Don’t let stress create unhealthy habits

Just a few minor changes during the workday, coupled with a little planning, can make a big difference in a person’s diet and overall health

By: Dao Hui, M.D.
   Work-related stress has long been known to be bad for a person’s
overall physical and mental well-being. New research suggests that job stress
may also have a direct impact on a person’s waistline.
   Stress causes people to snack on unhealthy high-fat and high-sugar
foods, according to a study published in July by psychologists from Leeds University
in Yorkshire, England. Because of this frequent snacking, people under stress
eat less during meals, resulting in lower consumption of more healthful foods
such as vegetables, the study found.
   In addition, the researchers determined that work-related
stress might be particularly harmful for women. Women who work long hours eat
more unhealthy snacks, exercise less, drink more caffeine and, if they smoke,
smoke more compared with their male colleagues, according to the Leeds study.
   While it is difficult to pinpoint why long hours have a greater
impact on women, the study makes one clear point: Workers need to find ways
other than food to manage job-related stress. Just a few minor changes during
the workday, coupled with a little planning, can make a big difference in a
person’s diet and overall health.
   People find comfort in food. They use it as a temporary mental
break from deadlines and demanding bosses. The trouble is workers too often
turn to snacks such as cookies, donuts and chips. Their high-fat, high-sugar
content provides the most immediate pleasure and a very temporary burst of
energy. However, these are the types of foods that are blamed for the dramatic
rise in obesity in the United States during the past 20 years.
   More than 30 percent of U.S. adults over the age of 20 are
now considered obese, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
Obesity increases a person’s risk for a host of health problems including cardiovascular
disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers.
   The first step in preventing unhealthy habits is to be aware
of what causes stress. There are a number of measures that can be taken in
anticipation of stress triggered at work. For example:
Prepare healthy snacks
in advance to help avoid junk food in the office. Low-fat, whole-grain crackers,
a piece of fruit or vegetable sticks can provide the same crunch as potato
chips with many fewer calories.

  • Replace at least one or two caffeinated beverages
    a day with water or herbal tea. Caffeine not only dehydrates the body, robbing
    it of vital energy, but it stimulates hunger.
  • Take a one-minute break every
    20 minutes to stretch, stand up and walk around the office. A quick walk
    during the lunch hour can also help provide more energy for the afternoon.
  • Remember
    to breathe. While it may not be practical to meditate at work, most people
    can take a few 5- to 10-minute breaks to close their eyes, breathe deeply
    and re-center themselves.
  • Learn relaxation techniques such as acupressure,
    a traditional Chinese method of applying pressure to certain points on the
    body to help relieve stress.

   Dealing with stress at work is only half the battle for most
people. The added stress of life outside of work may help explain why women
who work long hours appear to be more at risk for unhealthy habits.
   Many women are juggling many responsibilities today, including work, home, children and aging parents. When they get home at the end of the day, most women are just beginning their "second job." Just
as in the workplace, they may want everything to be in order — the dishes washed, the house cleaned and the meals prepared. Women tend to shoulder many of these responsibilities, in some cases, without much assistance from other family members. As a result, women tend to neglect their own needs, especially their health.
   Women need to ask family members to pitch in and help out with chores around the home to give them down time.
   Exercise may be the last thing on a person’s mind at the end of a busy workday, but its benefits cannot be overstated. Exercise improves cardiovascular health and has been proven to help prevent numerous health problems. It also helps provide what all busy people covet — more energy.
   The problem for many people is finding time to exercise and sticking with it. Most healthy people should aim for at least 30 minutes, 5 days per week, but it doesn’t have to be done all at once. Try three 10-minute increments of walking or climbing the stairs. Even taking simple measures such parking farther away and walking to a store can provide benefits.
   Overall, always keep in mind that unhealthy habits are a symptom of stress, and poor health will only make stress worse over time.
   To find a Princeton HealthCare System family practitioner in your area, visit princetonhcs.org or call (888) 742-7496.