Written by Guest Author, Jessica McManus
As a functional medicine health coach, I spend my days guiding people along their unique path to health, and what I have learned is that the more benefits we can squeeze out of the things we are already doing each day, the easier that path becomes.
There are oodles of opportunity at breakfast that pack a powerful punch on your health. Let’s talk about 5 of them right now!
#1: Eat a higher protein breakfast
For starters, a higher protein breakfast helps to minimize blood sugar spikes, and subsequent crashes mid-morning that may leave you starving for lunch, and/or craving junk. A high protein breakfast has also been shown to reduce cravings and snacking throughout the day. Protein is a building block for muscle, and increasing muscle mass also supports balanced blood sugar in the body. Aim for 30-35 g of protein at breakfast. One of my favorite ways to do this is 2 eggs (about 12g of protein), 3 oz of smoked salmon (about 20 g of protein), and a side of veggies, like mushrooms and sweet potato. I’ve also shared a smoothie recipe in the next section that can easily get you to 30g of protein.
#2: Eat your Veggies!
Adding a serving or 2 of veggies to breakfast can really help start your nutrition off on the right foot for the entire day! Sprouts and herbs are loaded with vitamins and minerals. I like to snip fresh herbs over my eggs, like parsley, cilantro and sage. I also love purchasing veggie sprouts from my local farmer or the grocery store to add as a side. Oftentimes, I just see what leftover veggies are in the fridge from dinner and reheat those as a side dish. The options are limitless here. Another great way to sneak veggies in is with a breakfast smoothie! Adding baby spinach to any fruit smoothie may change the color, but it still tastes delicious. I have shared a simple smoothie recipe below!
Strawberry Smoothie:
1-2 cups baby spinach
1 cup frozen berries
1 banana (Frozen or fresh)
1 cup almond milk
Pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp almond butter
Vanilla or unflavored collagen protein powder: 2 scoops
#3: Up your Eating Hygiene Game
First, it might be helpful to explain what eating hygiene actually is! This is the art of consuming your food in a way that allows you to properly digest, and fully absorb the nutrients from your food, in turn, fueling all the systems in your body to run properly. If you are eating a healthy meal, you definitely want to follow these tips to help your body soak up, and use all the nutrients that you consumed. The first step is slowing down for about 15–20 minutes. Focus on eating without the distractions of work, computers, phones, etc…, and be sure you are sitting down to eat. These choices help to signal your body to turn on the parasympathetic nervous system (or PNS, the “rest and restore mode”), and eating is 100% a PNS activity! In fact, eating on the go, or being distracted while eating, can signal our body to activate its fight or flight response (the sympathetic nervous system), and this can reduce digestive secretions by up to 95%! Next, chew each bite until your food is about the consistency of baby food. The number of bites varies depending on the type of food, but a good rule of thumb is about 25–35 chews before swallowing. I know it sounds like a lot, but the benefits are priceless. For those who would like to learn more about eating hygiene, I’ve included a helpful guide below.
#4: Grounding Outdoors
It’s springtime, and spending time in nature has been shown to have a positive effect on mental and physical wellbeing. Why not get that outdoor time, while you are eating your breakfast? Grounding, also known as Earthing, is the simple process of putting the human body (easiest being your bare feet), into direct contact with the earth’s surface. I bet you are wondering how this works, so let me explain… Earth’s negative electric potential can help create a stable internal bioelectric environment to normalize the function of all of our body’s systems. These negative electrons from antioxidant molecules in the earth neutralize free radicals involved in the body’s immune and inflammatory responses. The health benefits of earthing include decreased chronic stress, reduced inflammation, decreased pain, and improved sleep. If you’d like to learn more, here is a great article from the Journal of Environmental and Public Health in 2012.
#5: Let that sunshine In
While you are outside slowly enjoying your breakfast, consider leaving your sunglasses inside, and getting some sunlight in your eyes. Studies have shown that exposing your unshaded eyes to 15–20 minutes of sunlight, before noon (but ideally first thing in the morning), helps reset your circadian clock, laying the groundwork for more energy during the day, and a deeper, more restorative sleep that night!
How incredible that loving your body with these simple shifts, could reap so many health benefits? I hope this article has been helpful for you! If you’d like to learn tips, follow along with me on Instagram @fullcircleptandwellness. You can also learn more about my programs and book a free discovery call at https://fullcircleptandwellness.com/.
For more than two decades, Jess McManus has used her passion for healing and physical therapy to help people resolve serious pain and injury issues. Jess launched Full Circle Wellness to provide clients with uninterrupted one-on-one attention, and really explore the root of their challenges more efficiently and holistically. She uses both physical therapy and health coaching to help clients through educating and empowering them to take back control of their health and well-being, and ultimately stay well (And drink more water, of course).