By Lucy Peters

It may be one of the great ironies in our modern workforce that the diet of health employees is not as healthy as it should be. Given the demands of many health professionals, especially nurses and other frontliners, having the time to prepare meals, go out to a healthy lunch, or even stop to have a healthy snack can be challenging. Fortunately, a variety of initiatives are being implemented to make sure that healthcare workers stay healthy.

The root of the problem

Being a healthcare worker can be exceptionally demanding, and it can limit one’s ability to enjoy a healthy diet. Although many professionals, such as nurses, work as few as three days a week, the demands of the day can be incredibly taxing and prevent access to or time for a balanced diet: limited time for an actual lunch break, little time to leave the healthcare facility, and shifts that extend into overtime contribute to the problem. When you factor in swing shifts, increased demands because of health emergencies and the demands of taking care of a family, healthcare professions can be incredibly draining and compel employees to seek energy boosts in the form of caffeine, sugar and fast food. Making matters worse is the fact that many cafeterias and hospital dining facilities offer minimal healthy food options, or offer an abundance of fast food. For employees who are pressed for time and who prefer convenience, and therefore choose to eat in the hospital canteen, it’s no surprise that many healthcare workers succumb to poor eating habits.

Strategies to address the issue

Fortunately, a variety of strategies are being implemented to improve the dining options for healthcare workers. One approach involves educating and informing cafeteria patrons about the health benefits and risks of various food options with a color-coded information system. This system can also incorporate text messaging to update patrons on their cafeteria spending habits. Another option being sought is to improve the options being offered in the cafeteria, whether by limiting fast food options or making healthier options more presentable and appealing.

Given the rise of meal delivery services, there are a variety of companies offering healthy meal plans for delivery. These delivery providers, including Blue Apron, Home Chef and Green Chef, provide meal options that can accommodate a variety of dietary preferences, including keto, vegan and organic meals, while providing the same convenience as in-hospital dining. A rising number, including Green Chef, Purple Carrot and Sunbasket, are also working to make the meal delivery industry more sustainable. In many ways, enjoying healthy eating as a healthcare worker is much easier than before.

Health care workers aren’t always the beacons of health that we would assume based on their profession, but that doesn’t need to be the case. With a variety of changes in hospital dining options, improved presentation, and accessibility, healthcare workers will hopefully have much greater access to enjoying quality, nutritious and delicious meals during their hectic schedule. Likewise, with the prominence of various healthy meal plans for delivery, healthcare workers can expand their options and enjoy the convenience of a customized meal plan for delivery. These are just some of the measures available to ensure that healthcare workers stay healthy. If there’s anything we now appreciate, it’s that staying healthy, and keeping healthcare workers healthy, is critically important.

Please also review AIHCP’s Holistic-Integrative Health Care Specialist Certification Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program in online and independent study and open to qualified professionals.

To paraphrase the old adage, we are what we eat! What we put in our bodies has a positive or negative effect on our health, both physically as well as mentally. So it is no surprise that certain foods can give our moods a booster shot! From common sense to holistic healthcare advice, the foods listed on the link below could help lift us up or send us crashing down! Here is the link to the original article:

From Yahoo News
By Ruben Castaneda, Angela Haupt

As Virginia Woolf once said, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” Indeed, what we eat (and drink) affects more than just our waistline and cholesterol numbers.

For the full article please click here

As the article states eating foods like oranges, grapefruits, spinach, to foods like seafood and walnuts can have a big impact on our emotional and mental well being. It also outlines the importance of avoiding overly sugary foods, highly caffeinated drinks  or artificial sweeteners as they can have a negative impact. Perhaps we should practice a little holistic nutrition and reach for an orange with a side of walnuts instead of a 3rd cup of coffee and a butter cream frosted cupcake for that late afternoon pick me up? It could be the boost our mood needs!

For more information on holistic nursing health care or if you are interested in pursuing an education in holistic nursing please visit our website.

Written by Lucy Peters

There is a significantly high risk of diabetes among health care workers, with numerous studies postulating three main reasons why: unhealthy lifestyles, obesity, and physical inactivity. Current times are indicative of the importance of maintaining optimal health in this sector, since diabetes can pose a risk for worse outcomes in viral and other infections. Doctors, nurses, and other professionals often face high levels of psychosocial strain, and can be called upon to complete long work shifts – all of which can also contribute to the adoption of unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as the consumption of an unhealthy diet and sedentarism. As stated in a study by M Belingheri and colleagues, the problem is exacerbated when health care workers have other conditions such as hypertension, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease, all of which can worsen outcomes for various diseases and conditions.

Diabetes And Work Performance

Embracing a healthy lifestyle and receiving early diagnosis for conditions like hypertension is vital for health care workers. Not only does diabetes post a risk of worse outcomes, but it also carries symptoms that can make work in a healthcare setting difficult. For instance, people with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can have a type of nerve damage called diabetic neuropathy. The legs and feet are mostly affected, with symptoms including pain and numbness. Diabetic neuropathy actually affects up to 50% of people with diabetes, and when it is severe, it can interfere greatly with one’s ability to work and complete daily tasks.

Fighting Type 2 Diabetes Through A Healthy Diet

A study by O A Busari and colleagues shows that health care workers can have a significantly higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes. In order to fight this tendency, a proactive approach that embraces a preventive lifestyle needs to be adopted. This should begin with the adoption of a Mediterranean-type diet, which comprises lean proteins, grains, healthy Omega-3 fats, and plenty of fiber from fruits and vegetables. Specific foods can help health workers achieve their goals. A study undertaken at the Chalmers Institute of Technology, for instance, has found that whole grains (be they rye, oats or wheat) have a vital role in preventing Type 2 diabetes. The researchers recommended switching white flour foods for wholegrain foods, and avoiding foods like red meat and coffee. Women should aim to consume around 70g of wholegrain foods, and men around 90g. These can be sourced from foods such as rye bread, oatmeal porridge, and crispbread.

Embracing An Active Lifestyle

A 2018 study undertaken at the University of Birmingham has shown that regular physical activity reduces the risk of diabetes. Walking, jogging and running are all linked to lower diabetes rates, but any cardiovascular workout can be equally beneficial. “About one fifth of the observed diabetes cases which developed could have been avoided if inactive individuals had engaged in World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended levels of exercise,” said researchers. Despite this fact, research by H Blake and colleagues (Predictors of physical activity and barriers to exercise in nursing and medical students, Journal of Advanced Nursing), shows that health care professionals on the whole have low levels of physical activity, with barriers including a lack of time and inconvenient schedules. Health organizations should take this matter seriously, making key changes to schedules and encouraging involvement in fitness programs by workers.

Health care workers often fail to meet exercise requirements and consume a healthy diet, which ups their risk for diabetes. Conditions such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension can worsen outcomes for workers with diabetes. A preventive stance should be taken to remove the main barriers to healthier lifestyles. These are simply a lack of time, and schedules that are unconducive to regular exercise.

Please also review AIHCP’s Holistic and Integrative Health Care Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program in online and independent study and open to qualified professionals.