Beating Jet Lag

Some dietary thoughts on overcoming that bane of long-distance flight: jet lag. This item is paraphrased from Newsday; instructions are from the U.S. Energy Department's Argonne National Laboratory. * Determine breakfast time at your destination and start the following feast-fast cycle three days before departure. * Day 1, feast. Eat a high-protein breakfast and lunch to stimulate the body's active cycle and a high-carbohydrate supper to stimulate sleep. No coffee except between 3 and 5 p.m. * Day 2, fast. Caloric intake should be half of feast days. Eat light meals of salads, soups, fruit, juices, etc. Keep carbohydrates to a minimum. Ditto on the coffee as on feast days. * Day 3, feast. See Day 1. * Day 4, departure day. Fast until your destination's breakfast time (westbound you may fast only half a day). If you drink caffeinated beverages, take them in the morning when traveling west, between 6 and 11 p.m. when traveling east. No alcohol on the plane. If your flight is long enough, sleep till destination's breakfast time but no later; wake and feast on high-protein breakfast and stay awake and active. Continue the day's meals according to meal times at destination.