No time to drink water, a little exercise in the office and unhealthy treats at work can affect your health. We share tips for healthier habits at work.
Healthy habits lead to a healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is important for your sleep, your mood and it influences your physical and mental health. Many healthy habits together create a healthy life. You spend a large part of your day at your workplace, which is why it is important to have healthy habits at work too. Below 10 practical tips for habits at your work that will keep you fit.
1: Drink enough water
Start your workday with a 1.5 liter bottle of water on your desk. Try to finish the bottle every day.
2: Keep moving
Put a message “get up and move” in your calendar for every 30 or every 60 minutes. Does the message appear? Get a drink, get up or walk around the office.
3: Call standing or walking
Put your earplugs in, walk out of the office and make a phone call for your work. It has several advantages: you are physically active, you get fresh air and you are doing something useful.
4: Meetings can also be held while standing
Do you have a meeting? Have it standing or exchange the meeting room for the outdoors. Good for the leg muscles!
5: Park your car further away or get off the bus one stop earlier
Do not park the car directly in front of the office, but for example one street away. This way you take some extra steps in a day. And if you come by public transport, you can get off the bus, tram or metro earlier. You can walk the rest of the route, in a healthy way, on foot.
6: Walk during lunch
Link a walk with the lunch break. Get a breath of fresh air on your own or with colleagues. After the walk you will go back to work more focused.
7: Do not eat while working or behind your computer
Give yourself time for a healthy lunch. Otherwise, you are more likely to eat quickly between tasks or behind your computer. When doing so, you do not really eat consciously and you are less likely to feel full.
8: You can skip treats
Sometimes there is something to celebrate every week. It’s okay to turn down the unhealthy treat once. Celebrate with a cup of coffee and take a piece of fruit, for example.
9: Candy jars gone, fruit basket on the desk
Put a fruit basket on your desk. Are you hungry? If fruit is in sight, you are more likely to grab a piece of fruit. Therefore, eliminate the candy jars from your desk.
10: Take the stairs
Make a habit of avoiding the elevator and grabbing the stairs. That way you get extra steps in one day and you grow tight legs.
Take it step by step
Give your health a small upgrade by teaching yourself new healthy habits. Also at work! Take small steps. If you do the new activity daily, it will become a routine. Then you no longer need willpower and it becomes easier. Just like brushing your teeth. That has also become a habit because you do it every day.
Now it’s your turn!
Do you know another healthy habit for work? Which habit do you want to work on first? Share it in the NiceDay app!
It’s that time of the year again; Ramadan! During the ninth month of the Islamic year, one million Muslims from our country dedicate themselves to a special period of cleansing and reflection. This period is known as the fasting month, and this is also called Ramadan. During Ramadan, you can not eat, drink, smoke or have sexual intercourse from sunrise until sunset. Because of the name ‘fasting month’, you might think that you will lose weight because of all that fasting. But this is usually not the case. After sunrise, you usually stay inactive because you want to save your energy. After sunset, people enjoy the iftar meal with their family. How do you stay healthy during Ramadan? In this article, you will find some tips.
Eat enough fibre
When the sun sets and it’s time to eat, make sure you choose food with plenty of fibres, protein and nutrients. Fibres are good for your body and will also provide you with a full feeling for a longer time. Try to eat whole grain products and vegetables and avoid the tasty puff pastry snacks.
Eat slowly
It is very important to eat slowly and to chew properly during your meals. It is very likely that you’re hungry and want to eat a lot and fast after a long day of fasting. But eating too fast and too much can cause a lot of discomfort and stomach pain. It’s good to know that your stomach only gives a signal to your brain 20 minutes after you’ve had enough to eat. For this reason, it is wise to chew well and eat slowly.
Hydration
It is important to drink at least 2 litres of water during Ramadan to prevent dehydration and this is especially true when the temperature is rising. During breakfast, it is important to drink a few extra glasses of water. Just as with eating, it is very important to drink slowly to prevent stomach problems. Start with a few sips of water. Furthermore, it is helpful to avoid sodas: they contain a lot of calories and they can also cause pain in your stomach. Choose water and tea without sugar.
Keep moving
Being active during Ramadan always remains a challenge. Moving too intensively can be dangerous if you do not drink or eat anything, so try to do an activity that you can sustain. For example, you can take a walk. Try to approach it in a smart way by walking during the cool hours of the day.
It is the small adjustments that can make a big difference to go through Ramadan in a healthy way. Eat and drink more consciously and try to find the balance between exercise and relaxation.
Keep track in the NiceDay-app
Are you excited to try out these tips during Ramadan? Try to keep track of your food intake and your emotions by writing in your diary in the NiceDay app.
Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in our body and plays an important role in the brain. Your body needs it to function properly because every cell in your body contains magnesium. The recommended daily amount for an adult man is 350 milligrams, for a woman it’s 300 milligrams. However, research shows that people in Europe and the United States often consume less magnesium than the recommended amount (Gröber, Schmidt, & Kisters, 2015). Unhealthy diet, alcoholism and stress can contribute to a magnesium deficiency.
