Breakfast: Is It The Most Important Meal Of The Day?

Good morning beautiful!

We have all heard the saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, but do we really know why?

Well, in this post I will dive into the pros and cons of skipping the first meal of the day, which will give you a guide to choose which alternative suits you best. So, let’s get started!

When we skip breakfast. there are a number of things that will occur through the course of your day that will negatively effect you, and when you eat breakfast within the hour of waking up, there are some seriously positive things that take place inside of you.

Pro/Con #1:  Reduced risk of heart disease vs. Increased Risk of Heart Disease

When we are sleeping, our body goes through a fasting period. When we wake up in the morning and eat within the first hour, our bodies do not go through an added stress period due to hunger. When we skip breakfast, we increase the stress levels which causes a strain on our bodies that can lead to some serious health issues. These health issues can be, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance to name a few. So, when it comes to heart health, prolonging fasting increases our bodies stress levels, but a healthy balanced breakfast in the morning is good for your heart health!

Pro/Con #2: Healthy Brain Function vs. Starving Your Brain

Studies show that when we forgo breakfast, we are less productive at work/school, have a more difficult time problem solving, and can suffer from brain fog/mental clarity. Did you know the USDA reports that when children eat a balanced breakfast, they are able to retain more information in school which increases their test scores. So simply stated Our bodies are kind of like a car, when we fill it up with good fuel, we run better.

Pro/Con #3: Weight loss vs. Weight Gain

The misconception on weight loss is by restricting calories, we will obtain our weight loss goals. So , people will not cut back on the unhealthy foods, they will just skip a meal, and breakfast tends to be the one they choose. But did you know that by skipping breakfast you are setting yourself up to intake more calories from the wrong foods later in the day? If you eat a balanced breakfast with a good healthy amount of protein, you are jump starting your metabolism as well as setting the day for healthier food choices. This in turn will benefit you on your weight loss journey.

All of this chatter about breakfast is making me hungry! So, now I am off to make my most important meal of the day today which is almost always my super delish, super dense nutritional vegan chocolate Shakeology. I am getting a healthy amount of protein as well as 70 whole foods with 23 vitamins and minerals for breakfast all in one shake a day. It fills me and fuels my body with all of the good stuff. On the days I choose to have my shake later, I opt for eggs with a fruit and veggie.

Be sure to follow my blog to get notifications for my upcoming posts on the breakfast recipes! Have a great Wednesday!

So What Is So Special About Shakeology?

Good Morning Beautiful!

So today I want to discuss Shakeology, and what makes it so special compared to other products on the market. But, I also want to explain to you a few things about nutrition first. This way you will see why Shakeology is such an important part of your daily nutritional arsenal, and why it is, truly something special!

Did you know that the Department of Agriculture states that:

9 out of 10 Americans are deficient in potassium

8 out of 10 are deficient in vitamin E

7 out of 10 are deficient in calcium

50% are deficient in vitamin A, C, and magnesium?

Based on these numbers the likely hood that you are deficient in at least one of these groups is extremely high!

According to the Center For Disease Control (CDC):

More than half of the population is deficient in Vitamin D, which means that there is an immense need for supplementation.

All of the above statistics point to the fact that a large majority of our population is micronutrient deficient and in need of proper supplementation.

Research has shown micronutrient deficiency to be scientifically linked to a higher risk of being overweight/ obesity and other dangerous and debilitating diseases. With more than two-thirds of the U.S. population overweight or obese, and research showing that one-third are on a diet at any given time, a need existed to determine whether current popular diet plans could protect followers from micronutrient deficiency by providing the minimum levels of 27 micronutrients, as determined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) Reference Daily Intake (RDI) guidelines.

With that said, Vitamin Deficiency has been known to cause an 80% increase in the likelihood of becoming overweight/obese and is scientifically linked to other illnesses including; resistance to infection, birth defects, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation, and osteoporosis, just to name a few. Thus, meaning that you are 80% more likely to develop one of these illnesses. The truth can be scary!

So, what do we do about this?? Do we just throw up our hands and continue to say oh well? Let me ask you this, if your child was ill and your pediatrician said the only way to help heal your child is to put your child on a special diet, take them to xyz specialists for xyz treatments, would you do it?? Of course you would! Well, this is no different, and that  is where Shakeology comes in to play an important role in your health as well as your families.

 Let’s talk about this amazing source of dense nutrition.

So what is Shakeology?

Shakeology is a whole food and vitamins all in one, that’s right you read that right, an actual whole food and vitamins!

It is not a weight loss shake nor a protein shake. It is literally just dense nutrition.

Shakeology contains 70 healthy ingredients

It does NOT contain artificial colors, flavors, sugars, soy, high fructose corn syrup.

It covers your basic nutrition needs for the day.

