Nothing is without confusion. Should we eat breakfast? Should we wait until we are hungry? What about kids? Should they eat breakfast?
I am a morning person. I didn’t use to be a breakfast person. Ok, I didn’t use to be a healthy breakfast person. Morning is peaceful. A fresh new day. The stillness as the daylight begins to push out the darkness. I love hearing the birds singing on my morning run. The dogs and I meet rabbits and the occasional wild hog or bobcat as we head out of the neighborhood. Everyone is a peace. It is the proverbial warm-up for the day.
I know it can also be a hectic time getting ready for work and getting kids dressed and off to school. The rush of all of that can make the day start off in high gear. High sympathetic tone; fight or flight. That also means high blood pressure, high heart rate and high inflammation. High alert. Now add a donut and a cup of coffee or greasy window food eaten in the car on the way to work or school. You have a recipe for a high stress, high inflammatory day. Do that day in and day out for 10 or 15 years and get in line for your heartburn pills, your blood pressure pills, and your pain pills.
Tony the Tiger did have one thing right and that was to start your day off Right! Don’t go running out to get Frosted flakes because a high surgery low fiber cereal is not the answer. But, starting the day out a little less hectic and a little more mindful can go along way. Having some time in the morning to ease into the day with some mindful breathing and exercise can start the day out right. Instead of a quick grab and go breakfast, how about a nutrient dense, anti inflammatory, antioxidant meal to recover from your workout and prepare you for what lies ahead in your day.
I am a reformed pastry addict. You name the desert, and I have probably had it for breakfast. I also am a reformed antacid addict for the heartburn I experienced along with those choices. I still like sweet. We all have the ability to taste sweet because it was a sign of safety in our past. Rotten things and poisonous things in the wild are not sweet. But now I get my sweet from a variety of colorful fruit in the morning. I keep to the season. Right now blueberries, strawberries, papaya, melon, and mangos are in season. Beautiful color means health. Fruit is quick food that can be prepared the night before. Add it to oatmeal, teff or chia seeds and you are on your way to health. Take time to set and enjoy and set the tone for the day. If that means going to bed early, it is well worth it. When you are calm and healthy, it will rub off onto others.
On the weekends, you can take time for heartier breakfast perhaps. Pancakes is a favorite of a lot of people but they are loaded with oil, fat and cholesterol, not to mention the refined white flour that will sit in your stomach and slow you down for the rest of the day.
I would like to introduce you to the grain, Teff. It is loaded with iron, calcium, protein and fiber. Adding a little cacao powder gives them a hint of chocolate. Our cookbook has a receipe for Teff pancakes on page 12 that is oil free and high in fiber. This allows the pancakes to stay with you and not cause the sudden rise and fall in blood sugars. Instead of a sugar topping, we have included recipes for fruit toppings that are quick and simple. Add a fruit bowl to this, and you have a powerhouse breakfast that will prepare you for a wonderful, active, and healthy day.
Here is a link to purchase our cookbook: https://doctordulaney.com/resources/plant-based-nutrition-resources/