Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
For more than 10 years, millions of readers have trusted the bestselling Everything series for expert advice and important information on health topics ranging from pregnancy and postpartum care to heart health, anxiety, and diabetes. Packed with the most recent, up-to-date data, Everything health guides help you get the right diagnosis, choose the best doctor, and find the treatment options that work for you.
The Everything Healthy Living Series books are concise guides, focusing on only the essential information you need. Whether youre looking for an overview of traditional and alternative migraine treatments, advice on starting a heart-healthy lifestyle, or suggestions for finding the right medical team, theres an Everything Healthy Living Book for you.
Nutrition
Food is everywhere. Every street has a restaurant, every event has a concession stand, and every commercial is dripping with cheese. Billboards, newspapers, and the Internet are constantly trying to sell you food. And you want to buy it. But is whats out there really something you need? Does it do your body any good? Is it making you healthy and strong? And what about the kids? How are they handling being inundated with constant food opportunities? Are they growing up healthy, lean, and fit? If they live in America, theres a good chance they arent.
Poor nutrition is a growing problem in the United States. Its not that we dont have enough to eat. Its that we have too much of the wrong stuff to eat. You probably already know you should lay off the fast food and pick up an apple instead of that doughnut. But have you ever wondered what healthier foods could really do for you?
Did you know that eating the right carbohydrates can give you ongoing energy? Did you know that bright fruits and vegetables can help protect you against cancer? Did you know that eating right at an early age can protect kids from food allergies?
Food is fuel. It can be delicious fuel, but it can also be the wrong fuel. Like putting diesel fuel in a gasoline engine, people often choose the wrong food. Without the proper fuel and regular intervals throughout the day, you sputter and stall and will likely need a tuneup, or worse, a complete overhaul. Getting the right fuel is not mysterious, difficult, expensive, or time-consuming. The Everything Healthy Living Series: Nutrition will show you exactly what, when, and how much you need to eat to get back on the road to good health.
Focusing on lifestyle changes instead of following a specific diet is the ticket to achieving optimal health, decreasing your risk of illness, increasing your energy level, improving your quality of life and well-being, and reducing your medications. In this series, youll find everything you need to know to get your family on the road to life-long good health.
If youd like to learn more about nutrition, check out The Everything Guide to Nutrition, available in print (978-1-4405-1030-4) and eBook (978-1-6055-0536-7) formats.
Breaking Bad Habits
Poor nutrition is often a result of poor habits, developed throughout a lifetime, and encouraged by society. When youre caring for a family, its especially important to have good eating habits, not only for yourself but also to provide a good example for your children. Poor eating habits can be kicked, but it wont happen overnight. The following section includes all the information you need to know to kick bad habits (like skipping breakfast) and maintain healthy habits going forward.
The Most Important Meal
After twelve hours without nourishment, your body needs a fresh supply in the morning. Your blood glucose needs replenishment so that it can furnish the rest of your body with energy. Your brain, especially, needs glucose, as it has no capacity to store it. Eating breakfast helps your concentration, your ability to problem solve, your strength, and your endurance. Whats more, intake of nutrients in the morning helps to regulate the appetite throughout the day, increasing your chances of meeting your daily nutritional requirements.
Breakfast is especially important for kids. A healthy breakfast improves overall cognitive skills, including memory, which gives them an edge in test taking, attendance, and class participation. Kids that skip breakfast tend to be disinterested, irritable, and lack the focus needed to succeed in class. And because a large chunk of their daily nutrients is missing, they tend to visit the school nurse more often.
Helping children develop a breakfast habit is likely one of the very best ways that parents can ensure lifelong success for their offspring.
Fact
The Massachusetts School Nutrition Task Force reports a study in which students participating in school breakfast programs reported decreased trips to the school nurse, as well as increased math and reading scores, improved behavior, and attendance.
If that werent enough to convince you to eat your breakfast, know that people who skip breakfast tend to be heavier. Hunger builds up as lunch approaches, and suddenly food is necessary, in any form. In this situation it is more common to throw caution to the wind and eat the first thing that presents itself. Overeating of the wrong foods is the result, and although the day is half over, the daily nutrient intake is far from half complete.
Whats Your Excuse?
The general excuse for skipping the first meal of the day is lack of time. Busy lifestyles do not have to preclude health. You can eat a healthy breakfast in ten minutes or less if you plan for it. A bowl of cereal, a piece of fruit, and slice of toast is adequate.
Some people complain that breakfast upsets their stomach. Try to eat a small bit of fruit or bland toast each day, then slowly increase your intake as your system grows accustomed to it. It is possible that you have simply been choosing the wrong morning food for your sensitive stomach. You may also want to pack yourself a small breakfast snack and carry it with you for later in the morning, when your stomach is less sensitive, such as a nutrition bar or a piece of fruit.
What Is a Healthy Breakfast?
In general you want to eat foods of high nutritional value in the morning. Avoid sugary cereals, which have little nutrients. They raise your blood sugar quickly but then drop it way down to a point at which you are feeling hungry again within an hour. Fast food, too, should be avoided, as it is similarly short on nutrients, and generally contains excessive fat. Low-fat, low-sugar, high-fiber foods are the way to go. These foods help maintain your blood sugar level for hours and start your day with healthy nutrient intake.
Skipping Meals
Food is fuel. You need it for energy. When you dont eat, you lose energy. Its that simple. But today busy people find they do not always have time for meals. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to get your daily recommended nutrients if you dont eat.
The daily nutrients are vital to the healthy functioning of all parts of your body. And although you may not notice when your body is running well, you certainly will notice when it starts to break down.