“Your morning sets up the success of your day. So many people wake up and immediately check text messages, emails, and social media. I use my first hour awake for my morning routine of breakfast and meditation to prepare myself.” – Caroline Ghosn
What about you?
Do you eat breakfast?
IS IT REALLY IMPORTANT TO EAT BREAKFAST?
Breakfast seems so be like religion; everybody have their own beliefs and none of them are proven to be right. One thing that is certain though is that the very first thing you will eat after the fasting period DOES MATTER.
WHAT SHOULD YOU EAT TO BREAK THE FASTING PERIOD:
- Fermented foods; such as miso, tofu & yogurt
- Sources of proteins; such as eggs
THINGS YOU SHOULD AVOID EATING FOR BREAKFAST:
- Things made of refined flour; such as pastries, croissants, white bread
- Refined sugar and too much fruits
WHY?
Since your body has been fasting for a few hours, more or less eight, it needs to ingest some foods that will help the guts building a protective shield made of good bacteria, which you can find in fermented foods. When your stomach is completely empty, which is the case after fasting all night, it will absorb the very first thing you give it to digest. This is why you want to make sure you are giving your body the best first meal possible.
Why should you avoid any refined flour, sugar and too much fruits for breakfast? The reason is very simple. As we were saying, after fasting all night long, your stomach and guts will absorb anything you give them. If you give your body refined flour and sugar, it will right away be absorbed by your body. Refined flour and sugar will be stored as fat and the energy that they provide will dissipate very fast. They are not long lasting sources of energy, which will cause you to be hungry shortly after eating it.
Why should you avoid eating too much fruits for breakfast? If you eat your whole daily fruit portion for breakfast, you will give your body a high energy boost in the morning and you will experience a very big down in afternoon. The best time to eat fruits is around 11h AM or after lunch when you feel tired. Also, fruits can be very acidic and this can cause your gut and stomach to be irritated throughout the day.
The best thing to do is; eat something fermented and which contains a source of protein for breakfast and to eat some fruits around 11h AM. You will notice that your sugar levels are well balanced and that you will have less sugar cravings in the afternoon. You will also notice that your digestion will be much better if you follow this piece of advice.
WHEN SHOULD YOU EAT BREAKFAST?
Have you ever heard of intermittent fasting? Intermittent fasting is very trendy at the moment. Everyone thinks that by prolongating their fasting time they will be more healthy and loose weight. It might work for some people, but it is not true for everyone. Fasting from 8h PM to 12h AM will make you feel so hungry that you might fall into a trap and start eating more than usual since your body was put into a starvation mode for a long period of time. If you are a person that already has a hard time controlling food & sugar rages, this wouldn’t be a good option for you. Moreover, intermittent fasting is not recommended for women. This is an indicator that it must not be the best thing to inflict to your body.
There is not really a “best” time to eat Breakfast. The best time to eat Breakfast is when you are hungry. Some people are hungry as soon as they wake up, some others later in the morning. Follow your instinct, listen to your body and feed it the best food possible.
EXTRA TIP:
If you are in general sensitive to food and have a hard time with your digestion and gut, listen to this piece of advice: Quit coffee!
Coffee is such an acidic beverage, it is very hard on your stomach and gut. Did you know that coffee used to be an ancient sacred beverage that was consumed only once or twice a year for sacred rituals and ceremonies? Nowadays, coffee is so accessible that we tend to drink it everyday, multiple times a day! Moreover, coffee can be the cause of body odours that you can’t fight. Coffee activates the adrenal glands, which are the glands that activate in response to stress. This is why you feel fidgety and anxious when you drink too much coffee. The activation of those glands also cause us to sweat more, which can cause some unpleasant body odours.