Stress eating. Endless hours spent sitting on a chair. Unhealthy, constant snacking. Long hours in front of a computer screen either working or binging on Netflix. Irregular sleeping hours. Does that sound like anyone’s day to day quarantine routine now?
While there is only so much we can handle about life around us, working from home may not be the healthiest thing due to blurry working hours and long periods sitting on a chair. However, one thing you can control while working from home is the type of food you put in your body.
It goes without saying that foods with vitamin C (for immunity) and vitamin D (due to lack of sunlight) are absolutely necessary.
1) The Fruit Group: Apples, Oranges, Berries & Bananas
As boring as it sounds, an apple a day will keep the doctor away. Apples are filled with fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants. And the best part is that apples are quite filling so they make for a perfect snack in between breakfast and lunch all while attending to your zoom conference calls.
Apples, Bananas & Oranges
Berries
A lot of us are taking vitamin C pills in light of COVID-19 and while doctors do recommend that, eating oranges is an easy and healthy substitute that can boost your immune system, Healthline Magazine reports.
Although relatively expensive in Egypt, berries (all kinds of them) are also a healthy snack because they are low in calories and have antioxidants. In fact, according to WebMed, blueberries lower the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Another very important fruit is bananas – the world’s best source of potassium, fiber and vitamin B6. Most doctors recommend eating a banana for dinner because they help induce sleep. As per Health, bananas have “the natural muscle-relaxants magnesium and potassium”. So after a long day of work, perhaps this is the best dinner choice.
2) The Nut Group: Almonds, Walnuts & Chia Seed
Almonds
It’s true that a lot of people on diets will argue that nuts have too many calories; however, nuts without excessive salt are actually pretty healthy and may even help you lose weight. While sitting at a desk all day jumping from one video meeting to another, sometimes the best type of snack is small, discrete and easy. Nuts are exactly that!
The top three nuts we recommend are almonds, walnuts and chia seeds. According to Healthline, almonds have vitamin E, magnesium and fiber. Other than lowering cholesterol and decreasing heart disease risks, almonds have an incredible impact on the skin and hair, as per Taste of Home.
Although the taste of chia seeds are not to everyone’s liking, their health benefits are incredible. They are high in fiber which gives a feeling of fullness, they are anti-inflammatory, they are high in protein and they have calcium and magnesium, according to BBC Good Food. It’s best to eat chia seeds by sprinkling them on cereal, rice or yoghurt.
Last but not least, walnuts, with all their protein and fiber, help keep the heart and bones healthy all while making you feel ‘full’, Medical News Today wrote. It also helps with skin care and healthy hair because of its vitamin E contents and it’s a mood booster! It’s easy to just eat a handful or drop some on a salad.
3) The Drinks Group: Water & Fresh Juice
Water with lemon and mint
Fresh juices
We are not saying not to drinking coffee. We are just saying that more than three cups a day could be a bit too much. But we are definitely saying no to soft drinks and other, excessively sugary drinks. The best, most nutritious drinks are simply water and freshly squeezed juices.
Next to your work snacks, make sure there is a bottle of water because as Cleveland Clinic wrote “If you have water readily available, chances are you’re more likely to drink it”. According to MayoClinic, we need between 11 to 15 cups of water every single day (2.7 to 3.7 liters). On that note, if you’ve only had 3 sips of water from a 1.5 liter bottle, rethink your life choices. For some of us water can get boring, which is why it’s encouraged to add lemon, cucumbers or mint to give it an interesting flavour.
Another addition with water, is juice. No, not the juice boxes on the shelves in supermarkets – we mean freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly squeezed watermelon juice or any other fruit of your choice. Smoothies would also be a good option because adding milk or yoghurt would help in your calcium intake!
4) Chocolate: Well, All Of It (IN MODERATION)
Dark Chocolate
This is not to say that eating a dozen chocolate bars is okay, but chocolate is known to improve the mood and is relatively healthy at moderation. A happy mind is a happy and healthy body too!
According to the telegraph, the darker the chocolate, the healthier it is for blood circulation and the brain. Steer clear of excessively sweet chocolate, but dark chocolate is an exception.
Healthline wrote that this kind of chocolate helps improve brain functions in the sense that it has similar substances like caffeine (and while working, we all need that).
