Some Healthy Inspiration

I may be the English Answerman, but it's high time I started dishing up some health advice for my young readers. Kasaan, a student writer with academic genius, inspired me to start blogging about healthy living back with his post about eating breakfast. So in honor of my muse, today's health tip is to EAT BREAKFAST.

Yeah I'm screaming it, because there are literally loads of research validating the mental and physical benefits of eating a decent breakfast.* Kids and adults do better on cognitive tasks (brain-work) when they eat breakfast. Memory is better, focus is better, overall well-being is better.

For those who don't give a bag about their brain, how about physical appearance and function? Students who eat a decent breakfast have lower rates of obesity and diabetes, and they generally make healthier choices throughout the day. Think about it: You skip breakfast, and by lunch or dinner you're starving, so you binge on chips, crackers, soda, and whatever other garbage you can get your hands on.

If this sounds like your daily routine, you have more in common with SUMO WRESTLERS than you might think. Yes, those huge dudes who shove their massive girth all around a tiny circle. If you skip breakfast, you are participating in "the sumo diet." Check it out:

“Sumo wrestlers don’t eat until noon,” says sumo legend Konishiki.
The big boys wake up and start training, and don’t eat until at least three hours later.  I’ve known a lot of young ladies who have something in common with Mr. Konishiki. By the way, his nickname is “Meat Bomb.”

Here's the moral of the story: Don't take breakfast advice from a sumo beast. You're metabolism will slow down, and your body will cling to those calories like flies on poop. EAT BREAKFAST. Feed the machine. Let the feasting begin.

My Breakfast Recommendation:

• Eggs, any style.
• Oatmeal with peanut butter, sunflower seeds, fruit bits, and a pinch of salt. Sometimes I'll throw in a bit of honey or brown sugar.

*Hot Cheetos and a Monster do not qualify as a healthy breakfast.

Photo Credit: Rob_Rob 2001