Healthy eating guide shift workers/NHS

A summary presentation from Live Life Better Derbyshire due to take place onsite at Chesterfield Royal Hospital - now available online due to all group activities been cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Email CRHFT.Wellbeing@nhs.net

Transcript

1. Healthy Eating For Work This guide is designed to provide you with information, tips and recipes on healthy eating in your workplace. You will find: • ideas for tasty and healthy breakfasts, lunch boxes and snacks that can easily be prepared at home or in your workplace • top tips for healthier food choices if you are buying ready made • quick and easy to follow handy portion sizes • traffic light system to food labelling • website links to organisations where you can find out more By making simple changes to your food choices that will fit around your lifestyle, these resources will help you to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Take the One You - How are you? 10 minute online self-assessment quiz which can help you to consider changes to fit your life and make you feel good. https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/how-are-you-quiz/ So how can I make sure that my overall eating is balanced and includes lots of those things that can do me good? An easy way of thinking about this balance is to think about the food on the plate, as shown in the Eatwell Guide included in this pack. • Most of the plate should be vegetables, fruits and wholegrain foods • Add a moderate amount of protein rich food (beans, pulses, fish, eggs and meat) • Add a small amount of dairy (or dairy alternatives) and a very small amount of healthy oil
3. The Eatwell Guide – how to achieve a healthy, balanced diet This resource is designed for consumers who want to find out more about healthy eating. Resource made October 2016. Next review due October 2019. For more information on the sources used in this text, please contact postbox@nutrition.org.uk Food group Key message How much should I eat? Some examples of what foods are included? Tips for healthier choices Fruit and vegetables “Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day”. 5 A DAY: ⁻ One portion = 80g ⁻ One portion of dried fruit = 30g ⁻ One portion of 100% unsweetened fruit juice/smoothie = limit to combined total of per day 150ml All fruit and vegetables, including fresh, dried, frozen, canned and juiced varieties. Dried and juiced varieties can each only count as a maximum of 1 of your 5 A DAY. Potatoes are not part of this group. They are included in the starchy carbohydrates group. - Eat a variety of lots of different types of fruit and vegetables. - Add a banana to your breakfast cereal for extra sweetness. - Try having fruit as a morning snack, and vegetable sticks like carrot, cucumber or celery as an afternoon snack with some low fat hummus. - Add grated carrot or courgette to your pasta sauces like bolognaise. Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates “Choose wholegrain or higher fibre versions with less added fat, salt and sugar”. We should base our meals on starchy carbohydrates. This group should make up just over a of the food we eat. third Potatoes, bread, rice, breakfast cereals, oats, pasta, noodles, maize, cornmeal, couscous, bulgur, polenta, millet, spelt, wheat, pearl barley, yams and plantains. - Choose wholegrain varieties. They contain more fibre and other nutrients (e.g. wholemeal bread, whole wheat pasta or brown rice). - Leave the skins on potatoes for extra fibre. - Don’t add too much fat to these foods (like butter, mayonnaise or creamy sauces), as this adds lots of extra calories. Dairy and dairy alternatives “Choose lower fat and lower sugar options”. We should try and have some milk and dairy foods (or dairy alternatives) in our diet each day. Milk, cheese, yogurt, fromage frais, quark, cream cheese, dairy calcium-fortified alternatives to these foods, such as soya drinks and soya yogurts. Note: Butters, creams and dairy ice-creams are not included in this group as they are high in saturated fat. - Use food labels to help choose lower fat and sugar versions, such as semi skimmed milk or 1% fat milk, low fat yogurt and reduced fat cheese. - Use less of standard versions, e.g. choose a strong flavoured cheese to make a sauce like mature cheddar, so you can use less. - Choose unsweetened, calcium-fortified dairy alternatives. Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins “Eat more beans and pulses. Have 2 portions of sustainably sourced fish per week, one of which is oily. Eat less red and processed meat”. Eating some foods from this group each is important. day High consumers of red or processed meat per day (90g or over) should try to cut down (no more than 70g). Meat and poultry, white fish, oily fish, shellfish, nuts, eggs, beans and other pulses, and vegetarian meat alternatives such as tofu or mycoprotein. -Choose lean cuts of meat and mince, and remove any visible fat on meat or skin on chicken to lower our saturated fat intake. - Grill, bake or poach meat and fish rather than frying, and try to avoid fish in batter, breadcrumbs or pastry, as they can be high in fat and salt. - Pulses (lentils, chickpeas, beans) are good alternatives to meat as they’re low in fat, and high in fibre. Why not use in curries, stews or soups. Oils and spreads “Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts”. Unsaturated fats provide essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins - so they’re an important part of your diet. But, consumption should still be limited . as they are high in calories Unsaturated oils (vegetable oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil and sunflower oil); soft spreads made from unsaturated oils. Note: Butter is high in saturated fat and is not included in this group. - Try to replace saturated fats with small amounts of unsaturated fats, which could help to reduce the risk of heart disease, e.g. rapeseed oil instead of coconut oil or butter. - Remember, all types of fat are high in calories, so we should use these in small amounts to help maintain a healthy weight. Foods to eat less often and in small amounts This group is not needed as part of a healthy, balanced diet. If you do choose to include these foods in your diet, they should be consumed and in infrequently small amounts. The majority are consuming too much saturated fat, sugars and salt Foods/drinks high in saturated fat, salt and sugar - Chocolate and sweets, cakes and biscuits, puddings and pastries, jams, table sugar, syrups and honey, savoury snacks like crisps and pretzels, rich sauces and gravies, butter and ghee, cream and ice-cream, mayonnaise, fried foods and sugar-containing soft drinks. - Rather than spreading butter, jam, marmalade or honey on your toast, try a scrape of low-fat spread or sliced banana instead. - Go for wholemeal fruit scones, fruit loaf or oatcakes instead of croissants, pastries, biscuits or cakes. - If you like fizzy drinks why not try diluting a small amount fruit juice with sparkling water and choose diet versions where possible.
4. Portion Sizes For healthy adults the types of different food and drinks we need may vary from person to person. The portion sizes below are a guide for healthy adults. If you’re very active you may need more, if you’re trying to lose weight you may need smaller portions. If you’re measuring portion sizes with your hands then this will vary depending on the size of your hands - generally bigger people will automatically get bigger portions and smaller people will get smaller portions. So let’s look at getting portion size right for you! Your hand size is a useful tool to help you measure portion sizes: See the ‘Find your balance’ guide on the next page for more details of how many portions of each food group you should eat each day You need a very small amount of unsaturated fat per day. The size of 2 thumb tips is all you need A dairy portion is a piece of cheese the size of two thumbs together, a small pot of yoghurt or a medium glass of milk or non-dairy alternative Dairy:
5. LABELLING F O O D THERE’S LOTS OF INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE TO BE FOUND ON FOOD LABELLING BUT MAKING SENSE OF IT ALL MIGHT NOT BE QUITE THAT EASY. if there’s no colour coding label - you can still use the back of pack information to help you make healthy choices. Why not cut out and keep the traffic label guide and take it along when you do your shopping. Then you can work it out for yourself. DON’T PANIC Typical values 100g Each pack (typically % RI* for an contains 400g) contains RI* average adult Energy 463kJ 1853kJ 8400kJ 110kcal 442kcal 22% 2000kcal Fat 4.2g 16.8g 24% 70g of which saturates 5.4g 21.6g 108% 20g 0.3g Carbohydrates 13.3g 53.2g of which sugars 1.7g 6.8g 8% 90g Fibre 1.5g 6.0g Protein 4.1g 16.4g Salt 0.4g 1.8g 30% 6g This pack contains 1 serving *Reference intake of an average adult (8400kJ/2000kcal) Nutrition HERE’S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IT WORKS. SATURATES SUGARS SALT FAT 1 each pack contains: % of an adult’s reference intake. Typical values per 100g: Energy 463kJ/110kcal SERVING ENERGY 463kJ 16.8g 7.2g 0.2g 1.8g 110 kcal FAT SATURATES SUGARS SALT 6% 24% 36% 8% 30% HIGH MED LOW HIGH Some manufacturers use traffic light labelling to help you see at a glance what’s healthy and what’s not. It’s usually found on the front of packaging and will look something like this. FAT SATURATES (TOTAL) SUGARS SALT HIGH MORE THAN 17.5g per 100g MORE THAN 5g per 100g MORE THAN 22.5g per 100g MORE THAN 1.5g per 100g MEDIUM BETWEEN 3.1g and 17.5g per 100g BETWEEN 1.6g and 5g per 100g BETWEEN 5.1g and 22.5g per 100g BETWEEN 0.31g and 1.5g per 100g LOW 3g OR LESS per 100g 1.5g OR LESS per 100g 5g OR LESS per 100g 0.3g OR LESS per 100g THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING UK GOVERNMENT RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES. ONLY EAT OCCASIONALLY OK MOST OF THE TIME THE HEALTHY CHOICE CUT ME OUT AND TAKE ME SHOPPING Make sure you’re comparing the values per 100g/ml not the values per portion/slice figures.
