ice cream and smoothies with a raw egg. Is this safe?
Margaret, Blanford

It is not safe to eat raw eggs because there is a risk that they are contaminated with salmonella. But if you like to eat eggs sunny side up, cookie dough, Caesar dressing or anything else with raw eggs, use an egg brand called "Safest Choice". These eggs are pasteurized in the shells with a chemical free hot water bath that kills the bacteria without cooking the egg. They sell for about three dollars and seventy-nine cents a dozen.