Shocking… Disturbing… Appalling… No, these words are not written in reference to your past weekend escapades at Palmer Fest. Instead, they are sentiments that cross my mind when someone says he or she regularly skips breakfast. I mean, really! If a lack of morning nutrients accurately describes how you start the day, please spend the next several minutes hearing me out.
Breakfast is given the title of most important meal of the day, and this is particularly true for students. Eating a healthy breakfast improves memory, cognitive functioning and academic performance. It is also a key to controlling one’s weight. Eating protein and fiber-rich breakfast foods helps with appetite control and prevents succumbing to midday and evening cravings that often lead to excessive snacking.
Most people recognize the benefits of eating a well-balanced breakfast and yet still refrain from taking part in the morning ritual. Many chalk it up to a lack of time. I understand that at times life’s responsibilities get in the way of a lot of things people would like to do, but I would argue that skipping breakfast should not fall under that category.
I’m not suggesting everyone has time to slice some onions, dice some bell peppers and scramble some eggs, but there can be a happy medium between time-exhaustive, veggie-infused omelets and skipping breakfast altogether. Simple, fast, inexpensive yet nutrient-dense options exist.
Personally, my weekday mornings don’t allow for a lot of lolly-gagging, so I keep it simple and grab a nonfat Greek yogurt (which has 18 grams of protein and 7 grams of carbs) and an apple for a little energy kick. Total time for said breakfast: less than five minutes. Total cost: roughly $1.25. Alternatively, if you function better on a higher carbohydrate diet, breakfast cereals represent quick and inexpensive choices (look for whole wheat options that don’t have added sugar).
Attention, half-awake, virtually useless walking zombies that can’t function until after they get their coffee: There is a breakfast solution for you too! First, recognize and embrace your inner zombie and, second, be proactive. By proactive, I mean use a couple of those Sunday Funday minutes and prepare some food that can be easily packed and eaten either on-the-go or in class.
Easy idea: Boil enough eggs to last several days and cut up several servings of veggies (bell peppers, carrots, celery, etc.), grab a serving of each in the morning in addition to a portable piece of fruit (apple, banana, etc.) and you are good to go.
So the next time you doze off in a morning class, instead of attributing your tiredness to your monotone professor and your coffee wearing off, recognize your body’s response to the failure to provide it with the necessary nutrients needed to function optimally. Go grab some breakfast! You will find that the addition of breakfast to your daily routine can be a manageable task, but also, if continued for a significant amount of time, will result in noticeable improvements to one’s daily energy capacity, academic performance and wellness. Your mind and body will thank you.
Mark Gottschlich is a medical student at the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. Email Mark if you have general questions about health and wellness — or need some good breakfast recipes — at gg617012@ohiou.edu; call your physician for personal or illness-related concerns.