6. An easy guide for nding the right balance for you Handy portion sizes! The image below shows how many portions to aim for from each food group each day for a healthy, balanced diet. Having a healthy, balanced diet is about getting the right types of foods and drinks in the right amounts for you. This guide aims to give you an idea of portion sizes for different foods for adults and how many portions of each food group to aim for each day. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES A variety of different types each day PROTEIN FOODS Beans, pulses, sh, eggs, meat and others DAIRY AND ALTERNATIVES Milk, cheese, yogurt and alternatives UNSATURATED OILS AND SPREADS It’s so quick and easy to follow! Group Food 1 Portion Weight Fresh fruit About one handful or more 80g Vegetables About 3 serving spoons or more 80g Fruit juice 1 small glass 150ml Dried rice or pasta About 2 handfuls 65-75g Cooked pasta or rice About the amount that would t 180g in two hands cupped together Flaked breakfast cereals About 3 handfuls 40g Dried porridge oats About 1 and a half handfuls 40g Baked potato About the size of your st 220g Plain popcorn About 3 handfuls 20g Grilled chicken breast About half the size of your hand 120g Cooked sh llet About half the size of your hand 100-140g (e.g. salmon or cod) Cooked steak About half the size of your hand 130g Cooked beans, About 6 tablespoons 120g chickpeas or lentils Canned tuna in water One can (about 160g net weight) 120g Houmous About 2 tablespoons or 55g about ¼ standard pot Nuts and seeds The amount you can t in your palm 20g Low fat yogurt About 4 tablespoons or one individual pot 120g Cheddar cheese About the size of two thumbs together 30g Milk or plant-based One medium glass 200ml alternative Unsaturated oils or spread One teaspoon 3-5g 5+ 3-4 2-3 2-3 SMALL AMOUNTS STARCHY CARBOHYDRATES Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and others These portion sizes have been based on averages and may be different to what you see in stores and on pack. They have been developed based on a 2000kcal per day diet. Individual needs vary and you may need larger or smaller portions. As hand size varies you can use your hands as a measure of a suitable portion size for you. Note that where we have used ‘tablespoon’ this refers to a 10ml spoon that would be used to eat soup or pudding, rather than a larger serving spoon. PORTIONS 2-3 PORTIONS 2-3 PORTIONS SMALL AMOUNTS 5+ PORTIONS These resources were developed by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), with guidance from a panel of expert scientists. The BNF is grateful to the following companies that provided nancial support: Alpro, Asda, Associated British Foods, Mars, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Tetrapak and Waitrose & Partners. © British Nutrition Foundation www.nutrition.org.uk. January 2019. Next review due January 2022. For more information about the sources used in this text please contact postbox@nutrition.org.uk Finding your balance across the day Your hands are perfect for measuring the right portion size for you – this guide gives examples of portion sizes for different food and drinks for adults. You can nd portion sizes for more foods on the BNF website.
