I advise all my patients to eat breakfast.

Eating breakfast is the universal rule if you want to be vibrant and healthy for years to come.

Nobody thinks they have time, however, in the time it takes to make toast you can make a breakfast with enough protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and sustained energy to carry you into the afternoon. Below are four power breakfasts that can be prepared in 5 Minutes or less!! Commit, focus and you can do it!

(As a general rule clean and prep fruits and veggie for rapid use prior to

refrigerating. Most fruit and veg do best stored in airtight containers with paper towel

inserted to absorb any excess water.)

Veggie scramble, sprouted grain toast with flax seed oil:

1) Leafy greens* chopped and in pan over medium heat,

2) Pop the toast in toaster; scramble eggs in bowl,

3) In that wee bit of time the greens are done; eggs go into pan,

4) While eggs cook, toast is topped with a healthy oil.

If you prefer a wrap, warm a sprouted grain tortilla** while eggs cook

and put your healthy oil or avocado on the scramble before wrapping.

EACH OF THESE STEPS TAKE ABOUT ONE MINUTE!!

* leafy greens cook fast; leftover cooked veggies will heat quickly; if using

fresh veg, cut small, throw in a little water and cover to steam

**breakfast ninjas heat tortillas directly on the burner - Whoo-yah!

Oatmeal with nuts and fruit:

1) Boil water while you get dressed.

2) Instant Organic Oatmeal* in bowl, throw in a handful of nuts, and raisins

The nuts increase the protein, raisins are high in iron or banana high in potassium

or berries are full of antioxidants. Take your pick.

3) Pour boiled water into bowl - let it set for a minute.

4) Add butter. Yes BUTTER! It is a healthy fat when you don’t fry with it. Healthy fats

make foods more satisfying and are a slow burning fuel that does not need insulin to

metabolize.

Note: If you seriously are jamed for time, Starbucks can supply you with an oatmeal breakfast.

*Conventional instant oatmeals include artificial flavors and chemicals easily avoid by

using an organic brand; also to increase fiber, protein and omega’s add a tablespoon of flaxseed meal.

Yogurt & fruit with high fiber cereal

1) High fiber cereal, such as, Kashi Original* in bowl.

2) Yogurt** in bowl.

3) Add desired fruit

4) Sweeten with alcohol free vanilla, or a bit of maple syrup/agave.

* Kashi Original has 14 grams fiber in one serving; Fiber One is good as well.*

**Check protein levels they vary greatly. Fage 2%, a greek yogurt, has 20 grams of protein in a one cup, and has enough fat to give you a satisfied feeling. Also plain yogurt allows you to control added sugar.

Blended Smoothies - 75% Veggies

If you think you do not have the time to eat breakfast--drink it!!

A 3-horse-power blender will blend any vegetable to a smooth consistency in one minute.*

1) Grab bag of prepped veggie from the refrigerator**; put in blender

2) Cut corn from cob; trim skin of of limes/lemons; but most veg goes in whole.

All fiber, enzymes, minerals, vitamins and phyto-chemicals are intact.

3) Add protein source: Fage yogurt, protein powder, “So Delicious Almond Plus”

4) Add healthy fat: Coconut Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Olive Oil or Avocado***

5) Add any “boosts”: like Goji Berries, or Bee Pollen

6) Include the avocado pit to add 9 grams of fiber

*An effective and more reasonably priced commercial blender is the Waring Commercial Blenders. At 3.5 horsepower these bad boys get the job and can be found for about $250 online, on sale. Check out the full array of blenders at www.everythingkitchen.com.

**Ninja-like speed depends on prep and strategy. Divvy up veggies into 4-5 bags in advance. In the morning you grab a bag and blend!

*** Add the avocado pit to your smoothie to gain 9 grams of fiber and a mild peppery

flavor that you may not even notice.

Look for my upcoming post on how to make certain your smoothies are healthy enough to fight disease butand still yummy!

Final note: Do not get stuck in a rut! All these approaches have variations and

you can rotate through the approaches to keep breakfast from becoming a drudge.

Scramble eggs with a whatever veggies you have on hand, add salsa or some cheese; wrap in a tortilla for robust breakfast.

The Chinese Medicine adage: "Eat breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Merchant and dinner like a Pauper", is rooted in the TCM theory of how Qi, life-force, circulates though the organ systems.

Similar to the Western concept of biorhythms, Qi is considered at high-tide in the digestive system in the morning, and at low-tide for the digestive system in the evening. Therefore breakfast should be the biggest meal and as the day wears on the amount of food taken in should decline in volume. This is opposite of how Americans think of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is regularly skipped or pacified with a muffin. Even the American ideal of a bowl of fruit, croissant, and glass of juice break down to: sugar, sugar, and sugar. Fiber and protein slow the transference of sugar into the blood and should definitely be included at breakfast time. Trade the croissant for a fiber-full bread and the juice for eggs and then you you have a breakfast fit for a KING.

Breakfast like a King

This means a full complement of nutrition in the morning: protein, fiber, minerals, vitamins all in a warm meal. Obviously a King would eat their meal in a comfortable setting. If this sounds impractical or not worth the effort consider this: in his book,

Timeless Mind Ageless Body

Deepak Chopra reviews a study of people who lived to 100, undertaken to identify life-habits or attitudes common in this population. Interestingly, a particular diet consistent with reaching 100 years was not found; however it was found that all the centenarians identified themselves as regular breakfast eaters.

When you eat a Breakfast like a King, you take in 40-50% of the nutrition you will need for the day in a tight caloric package. However fast your crazy-busy day becomes you can function with sustained speed and clarity well into the afternoon if needed. This is a clear competitive edge!

The coffee and muffin crowd will drop into an energetic gutter within hours. Then they overtax their adrenals by making them fill the energy gap left by improper diet. Even if it takes Ninja-like skill to insert breakfast into your morning routine, it is well worth it.

Lunch like a Merchant

This acknowledges that this meal will be a simple, functional, and likely hemmed in by work. Most people eat fairly well at lunch, the bigger problem is eating while stressed. If you must eat at your desk take this time to turn your attention to your food and your breath. Put brackets around that fifteen minutes of eating and use it as a break; do not multi-task. Take a few deep breaths and relax your shoulders and jaw. Look at that photo on your desk and remember a fun time with a loved one. Trust that relaxing for fifteen minutes will make you more productive when you resume working.

Dinner like a Pauper

This means at day’s end you're tired and eat whatever is available (remember junk food did not exist in Ancient China). If you don’t have the energy to prepare a full meal, why assume your body has the energy to digest one. As the day winds down, eat a small, light meal or throw the meal away entirely. If you want a muffin as a meal, or lose your wits and want to call popcorn dinner, this is the time to do that.