Most Americans skip breakfast, grab a cup of coffee and a muffin at the local chain store, and hit the office vending machines for an extra boost of "energy" (code word for sugar) in the late morning.

The long-term result of these morning habits is blood sugar levels that fluctuate wildly throughout the day. Insulin levels spike and drop in tandem with blood sugar levels, and over time many people develop "insulin resistance". The next likely stage is developing type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease with many potentially severe consequences.

Blood sugar and insulin highs and lows leave a person's body worn out. Much energy is wasted in compensating for these metabolic swings, and people wonder why they "have no energy". Without knowing the real cause, people actually make things worse by loading up on candy and nutrient-depleted carbohydrates as they attempt to gain sufficient energy to get done the work they need to do.

The good news is healthful energy sources are available. One important energy source is making the time to eat a real breakfast. That probably means getting up 15 minutes earlier. But the benefits of those 15 minutes are huge. A half-cup of real oatmeal combined with a pear or quarter-cup of blueberries provides servings of valuable protein and complex carbohydrates. Your body uses this nutrition to provide you with energy for the next two to three hours.

That's all it takes to have an energy-filled morning. If you eat similarly smart meals at lunch and in the late afternoon you'll have as much energy as you need for a highly productive day.