Coming Home to Biological Rhythm

By Dr. Marian Alonzo

For most people today, time is a precious luxury. By employing faster gadgets and resorting to everything instant from food to shopping…are we really saving time?  With this perceived “saved time” are we able to offer quality time for our growing children or at least have that rejuvenating rest that our body and mind yearn for?

Joyful living and job fulfillment because of the fast-paced reality we have created is now being replaced by draining existence.  Burnout is the latest disease in this society.  There are vacations that are stimulating to the point of exhaustion: you experience so much in such a short time, and there are vacations that create that beautiful creative space needed for better performance when you go back to work.  But one need not wait for that vacation leave to recharge; for every night, we are given that gift to renew our senses.

In days past, people would start to gently slow down their activities as the sun goes down.  At night, they would gather around a bonfire or fireplace or have candlelight conversations.  This gentle fire glow stimulates the production of melatonin responsible for quality sleep.  Not only are we missing out on this precious warmth of both the gentle light and human connection, but we are also bombarded with the blue light of our smartphones which alters the natural hormone release that dictates the rejuvenating quality sleep.  No wonder more and more people of all ages are deprived of quality sleep.

We resort to caffeine and sweets for that much-needed boost for the sake of increased work productivity. Yes, we get that extra energy, but only temporary and at the expense of vitality.  More and more, we have young people with signs of accelerated aging.  There’s a whole list, one of which is the brown spot usually seen in the cheekbone area.  Sugar is the top culprit.  This is not to demonize sugar or glucose for it has a role. After all, our brain cells run only on glucose as energy…but to realize, that our society has sweetened our food beyond what is healthy.  It’s no wonder diabetes is steadily on the rise.  For those with a sweet tooth, 3 PM to 6 PM will be the window period for taking sweets.  This is seen in the wisdom of most cultures like the British or Chinese tea ceremony often served with sweet cakes or Filipino merienda (afternoon snack). Each internal organ has its own rhythm,  the liver wakes up at 3 PM while the rest of the body slows down by 6 PM or sundown in preparation for sleep.

The Farm at San Benito Health Resort offers activities that are mindful of the human body’s biological rhythm to give you that life-changing holiday that imparts optimal health at a cellular level, integrating its 5 healing components:

• Holistic Integrative Medical Services
• Nurturing Spa & Hydrotherapy Services
• Whole Food Vegan Cuisine
• Mindful Movement & Functional Movement Services
• Healing Environment & Heartfelt Services

All its programs are results-driven, evidence-based & anchored in medical science & natural healing principles.