Naturalpath

I love breakfast foods, and I’ll sometimes prepare them for dinner. But like many on-the-go professionals, I rise early and have a hard time cooking at 6 a.m. Short of a blast of coffee, I may forego breakfast until mid-morning and, I must confess, occasionally skip this meal altogether—a bad nutritional move.

I’m not alone. Many Americans fail to eat what Mom repeatedly—and correctly—called the most important meal of the day. Some of us play the “I don’t have time; I’m rushing out the door” card, while others believe skipping breakfast will help them lose weight. Both approaches are rife with dietary pitfalls.

Healthnotes Newswire (September 6, 2007)—Oatmeal in the morning and brown rice for dinner—this could be the recipe for healthy blood pressure. A new study found that women who eat whole grains are less likely to develop high blood pressure (hypertension) than those who don’t.

Healthnotes Newswire (July 26, 2007)—Whole grains are heralded for their many health benefits, and here’s another: eating more of these nutrient-dense grains in breakfast cereals and breads, and choosing brown rice over white may actually reduce the risk of dying from inflammatory diseases.

Healthnotes Newswire (June 21, 2007)—While it’s common knowledge that we’re supposed to eat whole grains every day, it’s not always clear why, even to healthcare professionals. New research, published in Nutrition, Metabolism&Cardiovascular Diseases, connects increased whole grain foods in the diet with decreased risk of cardiovascular events, such as a heart attack or death from heart disease.

The authors of the study found that, among more than 149,000 participants, those who ate at least 2.5 servings per day of whole grain foods had a 21% lower risk of a cardiovascular event compared with those who ate 0.2 servings or less per day. The authors based their findings on an analysis of seven previous research studies that included information about people’s diet and heart health. According to the authors, eating an abundance of whole grains may help prevent cardiovascular events by improving insulin, cholesterol, and blood pressure regulation, all of which are related to heart disease risk. Eating whole grains may also reduce inflammation and have a direct health-promoting effect on blood vessels.