After going 10 - 12 hours overnight without food, energy reserves are low and your body and brain need fuel. What you choose to eat at breakfast can affect your mood, physical and mental performance, weight and your general and long term health.

Most nutritionists consider breakfast to be the most important meal of the day.

Researchers in Nottingham investigated the effects of skipping breakfast on energy metabolism and found that skipping breakfast led to higher cholesterol levels and lower insulin sensitivity both risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Breakfast can help weight control
If you miss breakfast you are much more likely to get hungry mid morning and end up grabbing a snack that is high in calories and fat but low in nutrients and fiber. Studies show that children who regularly eat a cereal based breakfast are healthier and less likely to be overweight. In fact teenagers who ate breakfast cereals more than five times a week weighed less, had a smaller waist size and lower blood sugar levels than those who rarely ate cereal. Research among adults shows that people who eat breakfast are more likely to be within the ideal weight range than people who skip breakfast.

Breakfast can boost brain power
Several studies have shown that children who skip breakfast in the morning perform less well in problem solving tasks. Verbal fluency, creativity and the ability to recall newly acquired facts are similarly affected.

More than 1,300 children took part in an online study conducted by leading cognitive research unit, Cognitive Drug Research Ltd, as part of Farmhouse Breakfast Week 2004. The results clearly showed that children who eat breakfast have superior cognitive function and therefore pay more attention and respond more quickly to given tasks. Teachers in Scotland reported that concentration in class improved as a result of introducing breakfast clubs while the children said that it helped them enjoy school more.

But it is not just children that perform less well if they miss breakfast, other studies show that adults who ate breakfast tended to work faster, made fewer mistakes in logic tests and had better memory recall compared with breakfast skippers.

A healthy, balanced breakfast provides vital nutrients
Breakfast provides an important boost to our intake of vitamins, minerals and fiber, and studies show it can be difficult to make up on these nutrients if you miss the opportunity at breakfast. People who eat breakfast are more likely to meet the recommended intake for iron, calcium and B group vitamins than those who skip breakfast.

Breakfast helps keep us happy and healthy
A study carried out at the University of Cardiff suggests that breakfast eaters are less likely to suffer from colds and ‘flu.

Studies carried out at the University of Bristol examined the breakfast habits of 126 volunteers between the ages of 20 and 79 and assessed their mental health. The results revealed that, even taking into account that fact that breakfast eaters tended to have healthier lifestyles, those who ate breakfast everyday were less depressed less emotionally distressed and had lower perceived levels of stress compared with those who skipped the first meal of the day.

Courtesy : Roland Ali,
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1268886863

Diabetes can affect the eye in a number of ways. These usually
involve the fine network of blood vessels in the retina - the most
sever condition that can occur is Diabetic Retinopathy.

It involves the retina. This condition is very common in
people who have had diabetes for a long time. The doctor may be
able to see abnormalities in the eyes, but there is no threat to
the sight.

There are two types of diabetic retinopathy which can damage the
sight. Both involve the fine network of blood vessels in the
retina. They are described below.

Type 1 - Maculopathy

This happens when the blood vessels in the retina start to leak. If
the macula is affected, you will find that your central vision
gradually gets worse. You may find it difficult to recognize
people’s faces in the distance or to see details like small print.
The amount of central vision that is lost varies from person to
person. However everyday sight for getting around the house and
outside (navigation vision) will be preserved. It is quite rare for
someone with maculopathy to lose all their sight.

Type 2 - Proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Sometimes diabetes can cause the blood vessels in the retina to
become blocked. If this happens then new blood vessels form in the
eye. This is nature’s way of trying to repair the damage so that
the retina has a new blood supply.

Unfortunately these new blood vessels are weak. They are also in
the wrong place - growing on the surface of the retina and into the
vitreous jelly. As a result these blood vessels can bleed very
easily and cause scar tissue to form in the eye. The scarring pulls
and distorts the retina. When the retina is pulled out of position
this is called retinal detachment. This condition is rare than
background retinopathy and is more often found in people who have
been insulin dependent for many years. The new blood vessels will
rarely affect your vision, but their consequences, such as bleeding
or retinal detachment can cause your vision to get worse suddenly.
Your eyesight may become blurred and patchy as the bleeding
obscures part of your vision. Without treatment, total loss of
vision can happen in proliferative retinopathy.

*** With treatment most sight-threatening diabetic problems
can be revented if caught early enough.***

Although your vision may be good, changes can be taking place to
your retina that needs treatment. Most sight loss in diabetes is
preventable.:Early diagnosis is vital. You may have an eye examination every year. Do not wait until your vision has deteriorated to have an eye test.

Your family doctor or optometrist can examine for Diabetic Retinopathy.

Remember, however, that if your vision is getting worse, this does
not necessarily mean you have diabetic retinopathy. It may simply
be a problem that can be corrected by glasses.

You can Normalize your blood sugar level and prevent retinopathy
by taking Melabic