Working Towards a Healthy You

Much of our waking hours are spent at our offices, bound to our desks. With our schedules being as hectic as they are, healthy eating at work is often not a priority. However, eating healthy foods at work and keeping yourself hydrated goes a long way in keeping up with your health as well your productivity at work.

In order to perform at your best and to avoid the drained out feeling, it is important to eat meals which are low in sugar, high in fiber and fluids.  Skipping meals is the worst thing that you can do to your body; be it breakfast or lunch. If missing breakfast has become a routine just to reach on time; you can at least do this to keep up with your health. Prepare breakfast the night before so it is ready to carry as you rush to work. A whole grain sandwich, a chapatti wrap, fruit curd or porridge can be carried to work without hassles.

Desk Diners

Are you one of those who think that by working while eating you can finish your work a little earlier; are you a desktop diner? The latest debate that is ongoing about health of employees is about the dining habits. Roughly 70% of Britons and 67% of Americans eat lunch at their desks.

Now you will think what is the harm in eating at your desk? No harm if the desk is sanitized regularly. The leftovers that fell on the table while eating are the breeding grounds for bacteria. At the University of Arizona, a 2007 study found that the average desktop has 100 times more bacteria than a kitchen table and 400 times more than the average toilet seat. Scared… I bet you are. But there are few solutions to this problem:

• Be extra cautious in getting your desk cleaned if you eat anything or everything at the desk.
• Use place mat which acts as a barrier between lunch and desk.
• Sanitize your hands after touching your desk and before eating.

Sanitation is not the only reason why you should not eat at your desk. Taking the time to have lunch away from your seat makes you a more productive, happier worker as you let your brain rest during the lunch break. Eating at your desk also prevents you from getting up and moving about.

Exercising while at work

According to lots of studies conducted worldwide; people who are sedentary (sitting still for about 4 hours together) are almost twice as likely to suffer heart attacks as are people who exercise regularly. Does this sound like a warning bell? There are numerous ways by which you can work and work-out together.

• Flex your leg and arm muscles every hour. This will also be helpful in preventing spondylitis related aches and pains.
• Walk whenever you can: to the water cooler, to the pantry, to the Xerox machine.
• Start climbing stairs to reach your desk. For those on the 7^th floor (read higher floors), start with 2 floors and gradually increase.

Work is important but so is health. If you are not healthy you will never be able to give your 100% to work. Start answering the demands of health to answer the questions at work.