As the name implies, breakfast literally means to “break one’s fast,” following a good nights rest. According to the American Dietetic Association, the body uses breakfast to refuel its glucose stores and provide the brain and muscles with energy to function throughout the day. However, this doesn’t permit us to indulge in bottomless bowls of sugary cereal to meet our glucose requirement. Instead, look for breakfast options that are high in protein and fiber and low in calories, fat and sugar. Rest assured, following these guidelines doesn’t mean sacrificing taste!

Oatmeal: Top of the list for a reason, oatmeal is an excellent source of dietary fiber. Oats offer many benefits to the body, including improved heart health, bowel function and even a reduced risk of certain cancers and obesity. Instant oatmeal is just as nutritious as regular oatmeal and it’s easier and quicker to prepare!

Mix 1 sachet of instant oatmeal with 1/2 cup of low-fat milk, heat and drizzle with honey. Enjoy!

English muffin with peanut butter: A good source of dietary fiber and calcium, a whole-wheat English muffin is an excellent alternative to traditional bread. It’s low in calories, low in saturated fat and low in cholesterol. Opt for all-natural peanut butter that’s free of added ingredients and preservatives. Adding banana not only makes for a fantastic flavor combination but also adds 1 fruit serving.

Toast 1 light, whole-wheat English muffin and serve with 1 Tbsp of peanut butter and 1 small banana (sliced).

Granola and fruit parfait: When buying granola, pay attention to sugar content (5 grams or less) and look for a granola that contains nuts. Walnuts are high in omega-3s and taste great. For the most nutritious granola, consider making your own; the only way to completely avoid added sugars and preservatives.

Combine 1/2 cup of granola with 1 cup of plain, low-fat yogurt and 1/4 cup of fresh or frozen berries.

Egg and cheese burrito: Eggs are an amazing, natural source of protein. For the highest quality egg, buy organic, free-range.  Eggs enriched with omega-3 fatty acids are a product of hens feeding largely on kelp and flax seed and provide more nutritional benefit than regular eggs.

Fill one whole wheat, low-carb tortilla, with 1 scrambled egg, half a cup of low-fat shredded cheese and 1 Tbsp of salsa.

Fruit Smoothie: Possibly the easiest and most delicious way to meet your daily fruit recommendation, a fruit smoothie is a far healthier alternative to a shake. Using low-fat yogurt to thicken the smoothie and freshly-squeezed fruit juice as the liquid ingredient makes for a low-fat smoothie free of added sugar.

Combine approximately 1/2 cup of frozen or fresh fruit with 3/4 cup of low-fat yogurt, 1/2 cup of fruit juice and  a few cubes of ice.  Blend to desired thickness and enjoy!

Basil

Black Pepper

Cardamon

Chives

Cilantro

Cinnamon

Cloves        Garlic           Ginger           Parsley

Rosemary       Turmeric

“Let your food be your medicine.” Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine

P.S. Buy organic spices when you can

Should those words be included in the description of our current methods of ‘manufacturing’ and mass production of the foods we eat? Should they be listed as ‘disclaimers’ outlining the very foundation of our current “Food Pyramid?”

A new movie will be coming out shortly that unveils some pretty frightening data about what’s inside and behind the food we eat, what packs the aisles of our grocery stores and what lines the pockets of an absolutely monster industry.

“Food, Inc.” is the title of the movie.

Are we unknowingly using our mouths as weapons to naively self-inflict the afflictions that we will ultimately suffer from? Is the drug dealer on the corner peddling things that much different than what lines the shelves of the corner grocery store?

How painful is it to watch someone you love pass? If you’ve ever had to hold someones hand as they suffer-you know what I mean.

Are we now facing the fact that much of what they suffered from, and how they suffered, might have been caused from ‘food’ choices and the industrial formulation and manufacturing practices?

This subject goes beyond ourselves, beyond our children. It’s multi-generational. Ultimately, if we don’t wake up and alter our motives, we’re on a path to effect the human species. One of my favorite books that goes hand in hand with the future of food is called The End Of Overeating
by Dr. David Kessler.

Here’s my one and only attempt at being a movie critic…

“If you only see one movie this year- this should be it!”

Please pass this link on to as many people as you can. Watch and support this movie when it comes out!

This movie just may be what we need to wake us up. Please use “Twitter it” button below. Here is a listing of opening dates.

If so, you’re like most health enthusiasts who have found that their intuition about foods can cure has a solid scientific foundation.

Let’s take the issue of weight gain. You could probably make a list right now of 40+ foods to eat if you wanted to gain 5 pounds in the next week. Your list would probably contain junk food, processed food, fatty meats, fats, lots of roasted nuts – some of them candied, empty calorie alcoholic drinks. The chances are good that you wouldn’t have a lot of vegetables on that list with the exception of French fries, potatoes and corn.

Let’s take the issue of weight loss. You could probably make a list right now of 40+ foods to eat if you wanted to lose 10 pounds in the next few weeks. On that list you would most likely have good high quality proteins, whole grains packed with fiber, fruits (although not too many), especially blueberries, strawberries, pomegranates, cherries, vegetables, raw milk or dairy products, and healthy fats (like avocados, extra virgin coconut oil, flax seeds, extra virgin olive oil, raw almonds and walnuts for snacks).  Instinctively, we know to eat certain foods to gain weight and certain foods to lose weight.

The foods most important in weight loss are the carbohydrates. We’ve learned that one carb is not always equal to the next. Some carbs can foster weight gain while others foster weight loss. The determining factor is the glycemic index, which measures how much sugar is released from the carb food into the blood after eating. Foods with a high glycemic index, 70 to over 100 on the scale of 0 to 100, are foods that cause you to gain weight. Foods with a low glycemic index, rated 0-55 on the glycemic index scale, are foods that burn fat. I’ll talk about this a lot here in the future.