Ride Share Advocate

It seems like these days, practically everyone is on the go, all day long. Whether you’re an office professional working the 9-to-5 grind or a student spending long hours in the library, it’s all too easy to overlook healthy eating in favor of the vending machine or local pizza joint. Here’s the good news: With some planning and a few new habits, you can incorporate the below tips into your routine and help yourself make healthy choices all throughout your busy day.

Power through with protein. Protein-rich meals and snacks will help you stay full for longer throughout the day, making you less likely to give in to those doughnuts your coworker brought into the office. When you begin to digest protein, it actually sends a “full” signal to your brain and curbs your appetite – whereas unhealthy snacks like chips or candy bars send spikes of sugar into your bloodstream and can actually make you hungrier. Almonds, hard-boiled eggs, and Greek yogurt are all great foods to reach for when that mid-afternoon snack urge hits!
Stay hydrated. If you’re on the go all day long, it can be easy to forget those 8 daily glasses of water (you know, the ones we’re all supposed to be drinking…). But the same part of your brain (the hypothalamus) controls both appetite and thirst – so when you’re dehydrated, your body can get confused and mistake that feeling for hunger. To avoid this, try adding a glass of water to your normal coffee routine or buying a reusable bottle to keep at your desk. Sipping on water throughout the day will help keep your body hydrated and reduce those fake “hunger” pangs.
Brown-bag it. Packing your own meals and snacks allows you to make healthy choices ahead of time. Make it an evening routine to put together some food for the next day; you can get a small, insulated lunchbag to keep things like yogurt or cheese fresh if you won’t have access to a fridge. When you have food readily available, you won’t be tempted to indulge in unhealthy options that are quick and convenient – your coworkers might miss you on the daily noontime fast-food-joint runs, but your body (and wallet!) will thank you.
Avoid sugar. As tantalizing as that mid-day soda might be, snacking on high-sugar foods can lead to a crash as your blood sugar spikes, then drops, feeling you drained and sluggish. Rather than reaching for a chocolate bar, if you’re craving something sweet try some fresh fruit – a handful of raspberries or a banana will give you that sweet taste, plus the sugar will be natural and you’ll get bonus nutrients and fiber!
Eat often. Waiting long stretches of time between meals can make you ravenous and more likely to crave fatty, calorie-dense foods. To beat this instinct, try eating small meals every 3-4 hours. Staying moderately full will give you the presence of mind to continually make smart decisions about what to eat so you can properly nourish your body.

By making these changes, you can stick to – and even enjoy! – a healthy diet even on your busiest day. Fueling your body with the right foods will help you stay sharp, energetic and on top of your game all week long.

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Traveling can be a pain, especially if you have back problems. There are many ways to relieve back pain while traveling or to at least make it more manageable. If you plan ahead, you can be assured that your travel will be as comfortable as possible. Here are five tips to help tame that back while traveling.

Stay Hydrated and Move When you can

Now, this may be common sense to a lot of people, but staying hydrated is key for back pain. Water circulates healing nutrients and oxygen through your entire body. This is super important for keeping your back pain in check. Every 20-30 minutes, if you can, get up and stretch or walk around. This also helps oxygen circulate through your system. Sitting tightens up your back muscles, which can cause even more back pain.

Ice/Heat

Icy Hot Patches work wonders. If that does not work for you, you have the option to bring your own empty bags that the flight attendant can fill with ice for you. It is recommended that you ice for 20 minutes to numb your back then repeat as needed. You can alternate the ice with a Heat patch. Another option is gel packs (hot or cold), just make sure you double check with the airline if bringing them is allowed.

Know your Luggage

Lift your luggage in stages. Take your time. Never twist when you lift your luggage. This can cause major injury to the lower back. Use your feet and pivot. If you can, pack light. This saves you money on luggage and also saves your back from carrying extra weight around the airport. There is always the option to ship your luggage to your destination as well. You might be surprised that shipping is way cheaper and it saves your back and a lot of your time when you travel.

Keep your Medication Close

If you are on regular medication, it is always a good idea to have a prescription on hand. Make sure all of your medication is with you. Keep it in your carry on. There are a number of scenarios that can happen where you are separated from your checked bags, keeping your medications with you is crucial to managing your pain. Bring a back up over the counter medication just in case you need something more than your regular medication. It is better to be over prepared with medication than it is to have a possibility of having absolutely no medication.

Let the Airline Work for You

Ask for an aisle seat so you can stretch your legs out. If you need wheelchair assistance, ask! If your flight isn’t full, ask for a whole row to yourself to stretch out. Recline your seat. You paid all this money for your travel tickets. Let the company work for you. Flight attendants are there to help you. That is specifically their job. If you need Tylenol or IBUProfen, they more than likely have some. There is no shame in asking for help managing your comfort when traveling.