“Mind and body are one and the same thing” writes philosopher Baruch Spinoza in his landmark work “Ethics”. This quote can serve as an entry point to understand nutrition’s relationship to work performance. Nutrition is the study of how the food we eat impacts our body and brain. In this blog, we will look at the work benefits of a healthy diet, nutrition and how it can impact your work performance and health as a whole.
What is a healthy diet and how does it work?
A healthy, balanced diet contains a variety of nutritious foods and provides your body and mind with the vitamins and nutrients it needs to perform at its best. The link between diet and productivity is well-established. And yet, it can be tempting to delve into daily challenges at work without properly planning work meals. Some people also extend working hours and skip breaks or lunch time to save time. But your body cannot sustain this rhythm for long. Irritation, fatigue and poor concentration will ultimately creep in, which will have a detrimental effect on your work performance. Investing time and effort to create a healthy diet can help you face work challenges effectively. It will:
- Sharpen your thinking and alertness during the day
- Boost your efficiency to accomplish tasks
- Improve your focus and mood
The Food Pyramid
The Food Pyramid is a practical tool to create a healthy and balanced diet. It organises food and drink into six shelves with each shelf focussing on a specific food group. The food you should eat the most of is on the largest shelf at the base of the pyramid. What you should eat the least of is on the smallest shelf at the top. Here’s an overview of the pyramid:
- Foods high in salt, fat and sugar (top shelf)
- Fats, spreads and oils
- Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts
- Milk, yoghurt and cheese
- Starchy foods
- Vegetables, salad and fruit (bottom shelf)
Making better choices
Understanding food labels is a fundamental skill for making informed nutritional choices. Marketing messages and product packaging can sometimes obscure the true nutritional value of foods. Mandatory back-of-pack labels provide you with comprehensive nutritional data to make your food choices objectively.
The Nutrition for work productivity online course offers tips and practical tools on how to make healthier food choices. Participants will learn the work benefits of a healthy diet, how to use the Food Pyramid and read labels effectively. The course adopts a holistic approach based on both scientifically backed best practices and recognised mindfulness techniques such as mindful eating.
