FITNESS & BEAUTY · APRIL 2018
WHY YOU SHOULDN ' T SKIP BREAKFAST
Heart disease researchers have found that factors like where you live , how many children you have , and your socioeconomic status can influence your cardiovascular health . In the United States , the number one killer of both men and women is heart disease . More than 610,000 Americans die as a result of heart disease every year . That amounts to roughly one in every four deaths in the United States of America alone .
The risk factors are well known by now . They include high blood pressure , high cholesterol , obesity , lack of physical activity , and smoking . Researchers have found that there is one often overlooked risk factor that can play a major role in heart health . It is one that might not be so obvious to the average person or medical professional – eating breakfast .
Studies suggest that those who eat breakfast regularly tend to have lower rates of heart disease . They also have lower cholesterol levels , blood pressures well within normal range , and make better food choices , thus , helping them keep their weight under control . All of this information is according to studies performed by the American Heart Association .
When you skip breakfast , you increase the likelihood of developing diabetes , high cholesterol levels , increased weight gain , and increased obesity levels . This happens because inevitably hunger pangs will disrupt your day by midmorning . That triggers our brains to search for food . At that time of day , with our brain and stomachs telling us to hunt and gather nourishment , we naturally reach for something convenient . Those convenience foods are more likely to be sugar-laden , carb-filled , and processed or we reach for far more food that we actually need to satiate our ravenous appetite . By doing this , we consume a large number of calories at once , and chances are , those calories are empty . It begins a cycle of bad food choices that , unless controlled , continues throughout the day . Soon , you ’ ll find that you ’ ve consumed three to four times your daily recommended caloric intake .
That is unless you ' re eating breakfast every morning . ( There ’ s a caveat . It must be a healthy breakfast . Don ’ t reach for sugary cereals or a box of doughnuts . It must be a healthy , nutritious meal that includes healthy doses of proteins and good carbohydrates .)
Another benefit of eating breakfast is that it allows you an opportunity to sit with your family and make sure you ’ re on the same page or know what ’ s on the agenda for the day . Breakfast fuels you for the day ahead . It helps you to prepare for the day ahead .
For kids and teens , eating breakfast helps them to have more energy for school . Studies show that kids who eat a nutritious breakfast do better in school , perform better on tests , and can better concentrate . A good breakfast keeps the feelings of negativity , restlessness , and fatigue at bay .
When you skip breakfast , your body essentially goes into panic mode . Muscle glycogen levels are at their lowest when you first wake up in the morning because your body has just experienced an overnight fast . By skipping breakfast , you ’ re throwing your body ’ s natural rhythms off , and that creates a negative chain reaction .
By Julianna Lowe
32 HEALTHY MAGAZINE