How do you know that you may have a magnesium deficiency?
Possible symptoms of magnesium deficiency are general lethargy or fatigue, headache, muscle cramps, depressive symptoms, and agitation. In addition, it may happen that you can tolerate less stress, you suffer from nervousness, and that you experience sleeping problems.
So what is magnesium good for?
- The relaxation of your muscles, nerves, and blood vessels
- Releasing energy from food
- Increased resistance to tension stress
- Strengthening memory and concentration
- Promoting the health of your heart and blood vessels
- Skeletal strength
- The transmission of nerve impulses and the proper functioning of your muscles
In addition, various studies have shown that taking magnesium supplements can be a valuable addition in reducing depressive symptoms, in addition to standard depression treatments. Plus, supplementing a magnesium deficiency can contribute to a deeper, more restful sleep. It is also known that magnesium can help against headaches and migraines.
Which foods contain magnesium?
The biggest source of magnesium is nuts and seeds. Particularly Brazil nuts, but also almonds, cashew nuts, and walnuts. Add it to your breakfast in the morning, with some chia seeds or linseed for extra magnesium. Whole grains are also a good source of magnesium, such as whole-wheat bread, quinoa, or bulgur. In addition, green leafy vegetables and legumes are rich in magnesium. Also think of avocado, tofu, bananas, and oily fish. If you like chocolate, I have good news! Dark chocolate is also a good source of magnesium, the darker the better. I would say, take advantage of it!
Magnesium supplements
In addition to a healthy diet, it may be necessary, for example, to take magnesium as a supplement during times when you experience a lot of stress. If you suspect that you also have a magnesium deficiency, you can consider having your blood drawn in the hospital or visiting an orthomolecular therapist.
Do you ever finish a whole bag of chips without being hungry? Is chocolate your savior when you feel the need to cry? Or do you have any other experience concerning emotional eating? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. It might help you for a little while, and it might make you feel less sad. But after a few hours, your feelings and emotions return and you feel even worse. You end up in a vicious circle of negative feelings.
A vicious circle
You try to get out of this circle, but you can’t. That’s because this is a lot more complicated than it looks. A decreased appetite is a natural reaction of the body to negative feelings and stress. For some people, the appetite does not decrease or even increases. To prevent emotional eating, it is important that you find out the cause. We have listed a number of possible causes for you:
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Making associations
Do you always eat cake on your birthday? That’s probably because you’ve learned to eat cake when celebrating your birthday. Your brain associates happiness with eating. This theory also works the other way around, when you’re experiencing negative emotions. Think about eating Ben & Jerry tubs after a breakup. Those examples might seem innocent, but these associations can be the reason you are an emotional eater.
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You try to regulate your emotions with food
Eating prevents you from being flooded with your emotions, making you think you can handle the situation better.
Food is fuel, not therapy
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You get the wrong incentives
Your body also responds physically to negative emotions by providing stimuli in your stomach and intestines. Are you regularly hungry after a meal? Then you may be receiving the wrong incentives.
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Do you suffer from binge eating?
During binge eating, your awareness decreases, and your attention to your nearby environment increases. This weakens your emotions, creating a kind of “flight” response.
If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the solution
NiceDay
Do you recognize symptoms of emotional eating? In the NiceDay app, you can keep track of how often you think you’re emotionally eating. Does it happen regularly, or are you concerned about it? Make an appointment with your doctor to talk about it. If you want to know more about treatment via NiceDay, click here.
You get your energy from food so that you are able to function properly throughout the whole day. We all know that healthy food is good for your body and health (you too right?). But what we are often less aware of is that nutrition is also very good for your brain. Your brain controls your entire internal system and therefore is the largest energy-consuming organ in your body, more than 20% of your energy goes to your brain. And where does it get that energy from; from your diet! In this blog I will discuss the right nutrition for a fit & healthy brain.
Your brain is super special!
Your brain contains billions of neurons. These are nerve cells that continuously communicate with each other by exchanging electrical signals. The electrical signals are transmitted by means of signal substances called neurotransmitters. Energy is required to transmit these signals continuously. With enough energy, your brain is healthy and these processes run smoothly; you can focus better, you can perform well, you are more creative, you feel healthier, stronger, you are more resistant to stress and experience more happiness and balance.
Your brain communicates with your intestines
Your brain is in close contact with your intestines (also called your second brain by scientists). There are also a lot of neurons in your gut, just like in your brain, that regulate your digestion and communicate with your brain. For example, if your brain senses stress, it communicates to your gut: “Stop digestion, danger takes priority!” That is why stress can cause digestive problems and your body is not able to absorb as many nutrients. As a result, your body uses the reserve supply of vitamins and minerals and consequently, this shortage creates sugar cravings. But ironically, it’s also sugar that turns out to be the worst nutrient for your brain.