It is flexible in calories to meet individual needs

Because this is 100% nutrition you can even give it to your children at 1/3 of a scoop per day.

It contains Superfoods such as Adaptogens and Phytonutrients to help build your immune system and helps you become and internal powerhouse!

Reduces inflammation, which is the number 1 cause of all disease such as, migraines, eczema, heart disease and arthritis. They all start with chronic inflammation.

Repairs your GI Track: Digestive enzymes clean out your digestive track and primes it to absorb nutrients. Did you know that the nutrients from food is absorbed through the microvilli and the villi in our small intestines?

It is also certified low on the glycemic index.

So what has Shakeology done for me??

I have Celiac Disease, and to keep it brief on the explanation of what this autoimmune disease does, the villi and microvilli I described above gets block by the gluten in foods, which then prevented my body from absorbing nutrients. So I was seriously nutrient deficient. I started  drinking Shakeology close to a year ago now, and I have had some major improvements in my health since then, and these are the changes that I have had happen:

I sleep so much better

I wake up feeling rested

I have more energy

I no longer NEED caffeine

I no longer crave bad foods, as a matter of fact yesterday, for example, I was actually craving brussel sprouts. LOL

My hair, skin, and nails are looking awesome these days. My skin glows, may nails are no longer brittle, and my hair is getting thicker and growing faster!

I have lost some weight

I haven’t gotten sick; not even a mild cold

I have saved money since I am replacing a meal with a shake. Gluten Free foods are not CHEAP! EEK!

I used to get headaches in the afternoon, I haven’t had one in over 11 months.

Brain Fog (which is a symptom of Celiac Disease) has not come into annoy me in over 10 months.

Oh and I have always bruised easily, but haven’t gotten a bruise in months, and trust me I am a klutz, I am always banging into something. LOL

That is all I can remember now, but as you can see, I have definitely had some major changes in my life since drinking Shakeology every day.

Now I do have to say, I am not a doctor, and since every body is different, results are not a guarantee. Please always speak to your doctor before starting a new supplement.

To order Shakeology just click on the link below!
http://www.shakeology..com/barbarayodice

Happy Friday!!!!

source: Calton Nutrition

Energizing Breakfast!

 Good Morning Beautiful!

Did you know that Quinoa is versatile?? It is crazy that it can be a savory side dish for lunch and dinner and also a sweet breakfast! This little beauty is actually a part of the spinach, swiss chard, and beet family! Who would have thought!? Anyway, Quinoa is loaded with nutrients which is why it is classified as a super food. Just check out what this little grain has to offer below and then try out this energy boosting breakfast recipe!

