With all the fasting and juicing.. Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day?
For many years we were bombarded about how important breakfast was and if we didn't eat breakfast we would be losing out on essential nutrients the endorsements got bigger and noisier from cereal companies not the USDA but the cereal companies and how important the roles of whole grain should play into our daily routine. According to the cereal companies cereal was a miracle food. Whole grain is essential but should be consumed without the processed sugars and all the junk.
What wasn't mentioned many cereals companies replaced the sugar in the cereal. They sneaked in genetically modified high fructose corn syrup and never mind the fact when you read the cereals ingredient label, it would read like a shopping list.
The most positive benefit was that it brought more awareness of whole-grain.
For growing children, yes I believe it's essential that they don't go to school hungry. I also believe eating together keeps you and your children connected. One day they'll look back and appreciate that meal to start their day.
I hate to admit it, I personally am content with just a cup of tea that's how i kick start my day and i feel alert and motivated. As the morning progresses it's all about the water the occasional shot of wheatgrass, yum! I do try to be good about smoothies too.
Fasting works well for me.
Other than water or mint tea, I prefer not to eat after 6 pm. In the mornings i'll be up anytime after 6 am and i'll have my tea but every other day is coffee.. I'll go out for my combo run/walk and on alternative days i'll have a shot of wheatgrass after my routine. That pretty much keeps me on track and i feel good. Lately, I realised i was experiencing sore muscles in my back after gardening, that pretty much freaked me out and now i've added 1 hour of daily gardening to my routine and i feel better now. Back to fasting.. I stop eating after 6pm then the following morning breakfast is around 11.00 am.
So is breakfast really important?
For many yes, for me not so. That doesn't mean to say that i'm losing essential vitamins or minerals. I ensure that my first meal is nutrient dense and mostly what i consume until till 6 pm is pretty nutrient dense too. I only make non-fat smoothies because i believe i have good fats in the meals that i prepare. I also have to confess I do deviate to some of my favorite comfort foods, only if it's been a busy and crazy day. I give myself permission to occasionally indulge in a comfort food-but not on a daily basis.
Comfort food has to be consumed by 4pm. In essence I have no diet plan that i follow, so I create a routine that I enjoy. I don't watch the calories but from 4pm there's no comfort foods.
What i see around me is truly comforting, people have started to become an advocate for their own health. Making choices, health choices that they feel most comfortable with. Taking more of a holistic approach to combat illnesses and most importantly taking more charge of their lives. That's not to say i never see a doctor only if i need to.
From herbal remedies to venturing towards holistic approaches, medicinal spices in the kitchen it's the movement of our choices that impacted the supplemental and the food industry. Every dollar we spend is a vote for the food we eat. After all we should think our pantry as our medicine cabinet.