Special meal plans
Anti-Jetlag Protocol
Architecture of time. 7 days to quickly sync biorhythms and clear-headed ease when changing time zones.
How to reset the body's internal clocks
The body runs not one but two independent biological clock systems:
- Central clock (brain) — located in the hypothalamus and responds to light
- Peripheral clocks (organs) — located in the liver, gut, and muscles and respond to food
Jet lag is the moment when the brain has already adjusted to the new sun, but the liver still lives on the old schedule — expecting food in the middle of the night and struggling to digest meals during the day. Coffee and energy drinks in this situation give only a short spike and drain the adrenals.
Anti-Jetlag Protocol is a chrononutrition system that uses food pauses, targeted nutrients, and light to quickly align peripheral clocks with the brain's rhythm.
Protocol parameters
Strategy 1 · Food reset
Action: a 12–16 hour food pause until the first breakfast in the new time zone. On long flights (10+ hours) — minimal food on board, especially carbs, instead of a full fast. Drink plenty of water.
Science: while food is absent for 12–16 hours, peripheral clocks seem to freeze. The first substantial meal in the new time zone acts as a switch — it tells the liver and pancreas: «A new day has started — run metabolism here and now.» Skipping carbs on board protects against insulin spikes that worsen swelling at altitude.
Strategy 2 · Dopamine morning
Foods: eggs, wild salmon, beef. Optionally — rhodiola rosea as an adaptogen for energy.
Routine: 15 minutes of sunlight directly into the eyes within the first hour after waking.
Science: pure morning protein breaks down into tyrosine — the main raw material for dopamine and norepinephrine, the hormones of focus and drive. Bright morning light through the retina quickly stops nighttime melatonin synthesis and lifts sleepiness.
Strategy 3 · Architecture of new sleep
Foods: turkey, sweet potato, kiwi, tart cherry. Optionally — ashwagandha to lower cortisol.
Routine: block blue light from screens 2 hours before desired bedtime.
Science: turkey is rich in tryptophan, and sweet potato gives a gentle insulin rise that helps tryptophan reach the brain. There it becomes serotonin, then the body's own melatonin. Tart cherry and kiwi contain natural melatonin analogues and gently prepare the body for sleep without sedatives.
Hydration and caffeine
- During the flight — 200–250 ml of pure water every hour; electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) every 3–4 hours
- On arrival — coconut water or electrolyte solution morning and evening
- Caffeine — limit 100 ml per day; not after local noon
Science: cabin air and lower pressure thicken the blood and slow oxygen delivery to the brain. Electrolytes keep water inside cells. Caffeine during jet lag triggers cortisol release, preventing the nervous system from shifting into calm mode and disrupting the evening sleep phase.
Protocol calendar
- Days 1–2 · Adaptation — strict fasting window, protein breakfasts for a dopamine surge, maximum daytime sun
- Days 3–5 · Rhythm lock-in — the body rebuilds circadian rhythms; stable sleep and meals on local time; focus on the evening strategy for deep sleep
- Days 6–7 · Homeostasis — liver and brain clocks work in unison; supportive mode without strict limits
This information is for reference only and complements a doctor's consultation. Rhodiola rosea and ashwagandha may interact with antidepressants, thyroid medications, and blood-pressure drugs — consult a physician if you take such medications.