According to recent studies (and your Mother’s innate good sense) eating a good, solid and healthy breakfast everyday does more than just give you fuel to start and manage your day, it could also keep your heart risks low.
“Skipping breakfast may lead to one or more risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which may in turn lead to a heart attack over time,” study researcher Leah E. Cahill, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in a statement. Now that’s pretty compelling evidence to get your grub on at the start of the day.
Researchers also found a correlation between skipping breakfast and having a 27 percent higher risk of dying from coronary heart disease or experiencing a heart attack. Add other high risk factors including sedentary activity, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, alcohol intake, smoking, diet and nutrition, as well as body mass index and medical history, and you’ve got yourself into some deep health issues.
If you feel too rushed in the mornings to eat, don’t feel as though breakfast has to be a ‘huge’ affair in order to reap the benefits. Try a balanced easy to assemble make-ahead meal such as sliced apples, cheddar cheese and walnuts, add peanut butter to a whole grain or bran toaster waffle, or a quickly blended ‘to go’ shake. Plan ahead, cut up fruits, vegetables and lean proteins the night before take with you to work. We are, of course, touting the benefits of a healthy breakfast! Popping by a drive through or noshing on doughnuts will probably not add to your heart health, so eat smart!
Eating breakfast improves your metabolism, keeps you on track if you are trying to lose weight, helps to maintain insulin response, and helps to keep your moods stable!
Stay full, and stay happy and heart healthy!
Always consult your chiropractor or primary care physician for all your health related advice.
Image credit: Breakfast by Jonathan Lin. Used under a creative commons license.
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