7. *any sugars added to food or drinks, or found naturally in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit This resource is designed for consumers who want to find out more about healthy eating. Last reviewed November 2016. Next review due November 2019. What counts?  Chocolate  Sweets  Cakes and biscuits  Puddings and pastries  Jams, table sugar, syrups and honey  Savoury snacks like crisps and pretzels  Rich sauces and gravies  Butter and ghee  Cream and ice-cream  Mayonnaise  Fried foods including fried chips  Sugar-containing soft drinks Foods high in saturated fat, salt and sugar  These foods are not needed as part of a healthy, balanced diet.  If these foods are chosen to be included in the diet, they should only be eaten infrequently and in small amounts.  Most people in the UK eat too much saturated fat salt and sugar, and need to cut down. Top tips: How do I make healthier choices?  Too much saturated fat can… Too much salt can... Too much sugar can… … raise blood cholesterol levels and increase risk of heart disease and stroke. …cause you to eat too many calories, increasing risk of weight gain, plus increase the risk of tooth decay. …raise your blood pressure, and increase risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke. Look at food labels – they can help you choose foods that are in saturated lower fat, salt and sugar, and avoid those that are ! high     Swap cooking with butter or coconut /palm oil, for rapeseed or olive oil Swap honey for mashed banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon in porridge Swap cakes and pastries for fruit loaf/scones or even some fruit To add flavour to your meals, try to replace salt with pepper, herbs and spices Swap high fat savoury snacks for oatcakes or crackers/melba toast with some cottage cheese or hummus SALT no more than each day 6g SAT FAT no more than each day 20g FREE SUGARS* no more than each day 30g SALT no more than each day 6g SAT FAT no more than each day 30g FREE SUGARS* no more than each day 30g Recommendations for adults:
8. Making your own breakfast, lunch and snacks You can have more control of what and how much you eat and can save yourself money if you plan ahead and bring food in to work with you. Make your fridge, freezer and microwave your friends. Prepare large batches of healthy lunch foods when you have the time and split into portions (don’t forget the portion control advice) and store in the fridge and/ or freezer until needed. Make use of workplace fridges and microwaves to keep food fresh and to heat it up. See the recipes in this pack for ideas. Breakfast at work If you can’t face breakfast when you get up, try preparing one of the breakfast recipes in this pack to have at your first break time at work. Having breakfast, particularly one which includes protein, may help you to stave off hunger and reduce snacking on less healthy foods. It is also a great opportunity to get at least one of your 5 a day. Check out the Have Breakfast Challenge sheet in this pack and our breakfast recipes for ideas. Lunch time options Make your own healthy soups, salads and sandwiches from the recipes in this pack, or take in leftovers from yesterday's healthy dinner which will save you time and money. Snacks at work Depending on what you choose, snacks can form part of a healthy diet. They can also stop you overeating at lunch and other meal times by ensuring you don’t get too hungry throughout the day. Instead of reaching for high fat, salt and sugar snacks, why not try some of the Super Snacks suggestions in this pack. If you're buying packaged snacks, choose those products with more greens and ambers on the traffic light label and keep an eye on the calories (see the Food Labelling sheet in this pack for an explanation of how the Traffic Light System works). Drinks at work In the UK, it is recommended that we have 6-8 drinks every day, in addition to any water provided by food. Drinking plenty of fluid prevents headaches, fatigue and dizziness from dehydration. The following are all healthier drink options: • water (this is the best option for a regular drink) • lower fat milks • unsweetened beverages (e.g. tea, coffee, sugar-free drinks)
9. BNF Healthy Eating Week is developed by the British Nutrition Foundation and supported by the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Danone UK, Garfield Weston Foundation, innocent drinks, Quorn Foods and Waitrose. www.foodafactoflife.org.uk © British Nutrition Foundation 2019 www.nutrition.org.uk The Super Challenge Have a different wholegrain or other higher fibre food at breakfast, plus at least one of your 5 A DAY, every day for a week! •  Breakfast helps get the day off to a good start by providing some of the energy and nutrients the body needs for good health (e.g. starchy carbohydrates, fibre, B vitamins, calcium and iron). •  Breakfast is a great opportunity to get at least one of your 5 A DAY. •  Having breakfast, particularly one which includes protein, may help you to stave off hunger and reduce snacking on less healthy foods. •  Choose wholegrain (e.g. porridge, wholegrain breakfast cereals with no added sugar, wholegrain breads) and other higher fibre (e.g. wholemeal bread) varieties of starchy foods. •  Include at least one of your 5 A DAY (e.g. chopped banana, a handful of berries, grilled tomatoes or mushrooms). •  You could include dairy foods (e.g. milk, yogurt) or calcium-fortified non-dairy alternatives (e.g. soya drinks). Choose lower fat and no added sugar options. •  You could include a source of protein (e.g. eggs, beans, kippers, nuts). •  Always include a drink so you start the day hydrated – water, unsweetened tea and coffee, and lower fat milk are good choices. 100% fruit juices and smoothies count towards one of your 5 A DAY, but should be limited to a combined maximum of 150ml per day. Why is it important to have breakfast? What makes a healthy breakfast? The Challenge Have a healthy breakfast every day – go for wholegrain or other higher fibre foods, include a drink and at least one of your 5 A DAY! As well as eating the right type of foods and drinks at breakfast, it’s important to eat the right amounts! Here are some examples of sensible portion sizes:  3 handfuls of flaked breakfast cereal (3.3g fibre) or muesli (4.2g fibre)  1½ handfuls of dry porridge oats (3.5g fibre)  About half a glass of semi-skimmed milk or unsweetened milk alternatives on cereal  2 pieces of medium-sliced wholemeal bread (5.6g fibre)  2 hard-boiled eggs  About 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (1.6g fibre)  ½ standard can of baked beans (9.8g fibre)  4 tablespoons of plain, low-fat yogurt To find out more about portions sizes, take a look at the BNF ‘Find your balance’ guide https://bit.ly/2FywMF4 Some of these foods can help you on your way to your 30g of fibre a day!