Quinoa, cooked (Note: “–” indicates data unavailable)
0.75 cup (185.00 g)	GI: low
BASIC MACRONUTRIENTS AND CALORIES
nutrient	amount	DRI/DV (%)
Protein	8.14 g	16
Carbohydrates	39.40 g	18
Fat – total	3.55 g	—
Dietary Fiber	5.18 g	21
Calories	222.00	12
MACRONUTRIENT AND CALORIE DETAIL
nutrient	amount	DRI/DV (%)
Carbohydrate:
Starch	32.62 g
Total Sugars	1.61 g
Monosaccharides	— g
Fructose	— g
Glucose	— g
Galactose	— g
Disaccharides	— g
Lactose	— g
Maltose	— g
Sucrose	— g
Soluble Fiber	— g
Insoluble Fiber	— g
Other Carbohydrates	32.62 g
Fat:
Monounsaturated Fat	0.98 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	1.99 g
Saturated Fat	0.43 g
Trans Fat	— g
Calories from Fat	31.97
Calories from Saturated Fat	3.85
Calories from Trans Fat	—
Cholesterol	0.00 mg
Water	132.48 g
MICRONUTRIENTS
nutrient	amount	DRI/DV (%)
Vitamins
Water-Soluble Vitamins
B-Complex Vitamins
Vitamin B1	0.20 mg	17
Vitamin B2	0.20 mg	15
Vitamin B3	0.76 mg	5
Vitamin B3 (Niacin Equivalents)	2.37 mg
Vitamin B6	0.23 mg	14
Vitamin B12	0.00 mcg	0
Biotin	— mcg	—
Choline	42.55 mg	10
Folate	77.70 mcg	19
Folate (DFE)	77.70 mcg
Folate (food)	77.70 mcg
Pantothenic Acid	0.50 mg	10
Vitamin C	0.00 mg	0
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin A (Retinoids and Carotenoids)
Vitamin A International Units (IU)	9.25 IU
Vitamin A mcg Retinol Activity Equivalents (RAE)	0.46 mcg (RAE)	0
Vitamin A mcg Retinol Equivalents (RE)	0.92 mcg (RE)
Retinol mcg Retinol Equivalents (RE)	0.00 mcg (RE)
Carotenoid mcg Retinol Equivalents (RE)	0.92 mcg (RE)
Alpha-Carotene	0.00 mcg
Beta-Carotene	5.55 mcg
Beta-Carotene Equivalents	5.55 mcg
Cryptoxanthin	0.00 mcg
Lutein and Zeaxanthin	98.05 mcg
Lycopene	0.00 mcg
Vitamin D
Vitamin D International Units (IU)	0.00 IU	0
Vitamin D mcg	0.00 mcg
Vitamin E
Vitamin E mg Alpha-Tocopherol Equivalents (ATE)	1.17 mg (ATE)	8
Vitamin E International Units (IU)	1.74 IU
Vitamin E mg	1.17 mg
Vitamin K	0.00 mcg	0
Minerals
nutrient	amount	DRI/DV (%)
Boron	— mcg
Calcium	31.45 mg	3
Chloride	— mg
Chromium	— mcg	—
Copper	0.36 mg	40
Fluoride	— mg	—
Iodine	— mcg	—
Iron	2.76 mg	15
Magnesium	118.40 mg	30
Manganese	1.17 mg	59
Molybdenum	— mcg	—
Phosphorus	281.20 mg	40
Potassium	318.20 mg	9
Selenium	5.18 mcg	9
Sodium	12.95 mg	1
Zinc	2.02 mg	18
INDIVIDUAL FATTY ACIDS
nutrient	amount	DRI/DV (%)
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	0.18 g	8
Omega-6 Fatty Acids	1.81 g
Monounsaturated Fats
14:1 Myristoleic	— g
15:1 Pentadecenoic	— g
16:1 Palmitol	— g
17:1 Heptadecenoic	— g
18:1 Oleic	0.86 g
20:1 Eicosenoic	0.06 g
22:1 Erucic	0.05 g
24:1 Nervonic	— g
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
18:2 Linoleic	1.80 g
18:2 Conjugated Linoleic (CLA)	— g
18:3 Linolenic	0.16 g
18:4 Stearidonic	— g
20:3 Eicosatrienoic	— g
20:4 Arachidonic	0.01 g
20:5 Eicosapentaenoic (EPA)	— g
22:5 Docosapentaenoic (DPA)	— g
22:6 Docosahexaenoic (DHA)	0.03 g
Saturated Fatty Acids
4:0 Butyric	— g
6:0 Caproic	— g
8:0 Caprylic	— g
10:0 Capric	— g
12:0 Lauric	— g
14:0 Myristic	— g
15:0 Pentadecanoic	— g
16:0 Palmitic	0.36 g
17:0 Margaric	— g
18:0 Stearic	0.02 g
20:0 Arachidic	— g
22:0 Behenate	— g
24:0 Lignoceric	— g
INDIVIDUAL AMINO ACIDS
nutrient	amount	DRI/DV (%)
Alanine	0.34 g
Arginine	0.63 g
Aspartic Acid	0.65 g
Cysteine	0.12 g
Glutamic Acid	1.07 g
Glycine	0.40 g
Histidine	0.23 g
Isoleucine	0.29 g
Leucine	0.48 g
Lysine	0.44 g
Methionine	0.18 g
Phenylalanine	0.34 g
Proline	0.44 g
Serine	0.33 g
Threonine	0.24 g
Tryptophan	0.10 g
Tyrosine	0.15 g
Valine	0.34 g
OTHER COMPONENTS
nutrient	amount	DRI/DV (%)
Ash	1.41 g
Organic Acids (Total)	— g
Acetic Acid	— g
Citric Acid	— g
Lactic Acid	— g
Malic Acid	— g
Taurine	— g
Sugar Alcohols (Total)	— g
Glycerol	— g
Inositol	— g
Mannitol	— g
Sorbitol	— g
Xylitol	— g
Artificial Sweeteners (Total)	— mg
Aspartame	— mg
Saccharin	— mg
Alcohol	0.00 g
Caffeine	0.00 mg

Nutrition Facts source: The George Mateljan Foundation

Recipe: Quinoa Breakfast Bowl ( Blueberry Lemon)

1 cup quinoa

2 cups nonfat milk

1 pinch salt

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 lemon, zested

1 cup blueberries

2 teaspoons flax seed

Add all ingredients to list

Directions

• Prep: 5 m

• Cook: 25 m

• Ready In: 30 m

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine strainer with cold water to remove bitterness until water runs clear and is no longer frothy.
2. Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir quinoa and salt into the milk; simmer over medium-low heat until much of the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir maple syrup and lemon zest into the quinoa mixture. Gently fold blueberries into the mixture.
3. Divide quinoa mixture between 2 bowls; top each with flax seed and serve.