Eating regularly can really help with energy levels during the day. Based on this interesting study from Canada, it’s also better for your patients. Not only does this study show that the docs felt better when they ate regularly, they also did better on objective tests of cognition.
If you want to feel good at work start the day with a good breakfast. Once you get to work, eat balanced snacks or small meals every 3-4 hours. Energy bars are a great solution if you are really on the run – just put one or two in your white coat pocket. My favorites are kind bars, mojo bars and clif bars but there are a lot of good choices. What is important is to choose healthy energy bars not bars that are candy in disguise.
Physician nutrition and cognition during work hours: effect of a nutrition based intervention. BMC Health Serv Res. 2010 Aug 17;10:241. Lemaire JB, Wallace JE, Dinsmore K, Lewin AM, Ghali WA, Roberts D.
Department of Medicine University of Calgary Health Sciences Center 3330 University Drive NW Calgary, Alberta T2N4N1, Canada. lemaire@ucalgary.ca
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Physicians are often unable to eat and drink properly during their work day. Nutrition has been linked to cognition. We aimed to examine the effect of a nutrition based intervention, that of scheduled nutrition breaks during the work day, upon physician cognition, glucose, and hypoglycemic symptoms.
METHODS: A volunteer sample of twenty staff physicians from a large urban teaching hospital were recruited from the doctors’ lounge. During both the baseline and the intervention day, we measured subjects’ cognitive function, capillary blood glucose, “hypoglycemic” nutrition-related symptoms, fluid and nutrient intake, level of physical activity, weight, and urinary output.
RESULTS: Cognition scores as measured by a composite score of speed and accuracy (Tput statistic) were superior on the intervention day on simple (220 vs. 209, p = 0.01) and complex (92 vs. 85, p < 0.001) reaction time tests. Group mean glucose was 0.3 mmol/L lower (p = 0.03) and less variable (coefficient of variation 12.2% vs. 18.0%) on the intervention day. Although not statistically significant, there was also a trend toward the reporting of fewer hypoglycemic type symptoms. There was higher nutrient intake on intervention versus baseline days as measured by mean caloric intake (1345 vs. 935 kilocalories, p = 0.008), and improved hydration as measured by mean change in body mass (+352 vs. -364 grams, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidence in support of adequate workplace nutrition as a contributor to improved physician cognition, adding to the body of research suggesting that physician wellness may ultimately benefit not only the physicians themselves but also their patients and the health care systems in which they work.
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