Healthy Magazine Healthy SoFlo Issue 65 | Page 38

HEALTHY FOOD · OCTOBER 2018 WHY YOU SHOULDN'T SKIP BREAKFAST H eart disease researchers have found that factors such as where you live, how many children you have, and your socioeconomic status can influence your cardiovascular health. In the United States, the number one killer of both men and women is heart disease. More than 610,000 Americans die every year as a result of heart disease. That amounts to roughly one in every four deaths in the United States of America alone. Another benefit of eating breakfast is that it allows you an opportunity to sit with your family and make sure you’re on the same page or know what’s on the agenda for the day. Breakfast fuels you and helps you prepare for the day ahead. THE RISK FACTORS ARE WELL KNOWN BY NOW. They include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, lack of physical activity, and smoking. However, researchers have found that there is one often overlooked risk factor that can play a major role in heart health. It is one that may not be so obvious to the average person or medical professional—eating breakfast. Studies suggest that those who eat breakfast regularly tend to have lower rates of heart disease. They also have lower cholesterol levels and blood pressures well within normal range, and make better food choices, thus, helping them keep their weight under control. All of this information is according to studies performed by the American Heart Association. When you skip breakfast, you increase the likeliho