Introduction: Many people enjoy drinking vegetable juice upon waking in the morning, reasoning that it allows for the direct intake of nutrients and helps cleanse the body of waste. However, this practice overlooks a crucial point: the human body thrives in a warm environment. When the body is warm, microcirculation functions properly. Therefore, the first thing you consume in the morning should ideally be warm.
How to Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Many people enjoy drinking vegetable juice upon waking in the morning, reasoning that it allows for the direct intake of nutrients and helps cleanse the body of waste. However, this practice overlooks a crucial point: the human body thrives in a warm environment. When the body is warm, microcirculation functions properly. Therefore, the first thing you consume in the morning should ideally be warm. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, it is not advisable to start your breakfast with cold items like vegetable juice, iced coffee, iced fruit juice, or iced bean curd; instead, you should eat warm food. In the morning, the body's yin energy from the night has not yet dissipated, and the body's muscles, nerves, and blood vessels are still in a state of constriction. Consuming cold food and drinks at this time will inevitably cause these systems to constrict further, impeding blood circulation.
At first, you might not feel any discomfort in your stomach after consuming cold food. However, over time or as you age, the body's ability to absorb nutrients can be impaired. This can lead to issues like failing to gain weight despite eating plenty, having persistently loose stools, deteriorating skin, frequent colds, and a constant stream of minor ailments. This is a sign of weakened "stomach qi" (digestive energy) and a compromised immune system.
Therefore, the first thing you should have in the morning should be a warm food, such as hot congee, hot oatmeal, hot goat's milk, hot bean curd, hot soy milk, or sesame paste. You can then have vegetables, bread, sandwiches, or fruit on the side. It is best to avoid milk for breakfast, as it can easily lead to excess phlegm and cause allergies. Moreover, milk is not well-suited for individuals with respiratory, digestive, or skin problems, nor is it ideal for people living in humid climates.