Great Breakfast Tips that you can begin today!

To skip breakfast or to not skip breakfast

• Most people believe that a steaming coffee in the morning is s good energy booster, only without a good breakfast, it can be followed by an energy nose-dive.

• It is important to have a variety of fruits, juices, hearty whole grains, which are full of vitamins and minerals, in order to carry you through until lunchtime.

• Eating breakfast in the morning can improve your memory and concentration and make you calmer.

Squeeze a lemon

• Start your day with a glass of warm water with the juice of one lemon to help take a load off your lymphatic system, help cleanse your system and detoxify your liver cells.

• Lemon juice is also full of vitamin C and is antibacterial and antiviral so it can help you ward off colds

• The fresh zingy lemon scent may boost your energy levels too

When choosing a cereal

• Read the packaging and choose one with the least sugar and fat and the most protein and fiber.

• Try and choose a cereal with a lower glycemic index

• Choose the least processed cereal i.e. rolled oats, puffed brown rice and corn

• Try different whole grains i.e. try spelt, kamut, quinoa.

• Make your own muesli mix

• Buy a plain cereal and add dried fruit or nuts and seeds to add flavour, nutrition, variety to your cereal

Try different kinds of milk

• There are a variety of milks available at health food stores. With your cereal you can try different flavoured soy milks or rice milks, almond or oat milks

• The milks can be added to dry cereal or porridges

Try whole fruit spreads and nut butters

• Try variety of fruit spreads on wholegrain bread, toast, flatbread

• There are a variety of nut butters available at health food stores such as almond butter, soy nut butter, and sunflower seed butter, all of which are great sources of nutrients

• Remember peanut butter is loaded with sugar

For extra energy

• Include a good amount of protein (15-20g) in your breakfast

• The nut butters are a good source of protein and it is easy to add protein powder to variety of breakfast foods i.e. hot or cold cereals

Think about smoothies packed with extra nutrients

• You can make smoothies or shakes easily in the mornings

• You can use fruit juices and different seasonal fruits to make a variety of drinks in the blender

• For smoothies you can use different milks, plain yogurt, juices, nuts, seeds, flaxseed oil and protein powder just thrown into the blender

• Smoothies are a great place to add your essential fats

Ask Dr. Maria Papasodaro, your naturopathic doctor how to begin your journey to wellness!

Dr. Maria Papasodaro, ND• A Healing Place: 247 Main St. North, Brampton• (905)459-4385

www.naturestouchnd.ca