by David Bohl
In today’s fast-paced world we often find ourselves waking up earlier, working longer hours, and rushing to catch up.
STOP! We can not allow our hectic schedules to overrun our basic needs of health, happiness, and well being. We need to make time to take care of the essentials. The single most important good habit to maintain, no matter how busy we get, is a good diet.
Think of your body as a machine. Your body is a machine, and your stomach is the fuel tank. For optimal results use the premium fuel.
Your diet impacts your mood, energy level, and overall effectiveness on the job.
When you are running at full bore, you know it. You are humming. Energy abounds, your spirits are high, and things are getting done! Conversely, we all know the feeling of “hitting the wall” around 2:00, or 3:00 PM. We crash and just zone out for an hour or two in a food induced stupor, staring blankly at our humming computer screen. I used to hit that metaphorical wall daily, and I didn’t know why. It all comes down to our diet! Our diet can make us or it can break us.
Try to implement the foods I’m listing below into your workday diet for one week. By Friday, you will be feeling so good that you will not need any more convincing.
Citrus: Orange, Grapefruit.
Try to have at least one orange and one grapefruit daily.
Citrus is an important source of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient not produced in the human body, rather it must be ingested. Have a pink or red grapefruit with breakfast, and an orange with lunch, and your body will be brimming with Vitamin C all day.
• Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps our immune system function properly.
• Vitamin C helps produce collagen which strengthens your bones, muscles.
• Vitamin C may reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer.
Note: Grapefruit, when cut properly, is not sour, but rather it is sweet, and delicious.
Honey: Unprocessed, Local
Use raw, unprocessed honey, whenever possible, to replace sugar or artificial sweeteners.
There are as many reasons to use honey, as there are to NOT use sugar or artificial sweeteners. Honey is good for your immune system, has anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties, and may help control seasonal allergies.
Processed sugar, on the other hand, can elevate blood sugar to unhealthy levels, cause moods swings, and contribute to depression. There is a large volume of research that suggests a strong link between artificial sweeteners and cancer. It makes good sense that you should go, whenever possible, with the natural, unprocessed alternative – like honey.
There are many different floral varieties – and flavor profiles – of natural honey. The healthiest and tastiest (in my opinion) is wildflower honey – produced locally to you. Its pollens are from numerous flowering plants that grow in your area. When ingested regularly, your body will build a natural resistance to the very pollens that aggravate your allergies in the spring and summer.
Tips:
• Use honey in your morning coffee or tea to replace sugar or sweeteners. Do not begin your day by ingesting processed sugars, or artificial sweeteners. Your body will suck them up like a vacuum, as it is starved for nutrients after eight hours of sleep. Let it instead absorb healthy and nutritious honey.
- Use honey to sweeten your oatmeal or cereal – same logic as above.
- If you do not like the taste of honey, then try to use raw, unprocessed sugar whenever possible.
Tea: White, Green, Black
Try to have one or two cups of tea every day.
There are many varieties of tea, and they are all good for you. Tea has long been recognized for its health benefits by countries like China, Japan, and England.
Tea has a variety of ingredients that help promote health, and is recognized as a powerful cancer fighter. Tea naturally contains less caffeine than coffee, and is much easier on the system.
If you drink excessive amounts of coffee (as I once did) each day to keep you going, then please consider replacing most – if not all – of it with tea. It does not take very long to make the transition, and you will very quickly be happy you did.
Yogurt: Active, Good Bacteria.
Yogurt is a quick and easy snack. Have at least one serving every day.
Yogurt is a great source of calcium and Vitamin D. It helps strengthen bones, and can prevent osteoporosis.
Look for yogurt with several “active cultures”. These cultures are very good for your digestive tract. Don’t be fooled by clever marketing, or branding. Look at the ingredients. Good yogurt should have as many as five to seven active cultures – the more the better.
Tip: Use yogurt when making fruit smoothies. It will make them smooth, and tasty, and healthy.
Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart…
We all know the schoolyard song, and I’ll spare you the rest of it. It is true, though. Beans are great for your heart. The high fiber content of these legumes serves as a broom that sweeps harmful cholesterol from your system before it gets absorbed into the bloodstream.
Beans – especially black beans – are nature’s best source of plant protein. They are naturally cholesterol and saturated-fat free, and they contain many important nutrients that promote health.
Tip:
Brown rice and beans are great for lunch. Make a large quantity of rice and beans at home, and package it up to be reheated at work. Add seasoning to taste, and eat with a little hot sauce. The protein will give you energy to last you through the afternoon, and you’ll avoid the afternoon drowsiness that results from eating a big, unhealthy lunch.
…so eat your beans with every meal!
Ahhh, Nuts!
Nuts, while very high in calories, are an excellent source of plant protein, and other important nutrients. Nuts are seeds, and therefore they contain all the ingredients necessary to begin a life. It makes logical sense, then, that they are powerful additions to a healthy diet.
Nuts contain:
• High concentrations of plant proteins
• Antioxidants and phytonutrients such as Selenium and Vitamin E.
• Plant sterols and good fat (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats containing Omega-3)
• Fiber
Nuts are good for you, but remember to eat them in moderation. Overeating nuts will lead to weight gain, and would be counterproductive to your health. Go with a wide variety of dry-roasted nuts for optimal health benefits.
Turkey Lurkey
Turkey is an excellent source of animal protein. Make a turkey sandwich for lunch, and you’ll get plenty of good protein without a lot of unwanted, saturated fat. Your energy level will remain stable, and you will be sufficiently full throughout the afternoon.
Tips:
- Use white, skinless turkey for optimal nutrition.
- Go with mustard on the sandwich instead of mayonnaise.
- Add some Romaine lettuce and a slice of tomato to your turkey sandwich.
- Select whole-grain bread that is high in soluble fiber (5-7 grams per serving). Do not be fooled by clever labels. Many whole grain breads are actually quite low in usable dietary fiber. Read the label!
These are only a few examples of healthy food choices. I highlighted them because of their high nutritional value, as well as their convenience, and ease of use. Remember to fill your tank with the good stuff: plenty of fruits and vegetables, healthy sources of protein, and vitamins and nutrients derived from whole foods.
Starting with these foods, you can replace bad eating habits with good ones, and get yourself on track to be healthier, happier, more energetic and productive. You will have the nutritional foundation to build your life upon, and the strength and health needed to be successful in today’s demanding world.
