Take a Stand: A Healthy Diet in the Workplace

By Vanessa Billingsley, Fountain of You Wellness Writer

What the majority of Americans eat is a catastrophic mix of synthetic, high calorie, low nutrient foods.  It is the cause of today’s obesity epidemic and the reason so many of us are diagnosed with inflammatory diseases each year.  It is simply not feasible for us to continue eating in this way and become healthier as a nation.  The validity of this concern is no different for all humans despite the fact that not everyone has discovered its truth.  We should no longer feel content to live blinded by sociological norms.  Our bodies and the environment have suffered enough.  Those of us who are ready for a change must take action, and this begins with bringing healthy foods to work with us each day.  Not only is this exactly what our bodies are begging for, it is also a way to make examples of ourselves to those around us who are contemplating doing the very same.  We can be among the first enlightened few who take a stand for the health of all human beings.

Food means energy for our cells.  As we pluck away at the various jobs we must accomplish in our individual workplaces, we may not stop to think that the fuel we are running on came from the food we ingested only hours before.  Is it high quality fuel?   Are our bodies able to run at optimal levels? Or are we struggling to keep up?  Nutritional science teaches us that our ability to focus adequately and soar through the day with sufficient energy is incredibly dependent upon the choices we make at meal and snack times.  A high-calorie, low nutrient-density breakfast with a high glycemic index (like a doughnut or a bagel) may satisfy our caloric needs for a short while, but it triggers an unhealthy spike in insulin levels.  This leaves us foggy, fatigued, and undernourished as we look around for our next surge of glucose.  These types of synthetic foods do not fuel our bodies properly given that they are highly processed and are therefore not at all what our bodies were designed to digest.  Optimal cellular function requires a far superior form of nutrition.  Despite what many may say, when it comes to supplying our bodies with the ideal fuel, it is unfathomable that all calories are created equally! 

Our bodies are openly petitioning for an evolution.  Workplace inconveniences should not be used as an excuse to abuse the miraculous life we have been given.  We simply cannot afford to mistreat our bodies.  We must develop a sense of responsibility for our personal health and come to an understanding that what matters are the choices we make today to change our lives for the better.  No one is going to do it for us.  It is time to abandon the old excuses and embrace our health in a way we have been avoiding for much too long.  The workplace is the perfect location for this new beginning.  For our weaker moments or for an instant energy boost we can store nutrient-packed snacks like raw almonds, walnuts, apples or pears in our desk drawers.  We can practice the habit of bringing crispy, leafy green salads, perhaps topped with turkey breast, chicken strips, or left-over salmon for lunch.  Who knows? Maybe our enthusiasm will catch, and the next potluck will include platters of fresh exotic fruits, seasoned shrimp kabobs, mini “paleo” quiches, and an impressive array of colorful, sliced vegetables infused with organic dressings.  This is going to be delicious!

For more tips and tools for living a healthy lifestyle: fountainofyou.md
There are also numerous books about diet and its health implications, including: 
The Paleo Diet, by Loren Cordain, Ph.D.
Clean: Remove, Restore, Rejuvenate, by Alejandro Junger, M.D.