By: Dr. Maha Magdy
Eating at work is one of the problems that many of us face daily and is considered as one of the most common causes of obesity , due to consumption of unhealthy foods packed with” Trans Fats” which cause many health problems.In fact, workers & employees are not alone responsible for healthy eating at work ! it is a co-operate responsibility between the workers and the workplace as the results of healthy eating will benefit them both but in different ways.
Workers will benefit in a direct way through influencing their long term health & wellness, elevating their mood & self-esteem, and reducing anxiety & stress. These benefits will reflect on their work and benefit the workplace in an indirect way! For healthy workers will not load their workplace with additional costs via their medical insurance and will not postpone their work due to their sick leaves or bad mood. Besides, workers with elevated self-esteem will be highly motivated to carry out their work and willing to engage with their colleagues, they will welcome to offer their services to their clients in a successful attitude, reduced anxiety & stress between workers will promote a healthy environment that will retain highly qualified employees.
Healthy eating will also increase the productivity of workers through enhancing the release of “Dopamine” ( a neurotransmitter released in the brain) which increases curiosity, motivation & engagement and will also affect decision making through increased alertness and creativity which enables workers to solve problems and act wisely with their daily challenges.
Eating while negotiating has profitable benefits because eating elevates glucose levels, the main brain food, which enhances complex brain activities, self-control, regulates prejudice and aggressive behavior all these effects will promote a smooth successful negotiating manner and profitable results.
On the other side, let’s discover how junk food and high-fat meals affect workers & employees?
First, these meals require increased digestive effort causing more blood to circulate to the digestive system and less blood reach the brain causing drowsiness.
Second, high-fat meals enhance the release of “Serotonin” (the happiness hormone) resulting in a lack of focus and a fogged brain unable to carry out work efficiently.
What do we mean by healthy meals?
Healthy meals are mixed meals that contain small amounts of healthy fats, along with proteins and complex carbohydrates.
Healthy fats are unsaturated fats like those found in Nuts, Salmon & Tuna (fatty fish), Olive oil, and Avocado.
Proteins should be of good quality as Beef, Poultry, Beans & Legumes, and Whole grains which contain all essential amino acids that the body needs.
Complex carbohydrates are found in starches and fibers like starchy fruits & vegetables, Oatmeal, and whole grain rice and pasta, which don’t cause blood sugar spikes.
The workplace can influence how workers eat through:
1- Providing a safe and clean eating area that enables a healthy eating manner.
2- Providing refrigerators and microwaves.
3- What is offered at cafeterias.
4- Encouraging employees to drink water every 15_20 minutes even if not thirsty.
Nowadays, many companies provide a healthy eating program to their employees in which lots of people brought together to learn how to improve their health at work and at home.