You may either have heard someone repeat the following or it may even be your own favourite line;”I am not a breakfast person”, “I leave home too early to eat breakfast”, “I do not feel hungry in the morning.” These are only a few of our 1003 Breakfast Excuses. There are hundreds of diet plans: some are even based on blood groups, others on day of the week one was born and even weirder ones designed for people with presidential ambitions. Except for a handful even the weirdest diet plans include breakfast.
Why do we complicate our lives so much? Let us just stick with the basics and all other things will follow. Most people are comfortable with lunch but breakfast and supper always raise more questions than answers.
Many of us are well aware of the benefits of eating breakfast yet we tend to look for reasons to justify skipping breakfast; probably the most important meal of the day. I am tempted to piggy-back on George Orwell’s Animal Farm and say “all meals in the day are created equal but some meals are more equal than others.”
Let us break our health fast today by sharing ideas on some frequently asked questions about breakfast:
1. Do I have to eat breakfast?
a. YES you have to. In life you may occasionally be forced to skip breakfast but the norm should be to EAT breakfast.
b. When you eat breakfast you are more likely to get the vitamins, minerals and fibre you need for good health. It also helps to control your weight, reduce fat intake and lower cholesterol.
c. Eating breakfast improves your concentration at home, work or in school hence making you more productive during the day. Yes if you have been skipping breakfast, you have been working below your potential all this while.
d. Remember your brain does not store energy from food for future use; please give it a fresh supply.
2. When should I eat breakfast?
a. The simple answer here is within two (2) hours of waking up but this does not mean once you miss this time frame you should forget about it till the following day.
3. Are there specific foods for breakfast?
a. The most important point is to have a balanced meal with adequate fibre. There is no one cap fits all here. Someone sitting all morning may need food different from another digging outdoors.
b. Remember that your “ideal” breakfast of a cereal and bread or a pastry may have more calories (energy) than the brown rice and vegetables that someone else ate.
c. Ensure you have protein in your meal since it will keep you full over a longer period
4. Will skipping breakfast help me lose weight?
a. Unfortunately NO. All the hunger pangs that you may contend with just to lose weight may be in vain. Eating breakfast may actually jump-start your metabolism increasing your chances of burning extra calories.
b. Eating breakfast will also curb severe hunger pangs that may force you to eat unhealthy snacks and a large unhealthy meal at lunch.
5. Do I have to eat breakfast even if I do not feel hungry?
a. I am aware there are a few diet plans out there that teach its patrons to eat only when they are hungry. In my opinion that may be a very tall order and a dangerous path to follow. Kindly train yourself to eat something no matter how little.
b. Many of us tend not to be hungry because we had a heavy meal quite late the previous night and the body has not completed digesting. Start off by eating supper about four (4) hours before bedtime and watch the portions. Eating till you can hardly breathe is certainly not a smart choice.
c. If you have not been eating breakfast; start now by eating breakfast at least two mornings a week and gradually increase till you can eat breakfast every morning.
In summary; breakfast is arguably the most important meal of the day. It helps you control your weight and blood cholesterol and above all it enhances your brain power making you perform better in all spheres of life. Remember it is what you do 90% of the time that impacts on your health.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)

Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Moms’ Health Club
(dressel@healthclubsgh.com)

*Dr Essel is a medical doctor and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy and fitness nutrition.
Thought for the week – “I’ve yet to meet an overweight person who doesn’t skip BREAKFAST and snack at night.” – Pat Harper, R.D.
Reference:
1. Health by Choice Not Chance – Aileen Ludington & Hans Diehl.
2. Mayo Clinic Essential Heart Guide -2012