Overnight, we are in a fasted state. We wake up and cortisol (a necessary, but potentially damaging when chronic stress hormone) is peaking at dawn. According to Dr. Ray Peat, PhD, darkness itself is anti-thyroid, or anti-metabolic, and hence at dawn, this stressful state peaks.
If you ask paramedics or ambulance drivers, they’ll also tell you that the early hours of the morning are when we see more cardiac failures and call-outs. Blood sugar is down and stress levels peak at this time.
To down-regulate cortisol then, breakfast becomes a key meal. “Break the fast.” Who would have thought?
My favourite options for breakfast for myself and clients are as follows (eaten soon after waking and DEFINITELY before working out):
- A balanced source of carbohydrate (favouring fructose), protein and finally some fat.
- Avoid polyunsaturated fats (nut/seed oils, grains, nut milks etc)
- For me, this could look like: 3 eggs*, a couple pieces of fruit (of course amount will depend on the person)
- If time poor, then a smoothie: frozen berries or ripe fruit, milk and/or coconut water, collagen hydrolysate protein. Again, balanced macros, with enough “sugar” to down-regulate nervous system after sleep
- Coffee after the meal, sipped slowly. Coffee is never consumed before breakfast, and never black. The coffee itself drops blood sugar levels, so we balance it out with sugar/honey and/or some milk or cream.
When you consider food (and how we breathe and train) as a powerful way to manage blood sugar and hence stress levels, then our food choices become important.
We can not just manage recovery, health and body composition with food, but also how we “feel” throughout the day.
*always organic, pasture raised, with Soy Free feed.
