Dinner At Midnight

We all lead busy lives which means  strange eating habits and hours.That could mean roast chicken at midnight or breakfast at noon. It's hard to maintain healthy eating when your internal clock is screwed up.This usually means pounds gained and bad nutrition.

One of the worst work hours is the overnight shift. This is usually reserved for  hospital workers but it can also include delivery people, truckers and even bartenders who work into the wee hours.It's tempting to grab a full meal at midnight.when it feels like lunchtime. The best bet is to eat lean proteins such as chicken and turkey.Hard boiled eggs and cheese are also good choices. Crudites and dip are also acceptable "nighttime" shift plates. Have a variety such as pea pods carrots , peppers and broccoli for color and crunch. Eat fruit for dessert.Stay away from caffeine loaded coffee and chocolates which will keep you awake. Have a calming tea such as Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime tea instead of soda. This is loaded with  chamomile and spearmint which helps in relaxing.Low protein foods such as toast and jam or even orange juice can also make up a meal. It is tempting to run to an all night fast food joint or even a diner, but don't. The fat alone , not to mention the excess salt and sugar is unhealthy and will just lay in your stomach.Another must is making other meals just as light and low in calories.Think soup and salads, along with grilled chicken and grilled veggies.

What about those nine to when the day is done work days?Quitting time is anywhere from eight PM to midnight.Do you succumb to hunger and fatigue and go to a restaurant? Do you hit a fast food joint for a bag of burger, fries and a malt? No! Eating a heavy meal after seven PM can bring only not only high blood pressure but an increased risk for a heart attack. Stick with something light but filling. Sandwiches work. Try a peanut butter one. Peanut butter is full of tryptophan and protein , perfect for making you drowsy after a long, grueling day. One filled with turkey and avocado is another good choice.You could also try a kale and walnut salad. Add some strips of turkey or chicken to give it more oomph. Eggs too are another choice. One, they easy to whip up, especially scrambled or soft boiled with some whole wheat toast and two, they're light but satisfying. , Keep away from any fried foods. As tasty as that fried steak sounds, hold it off  for lunch.Wine is off the table too.You may think a glass of red or white is the perfect way to end a hectic day. It's not, creating sleep disturbances that can screw up your next work day.Stick with iced tea or flavored seltzer to go with your meal.

Strange dinner hours can wreak havoc on a life and a diet.Stick with light meals, full of foods that will relax you after a long stressful day.Work hard, eat easy. It'll keep you going during any grueling work day and night.

Sleepy Time Foods

Springing forward time wise means a lot of good things. Spring is here. The days are longer with sunsets beginning at seven PM. Summer is just around the corner. However it also means being wide awake at eleven PM or midnight This screws up our Circadian rhythms and makes for a bad wake up call the next morning. What to do? Eat foods that will make you sleepy.A few bites and you’ll be craving your pillow and forty winks.

Just what foods will do the trick? One of the best is celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time Extra herbal tea.It has soothing chamomile along with spearmint  lemongrass and hawthorn. Valerian, a long used sedative for millenia is also thrown in for guaranteed drowsiness.There are the other Sleepy Time blends such as the original recipe along with ones that have echinacea  and ginger. Another snooze inducer is that classic warm milk. It has tryptophan in it, the same chemical that’s in turkey. You can add a tiny pinch of nutmeg along with the smallest drop of vanilla extract for more flavor. Milk can be heated in the microwave so you can make it there without the threat of it being scalded. Surprsingly tart cherry juice can also bring on sleepiness , thanks to the release of melantonin. The juice can be bought at GNC or online rather than at your local grocery store. Everyone thinks that a cup of hot cocoa will do the trick but that’s a wrong assumption. Chocolate has caffeine which will keep you up all night along with sugar which again can keep a person from getting a good night’s rest.

As for foods, yes you could have a nighttime snack of that leftover turkey. It may be a bit too heavy though so consider lighter options. Pretzels can do the same job. They’re full of carbs which can make you feel sleepy. Another snack option are bananas.They’re chock full of Vitamin B 6 which is essential in the melantonin synthesis .They’re also loaded with potassium which causes muscles to relax. Have one two to three hours before going to bed.Peanut butter is another snack guaranteed to cause zzzs thanks to the nuts being high in niacin, an essential key in creating serotonin.. What you eat at dinner can also affect the way you sleep. This is when the turkey can come in handy, especially paired with a salad. Lettuce , along with kale and spinach are loaded with calcium which aids the brain in using tryptophan. Even hummus can help you fall asleep. It starts off as L-tryptophan once it’s been processed by the body but then turns to 5HTP which releases relaxing serotonin. Serve it with mixed veggies or toasted pita wedges.Fish such as tuna, salmon and halibut share the same Vitamin B6 as bananas along with being very high in tryptophan too. Eat any of the three to ensure a sound night’s sleep.

Don’t let this new time ruin your sleep habits. Eat the right foods before going to bed to feel drowsy .Doing such will guarantee a good night’s rest and an easier wake up in the morning.

Holiday Stressbusters

Tis the season for stress.It's everywhere, from over crowded shopping malls to never ending family dramas and issues to work end of year deadlines. Luckily there are certain foods that can melt that away. Eat your way to relaxation  and a world of peacefulness.

One of the best is while grain pastas and breadsThey contain tryptophn, yep that snoozer chemical found in turkey , which is a calming neurotransmitter. Nothing beats a bowl of spaghetti, already a comfort food, with homemade sauce . Have it with a big slice of whole grain Italian bread and some salad after a hard day of multitasking . Another idea is making whole grain pizza at home with the family. Kneading the raw dough is another stress buster and it's fun to put on different toppings.Even a slce of whole grain toast with butter is a nice way to end the day, especially if you have it with a cup of herbal tea. You can add a drop o honey to this for some sweetness.
Stay away from jams and jellies though which have processed sugar. The last can make you hyper which just brings on more stress.

Stress busitng snacks are always good to  have , whether at home or at the office.These include almonds, blueberries and dark chocolate, no surprise on the last one.Almonds are loaded with zinc which help to balance moods plus they are full of healthy fats and iron which are needed for combatting brain fatigue , a contributor to stress. Blueberries are not just a tasty low fat snack they are asup erfood and contain vital and important antioxidants. The more antioxidants in a body, the less the stress.dark chocolate, reduces the hormones that causes all these problems, cortisol. Stay away from milk chocolate  which has the problematic dairy and refined sugar. For a yummy combination of the dark chocolate and blueberries buy a bag of Brookside chocolates. The company also sells another stress buster acai dipped in dark chocolate.Acai is the exotic cousin of the blueberry and it too is a super food that relieves stress.

Tis the season to be merry not stressed out. Have a dinner of whole grain pasta followed by a tasty dessert of chocolate dipped blueberries. You'll not only feel cam but happy with these wonderful flavors.