The Practical Nutritionist, LLC

Audrey J Pellegrino, M. Ed, M.HN,CNW®

Nationally board Certified Nutritional Wellness

Holistic Nutritionist/Educator

603-768-3214

practicalnutrition@gmail.com

www.pnutritionist.com

BREAKFAST REALLY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY.

I hear the complaints that breakfast is too early or that food cannot be tolerated so early in the day, over and over. What we need to remember is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, not just when we are school children, but at every stage of our lives. What we eat first thing in the morning helps to determine what we eat later in the day.

During sleep your body is active using up your protein, repairing your muscles and cells. You also use your vitamins and minerals, eliminating toxins from air, water and food. If you do not eat breakfast not only will your metabolism slow down, resulting in muscle loss and weight gain but you may tend to feel tired throughout the day. We are suppose to “break our fast” each day to suppress the hormone Grehlin, which causes you to be hungry later on in the day. If you skip breakfast you could also be increasing your stress hormone Cortisol which will is part of the fat storage cycle. For these reasons you should try to eat your breakfast one within one hour of waking.

Breakfast does not have to be the meal that you see pictured on a cereal commercial, but they do have parts of it right. A fruit or vegetable or juice gives your body a shot of vitamins which are antioxidants and will help maintain your immune system, protect you from stress and help maintain energy levels. Breakfast helps replenish the food energy which is stored in our muscles (called glycogen) and this helps your muscles to function better. Your body is a chemical machine and if you wait until lunch to restore these levels, by the time your biochemistry kicks in it is almost time for bed.

Don’t top load your morning with caffeine and bleached flour products such as doughnuts, toast and cereals….If you do you may end up with an energy crash later in the day which will leave you feeling as though you cannot get out of your own way, as well as require a midmorning snack. Do start your day with good complex grains, clean protein, and whole fruit and vegetable carbohydrates. Feel free to email me for a list of breakfast suggestions. Begin eating a healthy breakfast today and then you will have a better tomorrow!