My wife, Deb, recently suggested that I eat oatmeal more often for breakfast. She had observed that I seemed better in many ways when I always had an oatmeal breakfast. A couple of years ago, I broke my femur after falling on a steep, slippery park slope. This fracture extended into my knee joint and up the medial femur. A metal plate and nail device extending the full length of the femur was inserted, and I could not bear weight on the leg for three months. I was essentially bedridden. To avoid constipation, I had oatmeal every day and did well on this regime.

I like oatmeal and had been eating it 2-4 times a week for breakfast, but, about a month ago, I started eating it daily together with flax meal, cinnamon, fruits and nuts. Within a week I noticed some remarkable changes in several things: smaller, more frequent very soft bowel movements; less flatulence; no desire to eat sugar in any form. Very sweet things were now actually distasteful.

I have always had a sweet tooth–candy, cookies, baked goods, ice cream. When I changed to a healthy diet around 20 years ago, I cut way back on sweets, but I still ate some. The desire was always there, especially if I was tired.

This is not a scientific study. I have no idea if new my breakfast regime would affect others with a sweet tooth or flatulence the same way, but it might be worth a try. It certainly won’t be harmful.

If you do try it, please let me know your experience, positive or negative.

My breakfast formula:

A heaping 1/3 cup whole oats, not quick or instant

1 1/2 cups of water

Heat on high in microwave for 3 1/2 minutes.

Stir in cinnamon to taste and 3 TBS flax meal.

Let cool; mixture will thicken in a few minutes.

Top with fruit and nuts/seeds.