Do You Eat At Your Desk?

Okey dokey. Hands up if you eat at your desk??

Shift workers are notorious for having gut issues for a myriad of reasons, but before sending you off to complete a heap of tests or writing a script to take some pills – has your health practitioner ever asked you WHERE and HOW you eat?

Because if you’re sitting at your desk shovelling food down whilst you’re typing at your computer or on the phone, you’re likely going to overeat and bypass the body’s innate hunger mechanism which will contribute to gut discomfort.

(more…)

Feeling Unwell or Low on Energy? Try These Two Things.

Whenever we’re feeling sick, run down or our energy is low, we often resort to eating heavy foods such as chicken soup.

Whilst this may work for some, when we’re unwell, we often lose our appetite.

Our body essentially sends us a signal “not to eat”.

Yet we think we need to eat to have more energy.

Whilst elements of this are true, the reality is most of the population is overeating – especially when working 24/7. This has led to many experiencing weight gain, dysregulated blood sugar, gut issues etc.

When we get sick, we often can’t keep food down.

So is this really the body’s way of helping you to heal? To remove food from your stomach in order to utilize the maximum amount of energy for healing?

Because digesting heavy food depletes energy resources essential for healing.

(more…)

What’s Really Making Us Sick?

Did you know there are a zillion things that can contribute to us getting sick?

Well, maybe not a zillion, but certainly many … some of which are mentioned in the list above.

Thankfully, our bodies have an incredible in-built system designed to keep us healthy.

It’s called our Innate Immune System.

However, it needs us to make good diet and lifestyle decisions in order to support it.

If not, it’s unable to help you to thrive.

  • Your energy will be flat.
  • Your mental clarity will be impaired.
  • You will struggle to walk up stairs without puffing.
  • Your limbs and muscles will become stiff and sore.
  • Any “bug” that comes on the scene, will knock you for six … and so on.
(more…)

Is Your Caffeine Intake Leaving You Malnourished?

Do you rely on caffeine to get you through your shift … whether that’s in the form of a coffee, soda or energy drink? 

Perhaps you rely on two, three, or maybe even more for an energy hit to keep you going?

Whilst I’m partial to a 1/2 strength latte or mocha myself, did you know that habitual caffeine intake can contribute to malnutrition? 

It does so by depleting key vitamins and minerals such as:

  • Iron – a single cup of coffee can reduce iron absorption from a meal by as much as 75%!
  • Calcium and Magnesium – half a cup of caffeine (50mg) depletes the body of calcium and magnesium. Larger doses deplete even more.
  • Potassium – 300mg of caffeine increases potassium loss by one third.
(more…)

Does Your Job Involve Sitting Inside All Day?

Does your job involve sitting inside all day (and maybe night?) Have you spent years on a weight gain-weight-loss-weight-gain roller coaster?

Could lack of sunlight be a contributing factor? My simple answer to that is “yes, most definitely”.

Without sufficient vitamin D, AKA vitamin “daylight”, your body thinks you are hibernating.

It thinks winter is coming.

So what does it instinctively do as a response?

It slows down the metabolism, encouraging you to eat more, and store lots of fat to help you to “see through the winter”.

Even when it’s not winter!

(more…)