This article was provided by Tailored Healthcare Staffing.
As a travel nurse or a Super Nurse in any capacity, you’re often required to work long shifts. After all those hours on your feet, Tailored Healthcare Staffing understands that the last thing you probably want to do is spend the effort to prepare a meal. Of course, that makes it tempting to turn to fast food or any food that happens to be lying around. But not eating properly can affect your health and well-being. Between the stress of the job and lack of nutrition, digestive disorders like heartburn and peptic ulcer disease, chronic fatigue, and headaches are common, not to mention weight gain.
Following a diet that’s as healthy as possible, on the other hand, reduces the impact of stress on the body, but how can you manage it when time is so tight? While eating well does take some effort, following these tips can help ensure your well-being and allow you to perform your best as the Super Nurse you are.
Bring Snacks and Meals to Work
Skipping meals is never a good idea as it causes blood sugar levels to drop, leaving you irritable and fatigued, while the ability to concentrate suffers. You may have trouble making quick decisions, feel nauseous and unsteady on your feet. If you bring healthy meals and snacks – think Super Treats like almonds and apple slices that provide the necessary fuel for a Super Nurse, you can avoid these consequences as well as the urge to turn to “junk.” And, when you’re finished with that long shift, you won’t leave feeling so ravenous that all you want to do is head straight to the nearest drive-thru restaurant.
Freeze Meals for the Week
Of course, you need to eat at home too. Assuming you have at least one day off, to save time, prepare some meals ahead of time and freeze them in containers to use throughout the week. Or you might cook a double batch of a healthy dish before you leave for work, eat half and save the rest for later so that you have something healthy on hand that’s quick and easy.
When planning your meals, aim to include plenty of vegetables which typically provide many important vitamins and minerals to ensure your immune system is strong and that your metabolism is functioning properly too.
Avoid Caffeine and Drink Water or Other Non-Caffeinated Beverages
It’s not only important to eat healthily but to stay hydrated. Oftentimes people confuse thirst for hunger, but if you stay hydrated, you’re unlikely to reach for those unhealthy calories your body doesn’t need. Caffeinated beverages like coffee and soda have the opposite effect, so you’ll want to limit or skip those altogether. If you struggle to drink enough water because you’re bored with the lack of flavor, try adding a squeeze of lemon, orange, or lime for a Super beverage to switch things up. Or, sip herbal tea, which is naturally caffeine-free as it doesn’t contain tea leaves. Without that stimulant in your system, you’ll be able to sleep easier at night too. After all, a Super Nurse needs plenty of rest in between all those shifts.
Save Time and Temptation with Grocery Deliveries
Working long hours can leave little in the way of personal time that you probably don’t want to spend on chores like grocery shopping. Another issue is all that persuasive marketing staring back at you on supermarket shelves. When you get your groceries delivered, you save precious time and the temptation to pick up junk that looks so enticing but won’t do much for your good health. A surprising number of stores are offering this option now, with relatively low delivery fees, and many take coupons online too.
We hope you found these healthy eating tips for travel nurses helpful. Have you found healthy eating habits that have helped you? Comment those tips below.
