Interesting article on a subject I have recently been mulling over in my own life. I take allergy meds year round for seasonal allergies, and I wonder if this has something to do with weight gain/loss. This is definitely something to look into more.
Sneezing your way to a big belly: Do allergy medications make you fat?.
The next time you are tempted to run out the door without eating breakfast, you may want to remember that there are good reasons for stocking up on granola bars and orange juice.
Better Immune System
People who eat breakfast consume more essential nutrients (including calcium, fiber, protein and vitamins C, B1, B2, and D) than people who do not eat in the morning. After fasting for 6-8 hours, the digestive system is primed to easily digest the nutrients eaten at breakfast. Generally speaking, good nutrition means better resistance to infections. When your immune system is fueled by the morning nutrients and vitamins it is better equipped to handle the job of protecting you from colds, flu, and cancer.
You will live longer
According to the University of California, breakfast eaters may live longer than those who pass on the morning meal. Those people who were studied show significant difference in blood sugar levels and blood pressure than those who chose not to eat in the morning. Breakfast lovers may simply be more likely to stay in shape and exercise than their breakfast skipping counterparts. These factors could contribute to a long life for breakfast eaters.
Brain Booster
Studies have shown that test scores improved in inner city children who ate a healthy breakfast. According to an article at the National Institutes of Health, “Six months after the start of the free school breakfast programs, students who decreased their nutritional risk showed significantly greater: improvements in attendance and school breakfast participation, decreases in hunger, and improvements in math grades and behavior than children who did not decrease their nutritional risk.” Therefore, it seems that eating breakfast can increase attention span and boost the brain so learning can take place.
Weight Control
Eating breakfast can help maintain weight and even help in weight loss. The idea is that keeping your body fed and fueled will aid in the ability to lose weight. It helps by controlling hunger. “When you skip breakfast, says Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. at the Mayo Clinic, you later become ravenous and are more likely to overeat.” This can add up to weight gain. Experts believe that skipping breakfast can add about 1 pound every seven weeks, which equals about 8 pounds a year, even if the caloric intake remains the same.
Quick Breakfast Ideas
Granola Bar and Orange Juice
Protein Shake, a Banana, and almond Milk
Yogurt, with almonds
Toast with peanut butter
Works Cited
A breakfast of meat and eggs or nothing at all linked to extra weight . (2003, 8 1). Retrieved from University of California: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/5630
Katherine Zeratsky, R. L. (2011, 7 23). Weight Loss. Retrieved from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01119
R.E. Kleinman, a. S.-R. (2012, 2 9). Diet, Breakfast, and Academic Performance in Children. Retrieved from National Institute of Health: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3275817/
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