Taking care of yourself

EAT WELL

Our bodies replace their cells over the course of months.  You can build cells on a junk food diet, but you build a better body by feeding yourself better food.  Health professionals study nutrition, and I believe most women know the calories of at least one hundred foods.  Forget calories, think fuel.  Eat your vegetables, have good proteins, whatever your diet may be.  Include good fats, fats are fuel to your brain and body.  Complex carbohydrates can keep you moving when you are super busy.

My personal diet is keto-vore.  I love watching YouTube and I have favorite YouTubers on many topics including diet, health and weight loss. In the past year, I have gotten rid of 45 pounds.  The blood pressure is lowered, I have fewer migraines and I can work without having chest tightness, no matter the stress of the day.  

Snacks and quick foods for a busy day

Veggie sticks.  Small blocks of cheese or cheese sticks.  Almonds, cashews, your preferred nuts.  Crackers with cheese or nut butter.  Hard boiled eggs, pealed the night before.  Water, tea, or coffee.  Yes, I love soda too, but I am trying to limit it due to it being a chemical soup.  Fruits would work, but won't have much staying power if it's all you get to eat through the day.  Bananas, berries, grapes or prepeeled citrus works better for ease of eating if in a rush.

If possible, maintain a healthy weight.  When I am at my healthier weight, I am stronger and more capable of working through multiple days in a row.  I have found what works for me, and I get enough feedback to know that it is working for me.  I have more energy, I look younger, and I feel younger with my preferred diet. Find the path that works for you.

Keep fit.  By doing so you will look and feel younger.  Find exercise that is fun, if possible.  I dance, I jump on a mini-trampoline and I go for walks and hikes.  This keeps me able to work as hard and long as much younger coworkers.

Do you have food sensitivities?  An auto-immune disorder? Stomach aches? Migraines?  There are ways to find out what your food sensitivities are.  ALCAT testing along with an elimination diet worked for me.  I use the sensitivities as rules and guidelines.  Due to having Hashimoto's syndrome some of the guidelines became hard and fast rules.  I feel better because of this.  A functional medicine health professional is worth his or her price, even if not covered in your insurance.

Drink enough fluids.  Water, tea and coffee are my choices.  I found adding a sodastream helps curb my appetite for fizzy soda.  My favorite flavors so far are grapefruit and blackberry.

Get enough rest.  None of work well fatigued.  You all have that nurse who comes in every morning hung over.  It's annoying to have to work with that person, always complaining they don't feel well.  Have a routine, even if you have insomnia.  The routine is one of the ways to practice good sleep hygiene.  Sleep in a darkened room.  When you keep a regular scheduled bedtime, you also have to set a boundary, a healthy way of letting people know to honor your bedtime.