Remember Tony the Tiger?

Hi ya! How's it going so far today? Grrrrrreat, I hope! Ready for a fresh mug of coffee and a virtual treat? I thought so! Help yourself. Say...did you have cereal for breakfast this morning? Aha! Well listen to this...

The entire reason we eat grains for breakfast is because of the Kellogg brothers, who believed eating meat was wrong.

A hundred and fifty years ago, Americans ate pork, beef, or chicken for breakfast. In the 19th century, Americans ate breakfasts heavy on the meat and natural fiber, light on grains.

At the time, obesity was extremely rare.

The Kelloggs ran a sanitarium, and were vegetarians. They developed what we now call “granola” and eventually corn flakes.

They fed those to their patients instead of animal products. The patients started requesting it by mail after they left the sanitarium because they believed it was healthy. The Kelloggs started packaging it, and had a business on their hands.

To sell their products, the Kelloggs used shrewd advertising to convince you that grain is good while meat and eggs are bad. Not because it’s true, but the Kelloggs had a commercial and vegetarian agenda that deceived people into thinking their product was “healthy,” and traditional foods were not.

For decades now we’ve had Kellogg’s Tony the Tiger telling us that cereal is “Grrrrrreat!” to eat, but that’s the opposite of what a tiger would do to its body. A tiger would never eat that stuff.

Mother Nature didn’t intend for you to eat breakfast out of a box. Your ancestors only ate grains in an emergency. They thrived on foods like eggs, meat, and fish. This is what gave them power, strength, and vitality.

Today, you’re bombarded by commercials for low-fat granola, Cheerios, and Special K. You are encouraged to believe you’re eating healthy products because they tell you it’s “high-fiber, whole oat, and whole grain wheat.”

And it has worked. There is so much misinformation out there that most people believe grains are “healthy” and natural. Few people think of grain-based foods as being a threat to their health.

But no matter which one you choose, all those low-fat grain-based carbs throw your metabolism out of whack because they spike your blood sugar. High blood sugar triggers a wave of insulin. And insulin is the hormone that sends the message to build and store fat.

So forget about the commercials. Grains might be a fast fix when you’re rushing to get your day started, but cereal in the morning will make you fat.

If you want carbs, avoid the processed ones at all costs. Enjoy your carbs the way nature made them. Fresh and raw.

But please, don’t skip breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day, and the one I enjoy the most. I try and change it up to keep it interesting, but meat or fish is always the centerpiece of my morning meal.

Dr. Al says,"I love fried eggs with a side of steak. I get cage-free eggs from my friend A.N.’s farm. They come from antibiotic-free chickens raised in a natural, healthy environment. Then I fry them in organic butter".

And remember:

• Animal fat is good for you, as long as it’s from disease-free livestock that haven’t been injected with hormones or fed antibiotics.

• If you gravitate toward bacon and sausage, well, those are highly processed foods. So look for grass-fed and brands that don’t contain nitrates. Nitrates can cause cancer and changes to your DNA.

• If you really need a carb fix, save it for the occasional desert. Don’t make it a part of your breakfast. The addiction may be hard to break, but you’ll be a lot happier – and more productive.

 Well how about that? Held captive for a century by a couple aging vegans! Me? I've been having my 'power porridge' with a sliced banana, a couple sliced strawberries, several blueberries if I have them, flax seed, raisins, cinnamon and applesauce...oh and the oatmeal is made with milk - not water. But now I think I am going to switch to a Thai rice soup for brekkie. I know...rice is still a grain...maybe I'll just have the fruit...

See ya, eh!

Bob