Big vs Small Meals

I am taking a nutrition course at Vanderbuilt University through Coursera.org and found the topic of balanced nutrition from Dr. Benardot fascinating. He used the picture above as an example of our cellular capacity being the small cup and the pitcher being what we consume when we eat large meals. His theory is to eat and drink smaller amounts throughout the day so you keep your nutrient levels balanced. I know this is a controversial topic. I have even heard some doctors refer to it as grazing and not letting your digestive system get a break. Dr. Bernardot says that we should not let ourselves get hungry or thirsty, that we should consume water in timed intervals because by the time we feel thirsty, dehydration has already taken place. He says that if you consume too much food at once you risk toxicity, wasted energy, increased fat storage and can develop insensitivity to nutrients. If you take in too little it can lead to malfunction, poor metabolism, inadequate protective systems, and reduced cell life. Smaller meals at regular intervals makes sense to me. I know if I go too long without eating or drinking water, I'm in trouble. The cravings kick in and are so hard to overcome. The solution seems simple, but it actually takes planning and effort. It's easy to get busy and distracted and forget to eat until several hours have passed and you feel famished. I'm going to give this smaller, more frequent meals and timed intervals of water a try. I know I need to bring my water intake UP! I'm going to set the timer on my iPhone and drink a smaller amount of water rather than trying to drink 32 oz in a short period of time.

Kathy