National Oatmeal Month - Here to Save America

Recently, I found out that January is officially National Oatmeal Month.  Naturally, I decided I had to do a post on oats.  Not only are they ridiculously good for you, but they are also quite tasty.

While this may not sound like the most exciting post from the outset, by the time you're done reading I think that you'll agree that oats are definitely a product that should be a part of your life. 

The New Epidemic
In the United States over past decade, adolescent cases of Type II diabetes has seen a frightening increase of about 33%.  In total, there are over 20 million Americans living with this disease.  That number is growing every day, and it's growing exponentially.  It's a new epidemic, there's no question, and cardiovascular disease (diseases of the heart) will kill almost half of these people with Type II diabetes in their lifetime.  Of course, all of this malnutrition is connected with other problems, such as high cholosterol, blood pressure, and many other possible correlations.

Just as a quick side note, a lot of people ask what the difference between Type I and Type II diabetes is.  Type I is not preventable and is passed on genetically from birth - this accounts for about 10% of all cases.  In Type I, your body does not produce insulin.  Type II, on the other hand, is almost always preventable.  In this case, you produce insulin but your body cannot store it properly.  Your risk of developing this disease skyrockets if you eat poorly, are overweight, and do not exercise.   America has a unique problem in the scope of world history - we have too much food at our disposal rather than not enough.  And it's really starting to take it's toll - not only on our health, but our wallets too.  More on that later.

So now you're probably thinking to yourself, what the hell does this have to do with oatmeal.  Well, I'll tell you.  Oats are a powerful food - and they are often neglected when a person thinks about how they could engage in a healthier lifestyle.  Fruits and veggies usually get all of the glory (and why not? they are a terrific food group).  But, oats should not be overlooked.

Oats - The Real Breakfast of Champions
First, let's get something out of the way.  I'm not talking about instant oatmeal that you cook from a packet.  These packets have an unnecessary amount of sugar and sodium in them - 25% and 8% respectively of your daily recommended amount.  If we want to Type II diabetes incidence to decrease, then we have to cut these two additives out of our lives.

We're talking about oatmeal that comes in a big round container, like this:

One serving of these bad boys include barely any sugar or sodium in them at all.  So, how will they help turn this nutrition epidemic around?  For one thing, eating this kind of oatmeal has been shown to be effective in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure over time.  This effect is due in large part to the amount of dietary fiber in a serving (up to 33%).  All of this fiber will help you in the fight against heart disease.  Fiber has also shown to be effective in lowering the risk for Type II diabetes, since it will help to stabalize your blood sugar.  Whole oats and rolled oats are all less-processed forms of oats, and will therefore take your body longer to break them down into sugar.   Oatmeal is a strong source of magnesium, as well.  Magnesium helps to regulate the body’s insulin and glucose levels - again combatting diabetes.   

These oats are also a whole grain, which has shown to be helpful in lowering risk for certain types of cancers.  Oats are rich in things called lignins, which help combat these nasty diseases that we don't want in our lives.  When you eat a hearty bowl of oats for breakfast, your stomach will take a long time to digest it.  As all of that fiber thickens in your digestive system, you'll feel fuller longer and won't be as tempted to eat unhealthy snacks throughout the day. 

The Perfect Game-Day Meal
Oatmeal isn't just for people looking to lose weight.  On the contrary, oatmeal is the quintessential part of every athlete's diet.   A serving of these is rich in complex carbohydrates (which will give you energy for your workouts or the long day ahead) and proteins (which will help your muscles rebuild and recover after a rigorous lifting session). Carbs have become a dirty word in the nutritional lexicon recently, and that's too bad.  Carbohydrates are the most critical source of energy for our bodies, and this is especially important for aspiring athletes looking to be at the top of their game. 

Choose Your Own Adventure
The best part of all is that your trusty bowl of oatmeal can be augmented in the morning to be even healthier.  My typical routine is to cut up a banana and slice an apple into my bowl.  If I'm really feeling healthy, I'll add in a serving of flax seeds, which are rich in protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.  Instead of sugar, I usually add in some cinnamon for extra flavor.

Of course, there are limitless possibilities.  You can try blueberries, strawberries, rasberries, almonds, walnuts...you get the point.  After that delicious meal, and looking in the mirror to make sure that I'm having an awesome hair day, I'm ready to start my day.  And you will be, too.  Gauranteed.

The Way Forward
Of course, by themselves, oats can't completely turn this epidemic of poor nutrition around.  But they are a good place to start.  They're cheap, filling, and incredibly healthy for you.  And they just might help save the world.  The real breakfast of champions, indeed.