Summer is here and it’s time to make the most of your vacation time! While that can include beaches, clear skies and tropical drinks, you may  fall into the trap of spending some days in bed due to jet lag. The remedy: rethinking your eating habits prior to flying.

Researchers found the body’s natural clock is controlled by the amount of light you’re exposed to. This can regulate when to wake, eat and sleep, but this can be altered by a second natural body clock. A body clock that is activated by your food intake.

When you deny yourself food, your body modifies its sleeping habits. On the day of your departure consider making it a “fast day”. Only eat light meals like salads or thin soups. This depletes the liver’s glycogen, or muscle fuel, and helps to prepare the body to reset its clock. Try to get as much sleep as you can until breakfast time at your destination. The longer you sleep, the more your body thinks it's fasting, reinforcing its need to restart.

This diet was developed by Dr. Charles F. Ehret or Argonne National Laboratory. For more information go to www.AntiJetLagDiet.com. Tune in to Health Talk with Dr. Hoffman, Weekdays Midnight - 1am, Saturdays Noon - 2pm, and Sundays 10am to 11am on WOR710!