10. Top tips for buying healthier lunch options If you don’t have the time, storage space or inclination to make your own lunches and snacks for work, follow our top tips for buying ready-made healthy lunches while you are out and about. Salad tips: • avoid salads prepared with mayonnaise or covered in oily dressings – examples include coleslaw, potato salads and some pasta salads • check the calories and the fat, sugar and salt on the nutrition label of pre- packed salads. See the Food Labelling guidance in this pack. • Choose salads with dressings sold separately so you can control how much you eat Sandwich tips: • choose brown, wholemeal or higher-fibre breads • check the calories and the fat, sugar and salt on the nutrition label of pre- packed sandwiches. See the Food Labelling guidance in this pack. • you may not need butter, spread or mayonnaise if your choice of sandwich filling is moist • bulk up your sandwich with vegetables, like tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber • healthier sandwich fillings include turkey, chicken, tuna, seafood (such as prawn and crayfish), avocado, reduced-fat hummus and hard-boiled egg (without the mayonnaise) • lower-fat cheeses include quark, cottage cheese, mozzarella (especially reduced fat), feta, lower-fat soft/cream cheese and reduced-fat cheddar • with sandwich meal deals, choose water and fruit or yoghurt if they're available, rather than sugary drinks and crisps Hot food tips: • healthier fillings for baked potatoes include baked beans, cottage cheese, tuna and sweetcorn, vegetarian chilli con carne and ratatouille – avoid adding butter, which is high in fat and calories, and be wary of ready- mixed fillings, which can be high in fat and salt • with pasta, opt for tomato or vegetable-based sauces, which count towards your 5 A Day and are lower in calories and fat than cheese- and cream-based sauces, and avoid adding cheese to your pasta • go for soups with chunky vegetables – have it with a wholemeal bread roll to make it a filling meal Sources: www.nhs.uk/live-wy-eating-out-tips/ell/eat-well/health https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/cheese/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly
11. Super Snacks Here are some healthy snack ideas based on the four main food groups in the Eatwell Guide: Fruit and vegetables • Banana • Grapes • Mixed fruit salad • Vegetable sticks (served with reduced fat houmous or low fat cream cheese) Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates • Rice cakes (served with a no added sugar/no added salt peanut butter) • Wholemeal toast or pitta (served with banana slices) • Multi-seed flat bread (served with mashed avocado or guacamole or a dip/spread made with oily fish) • Plain popcorn (with a sprinkle of chilli powder or cinnamon) Dairy or dairy alternatives • Small plain unsweetened low-fat yogurt (topped with fruit, nuts and seeds) • Reduced fat cheese cubes (served with cherry tomatoes) • Reduced fat cream cheese (served with wholegrain breadsticks) • Low fat milk – semi or skimmed (blended with a banana and pinch of cinnamon) Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins • Hard-boiled egg • Baked chickpeas • Small handful of nuts and seeds • Houmous (served with wholemeal pitta) • A dip/spread made with oily fish like sardines or mackerel 100 kcal snack examples • A large banana • Small piece of reduced fat cheddar cheese (about 25g) and cherry tomatoes 150 kcal snack examples • A small low fat plain yogurt, orange segments and a sprinkling of sunflower seeds • Carrot sticks and two tablespoons of low fat houmous 200 kcal snack examples • Slice of wholemeal bread or toast, low fat spread and no added sugar or salt peanut butter • Small handful of unsalted mixed nuts
