As the proverb goes, “you are what you eat”, and what you eat can have a big impact on you and your overall wellbeing, food and mood go hand in hand. By taking some simple steps to make your diet better you can lift your mood, give yourself increased energy levels and improve your concentration and thinking processes.
Eat Regularly
It sounds simple but eating regularly and in a set pattern really is beneficial. Make sure that you eat breakfast and try to eat foods which release energy slowly as that will keep your body functioning well during the day and help you to avoid snacking. Foods such as pasta, oats, wholegrains and nuts are great for this. Research from the University of California which focused on shift workers showed that those who ate regularly without snacking reduced their cholesterol levels, blood sugars and blood pressure. Food and drinks which cause blood sugar levels to spike should also be avoided as they create peaks and troughs in energy levels and concentration, if possible don’t have too many sweets, biscuits or sugary drinks.
Drink More
This can sometimes be a bit of a misnomer as not all drinks will help your body and mind to stay at their best. Hydration is the key, as dehydration impacts on your mood and your ability to concentrate and have clarity of thought. The Eatwell Guide suggests drinking 6-8 glasses or 1.2 – 1.5 litres of fluid a day, this will vary slightly depending on your BMI but what matters really is what you drink. Water is generally the best option, other drinks such as tea, coffee and fruit juice are all good in moderation but will contain caffeine and excess sugars so be careful not to drink too much of those or they will end up doing more harm than good due to their stimulating effect.
5 A Day
The NHS has a great section on their website about what and how much of different types of fruit and vegetables count as part of your 5 A Day. Essentially, you should aim to eat a range of both and try and eat fruit and vegetables of different colours as they will provide your body with a diverse assortment of nutrients which will help your body and mind to function better.
Fats
Not all fats are bad for the wellbeing of your body and mind, in fact your brain needs healthy fatty acids to function well. It’s important then to include the right fats in your diet and these are often found in oily fish, chicken, nuts, seeds, dairy products and eggs. Avoid food though which contains trans fats, saturated fats and partially hydrogenated oils, typically things like heavily processed foods, cakes and biscuits as they adversely affect your mood and can have longer term implications for your health.
How Can Employers Help
Employers aren’t responsible for policing what their employees eat and drink but they can facilitate and promote healthier eating and drinking in various ways. If a company has on site vending machines then these can be stocked with a range of products which offer healthier options to encourage a better diet. Some employers will actively provide healthy foods to staff for free through fruit boxes or regular team lunches using outside caterers, such events are great for exploring different foods and also bringing people together which can have a knock on positive impact in terms of social wellbeing. Regular signposting and information sharing are also simple, free methods to promote a better diet. Employers can use their already established communication channels to share recipes, ideas, information about support groups and services and anything else which may be of interest and benefit to their staff in relation to establishing a healthier diet.
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