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In the medical field we're taught to take care of our own health before we can take care of others. This is why first responders assess the scene before treating a patient, nurses and providers wear gloves, and scientists wear lab coats. We must remain healthy in order to treat our patients and restore their health. Despite taking these immediate precautions while on the job, it's easy to neglect other aspects in our life that promote good health.
As we work more hours for longer stretches without time off, our own well-being can easily be forgotten. We wake up with minor grogginess, chug down a coffee and push through the day. Oftentimes, we do so without stopping for anything more than a bag of chips or candy to help us finish off our shift. With the constant pressure to continue working harder and faster, we need to remind ourselves of the importance of self-care.
Meal prep
The foundation of health is nutrition. The best way to ensure you have a nutritious meal to eat during your work week is to meal prep ahead of time. There are thousands of ideas for easy, healthy, inexpensive meal options all over the internet. The day before you start your work rotation, prepare enough meals to last you through your workweek and keep them in the fridge or freezer. Be sure to package your meals in microwave-safe containers, so they're easy to grab and reheat once you're on break.
If you aren't excited about spending one of your days off in the kitchen (trust me, you're not alone), there are still healthy options for you. RealEats delivers fresh meals to you on a weekly basis, without the need for a subscription. The meals are prepared by professional gourmet chefs and vacuum-sealed to keep fresh. You can customize your order depending on your dietary preferences. The best part is the meals are less expensive and can be more nutritious than most hospital cafeteria options.
Whether you are looking for low carb, high protein, Keto, Mediterranean or vegetarian, RealEats offers farm-fresh food to fit your nutritional needs. This is a great option for travelers who don't have a kitchen available in their current living situation. The meals are packaged fresh and ready to eat. Right now you can save 20% and get free delivery when you use the code REAL20 at check out*.
Exercise regularly
Once you've become a meal-prep master, it is highly recommended that you focus on your exercise regiment. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderately intensive exercise per week. Thats only 30 minutes per day, 5 times per week. Sometimes a gym membership isn't ideal for the traveler's lifestyle. We don't want to commit to a membership when we will only be there for the next 13 weeks. There are many free and fun options to get you moving while out on an assignment.
Hiking your local trails or walking around the city is a great way to get some cardio while also exploring your new travel location. If you are on the coast, you can try surfing, swimming or paddle-boarding. While working in the mountains, skiing and snowboarding is a great way to spend the day and keep your heart rate elevated. If you aren't into outdoor activities, you can always find a good 30-min fitness video on Youtube to fit into your morning routine. It doesn't matter if it's kickboxing, yoga, or Zumba, the idea is to get up and move.
Supplements
The final and often overlooked way to support your health is with supplements. Even those with a well-balanced diet can benefit from taking a quality Multivitamin. Most of us know that working the nightshift can greatly deprive us from the Vitamin D that our body desperately needs. Oftentimes the inability to perform simple tasks like remembering names, focusing on a task, or falling asleep and staying asleep can be attributed to a deprivation of vitamins and minerals.
Many of these issues can be resolved by taking a supplement that targets the imbalance of nutrients. BrainMD offers many specialized vitamin and mineral capsules designed to promote a healthy brain. By taking the 5-minute assessment you can identify which supplements could help you with an array of common issues like anxiety and mood-swings*.
It is also important to maintain a healthy gut biome. We are still only beginning to understand and appreciate how much our microbiome contributes to our over-all health. Good digestion is essential to good health. High-quality probiotics have proven to regulate digestion and increase the nutrient absorption of food.
Closing
Staying healthy can be difficult when we are on a travel assignment. While focusing on our patients and our careers, it is also crucial we maintain our own health to the best of our abilities. By investing a little time, money and attention to our own self-care we can drastically enhance our lives. With a few minor improvements to our dietary and exercise habits we can assure many healthy years to come.
“The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered "Man! Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.” -Dalai Lama XIV
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