What Are You Eating for Lunch?

Eating Well At Work

Are you one of the 7 out of 10 people in America who eat at their desks? Sometimes “Desking and Dining” just can’t be avoided.  So when deadlines conflict with a nice lunch out, we’ve got to do the best we can to make desk dining as healthy and delicious as possible!   So I’m giving you two key things to keep your health in mind when you desk and dine.

1)    How We Eat

Surprisingly, how we eat is actually more important than what we eat. 

Stressed?     Annoyed?     Angry?       Frustrated?

Your fight-or-flight response takes over and your sympathetic nervous system shuts down digestion.   Yikes!

Have you ever had a meal sit like a brick in your stomach?  That’s pretty much what happens, because you’re literally not able to digest unless your parasympathetic nervous system is activated.  Translation?  RELAX.  Easier said than done at work, right?  Not entirely.  All you need to do is take a minute or two before you eat and take five deep breaths.  Deep, like into your belly.  The body will have no choice but to switch off the stress system, and switch on the relaxation system.   Voila!

2)   What We Eat

Okay, now that you’re relaxed, what do you eat?  Bringing food from home is often a healthier choice, as you get to control the quality and type of food.

1.  Dinner leftovers are a great choice!

2.  Keep a stash of high quality foods in your desk or your office frig, like:

• Almond butter
• Flax crackers
• Dried fruits
• Trail mix (I love raw cashews, raw almonds and dark chocolate chips, yummy!)
• Organic string cheese
• High-quality food bars (Check out this website:  YouBars!  You can chose all of the natural ingredients in your fresh, customized nutrition bar so it meets all of your prefernces and needs.  How AWESOME is that?),
• Hard boiled eggs
• Organic free-range turkey slices
• Sprouted wraps, and
• Pre-cut veggies.

Look out for my next post on a twist to the “typical” sandwich!