Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day

It is called breakfast because it is literally a time of breaking a fast of  8-14 hours. Fasting at night is essential to let the digestive system work, and catch up, without giving it additional food to process.What the body wants, after not eating for this extended period, is nutrients, good fuel. Just like a car that runs well on the right gas, but poorly when given gas of inferior quality, or gas with sand or dirt in it, the body needs the proper fuel to run efficiently.The right breakfast can increase energy through out the day. 

What the body needs for breakfast is organic or free range protein, and organic vegetables. Protein provides energy, mental acuity, repairs tissues, and can cut down on cravings for sweets. A wide range of many different colors and textures of vegetables means a wider range of vitamins and minerals. It is easy to get stuck on the same old thing, but more variety provides more nutrients.Vitamins and minerals are needed for every bodily function, and for every organ and tissue.  

"Vegetables for Breakfast?" is the typical reaction from patients. "You don't care for omelets?" my usual response. An omelet or egg scramble, is a traditional American breakfast. Increasing the number of vegetables, without cheese, makes it a healthier, and tastier version. Most countries don't have the concept of breakfast foods that we do. I recommend people get over the idea of the conventional breakfast. While some people, occasional have breakfast for dinner, a healthier choice is to have dinner for breakfast. How many people would have their typical breakfast for dinner and consider it an acceptable meal? Dinner leftovers are a quick and easy solution, or leftovers added to organic broth for a quick and easy soup. Put through a blender, with a few added seasonings, this can be turned into a delicious cream soup. 

The typical American breakfast of starches and sugar, whether cereal, muffins, toast with jam, pastries,or just too much sugar in the form of fruit smoothies, are all high on the glycemic index and low on nutrients.This often causes an initial peak of energy followed by a crash in the afternoon, or sooner, depending on how much starch and sugar was consumed. This is asking the body and brain to run without fuel. Eating the right foods, good protein, and a variety of vegetables, preferably 6-10 different types through out the day, can make people feel, and look, younger, which also makes them feel more like exercising. Diet and exercise truly are the key to the Fountain of Youth and health.

                                              Health and Happiness,

                                                      Nancy Burton, L.Ac.