By Kelly Phillips, NurseZone feature writer
Nurses sometimes have poor eating habits despite their health-affirming line
of work, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
One of the most unhealthy habits they may develop is skipping breakfast, said
Lori Radcliffe, RN, a certified personal trainer whose business partner in
‘Jest’ For Fitness and Food is a registered dietician. The business produces
educational seminars, including health care in-service presentations.
"Nurses are notorious for skipping meals—particularly breakfast—no matter
what the shift," Radcliffe said. "Caffeine is one of the first things that hits
their system. That gets them up and going, and they basically skip a meal. The
first time they get any kind of decent food may be lunch time."
Grabbing a pastry or donut doesn’t help, she said, and may even make matters
worse in the blood sugar department.
Avoiding breakfast is an "unhealthy habit [that] reduces the ability to
concentrate and slows your metabolism," she said. It also can keep a nurse from
sustaining stamina or alertness, she added.
Skipping breakfast essentially puts a nurse on a "crash diet" for 12 hours
without any nutrients, Radcliffe said.
Acknowledging that nurses may feel too overwhelmed to leave their work area
for food, Radcliffe stressed, "They have to take a break."
Eating well in a hospital environment involves planning.
"You have to make that effort to be prepared so you can eat a peanut butter
and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread instead of that Little Debbie snack
cake," Radcliffe said. "They’re not going to sell whole wheat bread in the
vending machine."
Nurses also can make a big salad to take to work to eat over several days,
she said.
Nurses should keep in mind that foods can affect mood, Radcliffe said.
All the carbohydrates in a bagel unaccompanied by protein, or in
high-calorie, high-fat snacks "are going to bring you down," she added.
"You need protein for alertness," she said.
Good protein sources for staying alert include beans, seafood and skinless
chicken, according to Radcliffe.
"If you have strenuous mental activity you have to do—for a nurse that could
be all day long—you should try to get in a higher protein, low-fat snack," she
said.
That could be peanut butter and an apple or some low-fat cheese.
Radcliffe doesn’t espouse the Atkins plan, but rather a balanced diet of
protein, complex carbohydrates like whole-grain breads, and fruits and
vegetables.
A high protein, low carbohydrate diet can keep the brain from getting the
glucose it needs to focus and rob the body of the complex carbohydrates needed
as an initial source of energy, she said.
Complex carbohydrates can help calm a stressed-out nurse who just wants to
grab a candy bar, Radcliffe said. She suggested popcorn, a whole grain bagel,
fruits, vegetables or even pretzels as good alternatives to chips or candy.
Heidi Reichenberger, MS, a licensed dietician-nutritionist and registered
dietician, of the American Dietetic Association agreed.
"Fluctuating blood sugar levels can make people grouchy or short-tempered,
and can make stress feel worse," Reichenberger said. "To prevent this, eating
regularly—every three to four hours—and choosing snacks and meals with a balance
of lean protein and fiber-filled carbs will help give us lasting energy, prevent
the munchies and keep blood sugar levels steady."
Reichenberger suggested yogurt, fruits, cut-up vegetables and dip as
appropriate snacks.
"Bring healthy snacks to work to prevent the need to grab something in a
vending machine or eat sugar and fat-laden foods that drug reps or patients’
families bring in," she said.
Radcliffe also advises against relying on vitamins to compensate for an
unhealthy diet.
"You’ll have real expensive urine, but you need to eat those complex carbs,
lean proteins, fruits and vegetables," she said.
Radcliffe also said nurses should be reminded to watch portion size. Citing
pasta, she said a half cup is a serving, though many people load a plate with
several cups of pasta plus sauce and other extras. Some bagels and even fruit
these days come super-sized, she said.
"Calories are calories, whether it’s salad or meat loaf," she said. "If you
eat too much, you’re going to gain weight."
She suggested nurses take three days to write down everything they eat and
look for patterns, such as times of day when "it’s hardest for you to keep your
hand out of whatever your cookie jar is," referring to an individual’s food
weakness.
Dehydration is another factor that can cause fatigue in a nurse, Radcliffe
said.
"Nurses have to constantly find the water and go to the water and make
themselves drink," she said.
Dehydration and skipping meals contribute "to the whole picture of the
overworked nurse," Radcliffe added.
Reichenberger also stressed healthier fluid intake.
"Cut out the soda and juice, and stick with water—flavored or plain—and
low-fat milk—flavored or plain," Reichenberger said.
Nurses also shouldn’t neglect exercise, Radcliffe said. Despite being on
their feet all day, she asserted that many nurses are weak because they aren’t
using their muscles properly.
Nurses may believe they exercise at work, but "if that were the case we’d all
be fit in America," she said. The lifting, pulling and pushing nurses do can be
a recipe for lower back pain, she said.
"You exercise to make work and the activities in your life easier," she said.
Visit Radcliffe’s Web site for more information.
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