Frequent skipping of breakfast harmful to human health ­- Nutritionist

A senior nutritionist at the Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Mrs. Olubukola Olatidoye, has said that frequent skipping of breakfast is harmful to human health and could lead to ulcer.

Speaking with The Daily Times, Olatidoye said that most Nigerians don’t think breakfast is important, but it can be disastrous when the right food is not given to the body regularly as at when needed. She added that not remembering to eat has been a major cause of ulcer, as it is better to skip lunch or dinner than skipping breakfast.

However, ulcer occurs when the worms in the stomach don’t get enough food to eat, hence they feed on human intestine and create wounds in the stomach.

She said that the right type of food for ulcer patients depends on the individual body system, saying that taking warm water in the morning and eating fruits like banana will help to ease ulcer pains.

Giving her personal experience, she said, “for me, I take warm water in the morning first before eating fruits, then after 30 minutes, I brush my teeth and eat breakfast; with that I don’t feel ulcer pains.”

Olatidoye cautioned that patients with ulcer should avoid eating dry bread, garri and using beans, as breakfast could be dangerous to their health.

She explained that, dry bread could cause pain to patients but if patients must take bread, it must be taken with tea or something soft while beans gives heart burn and if patient must eat, it must not be taken as breakfast.

Noting that garri is also not good for ulcer patients – especially when it is hard and heavy, but if individuals with the ailment must eat, it should be eaten light and soft.

She warned that ulcer patients should avoid food with too much pepper which could increase ulcer pains, adding that, it is preferable for patients to eat tomatoes stew if possible without pepper; and if there must be pepper, it must be very minimal that it will not be felt in the food.