As more organizations are opening, more of us are either returning to our pre-covid workplace or wondering if we want to continue to work remotely or may be thinking about finding another position. This point in time and this issue offers us the opportunity to intentionally think about how we want to establish our new work/life balance. It has been said that work is like water, if not contained, it will spread everywhere. Therefore, we want to be mindful of the choices that we are making.
Continuing our theme of self-care, whatever we choose for our workplace, we want to be intentional about our spiritual, physical, and mental health. Providing our bodies with the proper nutrients helps us to remain strong, clear thinking and better able to handle the stressors of life without becoming sick.
Choose My Plate (Choose My Plate) offers us an easy-to-use source to provide us with accurate and trusted nutrition information. Each food group provides us with unique nutrients that our body can not make. Two of the food groups, fruits and vegetables, provide us with antioxidants and flavonoids as well as vitamins and minerals such as magnesium potassium and vitamin C. These two groups are especially important to helping us fight cancer and heart disease.
Whole grains which include many varieties such as wheat, barley, buckwheat, oatmeal, popcorn and brown rice provides us with another pool of nutrients that we need and cannot make. These unique whole grain nutrients include fiber which is vital for the health of our digestive track. Fiber is also the prebiotic that keeps our microbiome healthy. In addition, this group provides the energy source and the B vitamins that are necessary for producing that energy.
Protein such as lean beef, poultry, fish, beans and legumes provide us with the amino acids that are necessary for cell replication. In addition, vitamin B12 is specifically found in meat and helps keep the body’s nerve and blood cells healthy. If you are a vegan then it is necessary to supplement your diet with vitamin B12.
Dairy provides us with the calcium necessary for maintaining healthy bones and teeth and helping prevent osteoporosis. In addition, vitamin D has been added (fortified) to our diary products. The deficiency of Vitamin D has recently been researched in its role in depression, back pain, fatigue and tiredness. Non-diary sources such as almond milk, oat milk and soy, to name a few, have had calcium and vitamin D added to them.
Finally, fats and oils provide us with the important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. In addition, fats play many critical roles in our health and are necessary for cellular structure.
Choose My Plate provides us with the necessary information to make our diets nutrient rich and helps us practice better self-care.
Key Takeaways
Our food choices can help predict our daily energy.
No food group should be eliminated, on a regular basis, without finding appropriate substitutes.
Choose My Plates is a roadmap to helping us remain intentional with our health
Best Practices
As Benjamin Franklin said, “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.”
Planning your weekly meals helps you remain intentional about your nutrition.
Keep your diet fun and do not eliminate your favorite foods.
Things to Limit
Using the vending machine as your refrigerator.
Going all day without eating.
Not making time for grocery shopping.
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Quote of the Week
“When your intention is clear, so is the way.”
~Alan Cohen
As we strive to make our lives better, it is important that we be mindful of how our choices have immediate and long-term impact on our well-being. Planting the seeds of health today will offer us an abundant harvest tomorrow.
Be well,
The paraDocs
Check our Welcome Greeting on YouTube
The paraDocs are Dr. Francis L. Battisti, PhD, Psychotherapist, Distinguished Psychology Professor and former Executive V.P and Chief Academic Officer and Dr. Helen E. Battisti PhD, RDN, CDN, Chief Nutrition Officer, at SpNOD, Health Promotion Specialist, Research and Clinical Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and former Assistant Professor.
We have developed "The ZONE", because that is exactly where you want to be during this pandemic. A place of focused attention to doing exactly what needs to be done to get you to where you need to be. The purpose of The Zone is to provide a nationally distributed weekly mental-health and nutrition tip-sheet during times of change.
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