The Power of Eating Breakfast!

Eating breakfast is probably something that most of us take for granted. We really didn’t understand the importance of breakfast either, until we began to educate ourselves on the subject.

Skipping breakfast is really detrimental to our health in many ways. We all know that it’s not healthy to go all day without eating. But how important is it really? Let’s look at it this way.

When we eat dinner…lets say at about 6 or 7 pm, then sleep all night, wake up, skip breakfast, only to eat lunch around noon…we’ve just managed to go about 16 hours with nothing to eat (that’s not good).That’s almost like going all day without eating.

The word…BREAKFAST…literally means to BREAK the FAST. We’ve slept all night without anything to eat…that is a FAST. We awake and it’s time to BREAK the fast. It’s time to eat and refuel.

Many people believe that by not eating breakfast, they will loose body weight. But the opposite is true. Our body has a protective survival mechanism that kicks in when we’re not getting food. It thinks we are in a state of starvation and stops burning body fat for normal energy. This can actually create muscle wasting and possible weight gain.

It’s not rocket science. During our waking hours, our body needs to be fed every 3 or 4 hours in order to keep everything regulated. And it goes without saying, that we must also stay hydrated. This way our energy level is enhanced, our mood is improved, thoughts are processed better (this is really important for children in school) and our cells have the nutrients needed to rebuild. We hope you see just how important breakfast really is.

Some people eat breakfast on the run (pastry, doughnut, processed cereal). All of these foods are okay on occasion, but not everyday. They are all high in simple carbohydrates and sugars. Simple Carbohydrates enter the bloodstream quickly and turn to sugar, causing an over-abundant release of insulin. This increase in insulin causes too much glucose to be snatched from our blood. Now, our blood sugar crashes and we begin to feel slightly tired, lazy and irritable, our concentration is shot and we may be hungry again, before lunchtime. (I’m sure we’ve all experience this)

Remember, constantly eating this way, sends the blood sugar up and down, over and over. This is extremely bad for our health and may contribute in the development of type-2 diabetes.

Eating a BALANCED BREAKFAST and diet is key. Protein and fat do not enter the blood stream quickly. Eating protein, complex carbohydrates and fat together yields a synergistic effect, allowing for the proper absorption of nutrients. Eating this way allows the body to rebuild itself, maintain a steady supply of energy and helps to regulate our metabolism. This is what balanced eating will do for us.

Good example:

• Cooked oatmeal with honey or stevia, sprinkled with fruit, berries and nuts of your choice.
  
• Poached egg, whole grain toast w/organic butter, piece of fruit.
  
• Low fat yogurt with fresh berries like, blueberries, strawberries, and your favorite nuts.
  
• Scramble egg mixed with onion and green pepper wrapped in a whole-wheat tortilla, and a piece of fruit.
  
• Hardboiled egg, oatmeal or whole grain cereal (not highly processed), piece of fruit.
  
• Make a fruit smoothie with yogurt and your favorite fruits, and nuts.
  
• Cottage cheese, fresh fruit, and slice of wheat toast w/butter.
  
• Western Omelet (use your favorite veggies), handful of mixed nuts and raisons.
  
• Half of a baked chicken breast, steamed broccoli, almonds or walnuts. (sounds odd for breakfast, but it’s not bad)
  

Always try to add health-enhancing berries (loaded with antioxidants and numerous nutrients and fiber) like, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries.

Also try adding nuts…almonds, walnuts, etc. These are loaded with protein, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Bad Example:

• Doughnuts and pastries
  
• Fast food breakfast sandwiches
  
• Pancakes or waffles w/syrup
  
• Biscuits and gravy, sausage or bacon
  
• Nothing at all

Okay, who can resist these foods all of the time? Eating them on occasion may be okay, but look around at the people who eat these foods everyday. See there!…You get the biggg…picture.

There are so many healthy foods that you can eat. Have fun and experiment. What have you got to LOSE but your hunger…and a few extra pounds….and oh, yeah!…maybe, years of ill health.

Please understand, getting in the habit of eating a responsible healthy Breakfast can be life changing.