12. Healthy diet and lifestyle tips for SHIFT WORKERS First thing's first - what should a healthy balanced diet look like? Wholegrain or high fibre starchy foods (e.g. pasta, rice, bread, potatoes with skins) Fruit and vegetables - a wide variety 6-8 drinks each day ( water is best) Some lower fat, lower sugar dairy foods (e.g. plain milk and plain yogurt) Some good sources of protein (e.g. beans, lentils, fish, lean meat, eggs, nuts, seeds) A good diet can help lower your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, and help the way you look and the way you feel! BEFORE your shift DURING your shift AFTER your shift When buying foods, use traffic light labels. Go for mainly greens and limit reds Getting enough good quality sleep during the daytime can be challenging, but is really important for your overall health and well-being. What should I eat? Try to avoid having large, heavy meals as this can make you feel drowsy. If it is hard to purchase a healthy meal on shift, try to take your own! Filling options which you can prepare at work that will provide lots of nutrients include: Eat breakfast so you won’t wake up from hunger - keep meals light. Eating late at night, especially high fat/high calorie meals, may cause indigestion which can disrupt sleep. Avoid drinking alcohol - people sometimes drink alcohol before going to bed to calm them, but it actually disturbs sleep. Relax - get into a relaxing bedtime routine that promotes good sleep, like having a warm shower/bath, reading a book, doing some light stretching (like yoga) and avoiding screen time - so no TV, phone, laptops and tablets before sleeping. Before you go to sleep... What should I eat? There are some healthy, filling options you can eat at home (or take to work and re-heat) that will provide lots of nutrients. Making extra, or preparing some of these meals in advance, to eat when you finish your shift, could be a good, time-saving option too! Why not try: Porridge with low fat milk, nuts, seeds and dried fruit Bean and vegetable chilli with brown rice Bagel with chicken, low fat mayonnaise and salad Wholewheat pasta with canned fish, tomato and spinach Noodles with stir-fry veg and tofu Meat/vegetable and chickpea curry with chapatti Wholegrain lower sugar cereal with fruit (like a banana) Jacket potato (with skin), baked beans, low-fat cheddar and salad or canned tuna and sweetcorn Low-fat ready meals that have some carbohydrates (rice, noodles or pasta), protein (chicken, beans, prawns or fish), add some veg (can be microwave pack) and/or a side salad. Sandwiches with wholemeal bread, rolls or pitta, protein such as chicken, egg or tuna, and salad. If you want to add mayo or sauce, you can find low fat versions! Soups - good choices have lots of veg and beans and make sure the salt content isn’t too high. Why not add a wholegrain roll or pitta too! Fruit and/or low-fat yogurt for dessert or keep for a snack Do you eat lots of processed meat (e.g. sausages, burgers)? Why not swap to less fatty meats like chicken, turkey or lean beef, or some bean alternatives like falafel.
