If you spend as much time raiding the vending machine as you do at your desk, it's probably time you tried a few healthier options.
It's not just your waistline that will thank you for it - eating nutritious food during the working week can also boost your work performance and
save you a few quid.
Breakfast
Eating breakfast fires up your digestive system, and gives your body fuel until lunchtime.
Try eating things like porridge, muesli or brown bread. These foods release energy slowly, providing you with a steady release of glucose. Unlike
sugary cereals and croissants, these foods will make you feel fuller for longer and you're less likely to opt for a mid-morning snack.
Porridge is also an excellent source of the stress-reducing vitamin B, and encourages regular bowel movement. With a 1kg pack lasting you four weeks
at only costing around �1.50, it's cheap as well as healthy.
Snacks
If you can't live without crisps and choccy bars, try snacking on dark chocolate to get your fix without the sugar rush and keep away from crisps
cooked in hydrogenated oil.
Give fruit, nuts, seeds and vegetables a try. Each of these will give your concentration levels a boost.
Vegetables have a high water content, which is an excellent way to hydrate your skin naturally, giving you a younger, healthier complexion. So get
slicing those peppers, celery and carrots and dunk them in tasty dips like low-fat tzatziki or humous.
Lunch
Fixing your own lunch is generally cheaper than buying it at the canteen. Plus, you have the added benefit of knowing exactly what's in your food.
If you don't have time to make a packed lunch at home, then try buying something that includes a good source of protein and a slow releasing
carbohydrate - that way you'll be eating food that satisfies your appetite but is less likely to lead to a mid-afternoon slump.
It's also important to get enough omega 3 in your diet. To keep your memory and concentration levels at an optimum include in your meals a good
source of omega 3 such as flax and pumpkin seeds, walnuts and oily fish.
"Western diets tend to be too high in omega 6 levels in relation to omega 3, and this has been linked in studies to poor concentration and even
Attention Deficit Disorder", says Kathryn Lwin Brooks who lectures on health and exercise at Morley College, London.
Good habits
Drink two litres of water each day
Limit your caffeine intake
Include oily fish (e.g. mackerel, tuna) in your diet
Swap white breads and pastas for wholemeal varieties
Have treats, but eat them in moderation
Article reproduced from www.supanet.com
Return to Features..
