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Why Is Skipping Breakfast So Bad For Your Health

The wise saying, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” has been spoken by countless moms throughout the ages. It has been whispered in the ears of school children on early-to-rise mornings for centuries, yet the depth of understanding as to why breakfast is so important has only been brought to light in recent years. The side effects of not eating breakfast negatively impact weight, hormonal health, memory, cognition and mood. The consequences of not having a solid breakfast don’t simply influence you amid the morning hours before lunch. It is demonstrated that they affect all of you day long.

1. Troubled heart health

According to a report released by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the chances of a heart attack occurring in men who skip breakfast is 27% higher. According to Dr. Leah Cahill of the JAMA study, skipping breakfast is a concerning issue, and having a healthy breakfast has the potential to reduce the chances of heart strokes occurring. Skipping breakfast also results in the development of hypertension, leading to obstruction of arteries, as well as the development of increased risk of chronic cardiovascular conditions, including a stroke.

2. Type 2 diabetes

A study conducted by Harvard University’s Public Health Department highlighted the relationship between eating habits and good health. The six-year study showed that women who didn’t eat breakfast had higher chances of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate breakfast. Still want to skip it?

3. Effect on mood and energy levels

A study published in The Physiological Behavior Journal in 1999 states that skipping your breakfast has a negative impact on energy levels and mood. The study conducted on 144 healthy people, showed that avoiding breakfast has an effect on energy and mood. Subjects who did not eat breakfast had poor memory skills and increased fatigue levels than the group that received breakfast and coffee. Skipping the morning breakfast reduces the energy levels and switches the mood, which influences the behavior for the rest of the day and functioning of the memory.

4. Affects Cognitive Functioning

Including breakfast in your daily diet regimen bestows you with better cognitive functioning. A study was conducted on a group of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 15 in two trials. In one of the trials, the group was allowed to have breakfast, and in the second trial the group was asked to refrain from the morning meal. The results were interesting. The group, when on a breakfast regimen, showcased better accuracy in a visual search test, while lack of breakfast hampered with the results.

5. Migraine

Not eating breakfast increases your risk of hypoglycemia or low-blood sugar. This condition can bring on physical symptoms such as shakiness, dizziness, weakness, headaches, tingling and a rapid heart rate, according to the National Institutes of Health.

6. Hair loss

A diet that lacks in protein can result in reduced development of keratin, which is the source for healthy hair and growth of hair. Breakfast is an important meal, as it provides the needed nutrients, proteins, and carbohydrates necessary for the body to produce energy. It further provides the needed resources that promote the growth of hair follicles. If you wish to have healthy hair with reduced or no hair fall, make sure you have a protein rich breakfast.

7. Effect on metabolism

Eat breakfast and you will experience more energy all day and be in a better mood. Dartmouth College says breakfast boosts metabolism, reduces fatigue and promotes better concentration and performance. Eating breakfast provides the enzymes that burn more fat by kick-starting your metabolism early in the day. According to Colorado State University, breakfast eaters metabolize fat better and consume fewer calories throughout the rest of the day.

8. Menstrual irregularities

Skipping breakfast is often a common occurrence in the lives of college students running late for class. An August 2010 survey study, published in the journal “Appetite,” notes that female college students who consistently skipped breakfast had more menstrual irregularities. These dysfunctions included the severity of painful menses and irregular menstrual bleeds. No difference was found in premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, symptoms, but the breakfast skippers also suffered more consistently from constipation. Women of college age are still undergoing what the article called “post-adolescent maturation,” and skipping breakfast negatively impacts this growing stage.

9. Obesity

Forgoing eating anything for breakfast also results in an increase in craving for fatty and sugar-rich foods later in the day. Furthermore, due to the increased hunger pangs, you are sure to eat anything that you can get your hands on for that day. The result is increased weight, exceeding the needed calorie intake for a day. With an increase in hunger, there will also be an increase in the quantity of food that you intake, leading to abnormal weight gain.

10. Hangovers

We’ve all been there, where we’ve had a bit too much to drink the night before. One of the best ways to ward off a hangover is to have breakfast. A breakfast that is rich in vitamins, minerals, iron, and folates for the body to compensate for nutrients. The addition of these ingredients into the body also helps in spiking the energy levels. Forgoing breakfast will only worsen the condition of a hangover by reducing the sugar levels. Due to this, a person will experience nausea and headaches. Therefore, a healthy breakfast can help alleviate a hangover.

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