13. top tips for... Energy boosts Caffeine lovers Relying on caffeine to stay awake? Too much caffeine can increase anxiety, stop you from sleeping after your shift and may lead to heart problems over time. How much caffeine are you having in one day (average measures)? tea 75mg coffee 100mg cola 40mg energy drink (250ml) 80mg NOTE: If you are pregnant, your daily limit of caffeine is 200mg. 2 mugs of tea 2 mugs of coffee 1 large energy drink can (500ml) Recommended limit of caffeine for adults in 24 hours = 400 mg If you have 150mg + 200mg + 160mg = you will have gone over the recommended limit of caffeine for adults in a 24 hour period You should also try avoiding having more than 200mg in one sitting During your night shift, do you often find yourself grabbing sugary foods and drinks like chocolate and biscuits to try and give yourself a quick energy boost? It's a better idea to choose fibre-rich foods, as they release energy more slowly. Why not try these fibre-providing snacks: Although you may reach for energy drinks to help you stay awake and alert during night shifts, be careful about having too many. Fruit Vegetable sticks Unsalted nuts Rye crispbread with nut butter Wholemeal pitta with houmous Lower sugar cereal bar Many energy drinks contain lots of added sugars which are linked to tooth decay and weight gain. Drinking just 1 large (500 ml) can of an energy drink can easily take you over the amount of sugar you should be having in a day, so do limit your intake and try to choose ‘ diet’ versions. REMEMBER: Energy drinks contain caffeine, and having more than 1 small can of energy drink close to bedtime can affect sleep in some people. Eat regularly - to help with energy levels, try to have 3 balanced main meals in each 24 hour period, instead of eating very little throughout the day and then a big meal at the end of your shift! Sit down, relax and let your food digest. Stay active - during breaks or time at home, try to do some regular exercise (even if it's just light - walking up and down stairs). Physical activity can improve quality of sleep and reduce stress as well! Keep hydrated - don't forget to drink (water is best) to prevent dehydration! Dehydration may make you feel tired and possibly lightheaded. Carrying a re-usable water bottle with you can help remind you to keep hydrated. Hydration can also affect your sleep - drinking too little can cause you to wake during your sleep feeling thirsty; drink too much, and you might wake needing the toilet! Try your best to balance your fluid intake. A healthier lifestyle NOTE: Try not to drink any caffeine 4 hours before sleep. In addition to a healthy diet - you should also remember to... Energy drinks Find yourself grabbing these often?
14. Eating at Work - Top Tips This pack is full of tips and recipes to help you eat healthy food at work, but how and where you eat it is also important. These are our top tips. Don’t eat while distracted What happens while you’re eating can be as important as what you eat. A study mentioned in British Heart Foundation’s ‘Heart Matters’ online magazine suggests that distractions while eating mean we are more mindless about what we consume so the food we eat doesn’t fill us up. We are therefore more likely to continue eating, and also eat more later on. Remove distractions such as phones and computers and just focus on eating. Fix your meal times Pin food to certain times. Plan what you’re going to eat and what time you’ll have it, then stick to it: have breakfast and don’t eat again until lunchtime, even if you feel hungry at 11 o’clock. Then pin food to certain places: the office table, a café, the common room. That way, food gets put back where it belongs rather than filling up all the nooks and crannies of our lives. Manage your environment Don’t keep food in the car, put healthy foods at eye level in the fridge, try not to have unhealthy foods in the house/office and avoid restaurants and shops that don’t serve any healthy options. If you work somewhere where people bring cakes and biscuits into every meeting, say you don’t want that and suggest healthier habits for the workplace. Move more Sitting still and eating too much are a particularly bad combination for weight gain. Try and spend most of your break times moving, even if you just walk to a different part of the office or building. Weather and venue permitting, try to go outside. Exercise can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer by up to 50% and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%. Find different ways to treat yourself Often, a problematic relationship with food comes from years of failed dieting. It can make food more of a preoccupation – it starts to fill our lives. If you use food to deal with difficult emotions, it can help to find a replacement. Come up with non-food rewards to celebrate a good day or achievement or for surviving a particularly difficult meeting. Sources: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/weight/food-decision-making https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-health-benefits/
15. Where to find out more www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/home Food Fact Sheets written by dietitians to help you keep your body fit and healthy www.choosetolivebetter.com Helps you check if you are overweight or obese and provides top tips on how you can make healthier choices in life. www.derbyshire.gov.uk/heartofderbyshire Go to the ‘Portion Control’ page for lots of great fact sheets including calories in drinks, sweet and savoury food swaps, fat and sugar in foods and what 100 calories actually looks like. www.nhs.uk/change4life Fun ideas to help your family eat more healthily including games, quizzes, activities and recipes www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well Lots of advice including getting your 5 a day, eating a healthy vegetarian or vegan diet and eating healthily on a budget. www.nhs.uk/oneyou/ One You is aimed at adults and contains advice on healthy eating including recipes, an alcohol checker to monitor alcohol consumption, and tips for encouraging physical activity, plus the ‘How are you’ quiz mentioned at the start of this pack. www.nutrition.org.uk Find your balance (advice on portion sizes), tips for a healthy heart, healthy eating during pregnancy, 7 day meal plan and more. www.safefood.eu/Healthy-Eating Healthy eating advice and lots of great recipes for healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks