Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Living Well with the Carrie Connection

As the year continues we get a little lax in getting it all together in the mornings. However, a good healthy start to the day is very important.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It breaks the fast after a night's sleep and gives you the energy needed to start the day. What does "break the fast" really mean? And just what is a fast?

A fast is when your body goes without food for a period of time. So, from the time that you go to bed at night until you get up in the morning your body is fasting (doing without food). When you skip breakfast, your body runs low on fuel and you will feel tired and worn out. If you are at work or school, it may be hard for you to concentrate when you are hungry.

Unfortunately, many traditional breakfast foods are high in fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugar and calories. However, a nutrition conscious person can find plenty of healthy alternatives. Here are some wise choices to select from:

Whole wheat toast with cottage cheese. Place under a broiler until cheese is bubbly. Top with fresh fruit and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Save leftover rice in individual freezer containers. Add a small amount of water to each container. Reheat in the microwave. You may add raisins or fresh fruit. Add milk and serve as a cereal.

Scramble eggs, but use only the whites of the egg.

Sweeten oatmeal and other cereals with fresh fruit or raisins instead of sugar and honey.

Have a bagel instead of a doughnut or other rich pastry.

A banana travels well and does not require any special handling. It comes in its own container and doesn't require heating or refrigeration.

Actually, the size of your breakfast should depend upon your activities. If you are a hard worker you can eat a little more than the person who sits behind a desk all day. Use the Food Guide Pyramid to plan interesting and exciting breakfasts which do not have to be bacon and eggs. Try a vegetable omelet instead? Remember, any food that is nutritious at other meals is not any less nutritious for breakfast.

Breakfast could be a variety of different foods. You should choose low-fat foods most of the time. However, if you choose high-fat foods for breakfast, you should be careful to choose lower fat foods for the rest of the day. It doesn't matter what you choose for breakfast, just as long as you choose to eat something early in the morning.