Avoid sugar
Sugar influences all kinds of processes in your body and brain, but it’s mostly ‘fast’ sugars that cause the problems. Sugar causes peaks and troughs in your blood sugar, increasing the risk of diabetes, promoting inflammation and causing cognitive functions to decline. Therefore, avoid processed food and processed sugar as much as possible, such as cookies, candy, soft drinks, white bread, white pasta, etc.
Would you like to become fitter and healthier with the help of food?
In this article, we challenge you to take the first four steps towards a healthy diet, with a focus on consuming less sugar, and consuming more water, more vegetables and more healthy fats. Following that you will start to pay attention to foods that are specifically important for your brain:
- Omega 3 fatty acids: ensure optimal communication between nerve cells. You get omega 3 mainly from fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring and eel, but also from nuts, seeds, avocado and eggs.
- Vitamin B: also affects communication between nerve cells and ensures that you have sufficient energy. You will find vitamin B mainly in vegetables, fruits, nuts, meat, legumes and eggs.
- Vitamins C and E: these vitamins keep the blood vessels in good condition and are antioxidants (they help clean up harmful substances). Vitamin C is mainly in fruit and vegetables, such as berries, kiwi, bell pepper and kale and vitamin E in oil, nuts, seeds.
- Minerals: They are important for brain development. Consider, for example, magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron. These can be found in a wide variety of foods, this information can be found on the nutrition center’s website.
Healthy brain
Of course, nutrition is not the only factor that affects your brain, your health and vitality. Some other important elements are: relaxation, sleep, exercise, stress reduction and social support. You can also read more about these to become extra healthy!
What can I do?
Do you want to support your health through nutrition? Try to make small changes in your diet. Eat fatty fish more often, have a handful of unroasted nuts or vegetables as a snack or replace meat with beans. More guidelines on a “brain-friendly diet” can be found on the brain foundation website.
Too much sugar is not good for us. Sugar can cause cavities and tooth decay and excessive use of sugar can lead to overweight. Which in turn influences how vital you feel. But do you know how to recognize sugar in food? In this blog I explain how you can recognize sugars on the label.
What is sugar?
Sugar occurs naturally in foods such as fruit, corn and sugar beet. Sugar gives the body the necessary energy, but it does not give us vitamins, minerals and fibers. This applies to all types of sugar and also for honey, syrups and syrups. Did you know that our body makes no distinction between naturally present sugar or added sugar? The body processes all sugars the same way and alls sugars deliver the same amount of calories.
Sugar on the label
Do you want to eat less sugar? Then it is useful to know which foods contain sugar. This can be tricky, because producers use different names for added sugars. You can find these names on the ingredient list on the product. You can find sugars under the names:
- granulated sugar,
- sugar,
- glucose,
- fruit sugar,
- glucose fructose syrup,
- isoglucose,
- milk sugar (lactose),
- fruit sugar (fructose),
- sucrose,
- maltose,
- dextrose.
Sometimes sugar is not immediately recognizable as sugar, for example if the producer uses other sugar sources, such as
- honey,
- apple juice,
- maple syrup (maple syrup),
- agave syrup,
- fruit juice or fruit concentrate.
This is just a small selection. The Diabetes Fund has a long list of other names for sugar.
What to do?
Before you place a product in your shopping basket, scan the ingredient list. Do you see sugar or other names for sugars in the ingredient list? Then you know that sugars (or a form of sugar) have been added to the product. Perhaps another variant of the product is better.
Read more about healthy food in the library Lifestyle.
Did you know that eating and drinking can help support your mental health? A lot of research has been done about the relationship between nutrition and psychological symptoms. Recent research has stated that, in addition to physical well-being, healthy food can help improve your mental health and reduce depressive feelings.
No supplements needed
The good news is that you do not have to take special supplements or expensive pills for this. Research shows that dietary supplements and loose nutrients do not reduce the chance of getting a depression. There is no miracle food or miracle drink that can prevent depression. The most important thing is that you have a healthy and balanced diet.
Tips for a healthy diet
You can improve your mental health through healthier and balanced dietary choices. How? These tips will help you to take your first steps:
- Eat more vegetables, fruits, fish, and legumes (such as peas, beans, and lentils). They are important components for a healthy and balanced diet.
- Make healthier choices and choose whole-grain foods and vegetable oils more often. Whole-grain products provide fibers, which ensure that you feel full and energized throughout the day. Choose whole-grain bread instead of white bread and whole grain pasta and brown rice instead of white pasta and rice.
- Enjoy in moderation! Foods such as nuts, dairy products and alcohol can be part of a healthy and balanced diet, if you eat them in the right amounts. For example, nuts contain a lot of good nutrients, as well as a lot of fat. And the less alcohol you drink, the better it is for your health.. In short, it is all about the right balance!
- Eat less red meat and avoid processed meats (salami, bacon, pastrami and sausages). Less red meat consumption is an important part of a healthy and balanced diet that can improve mental health. You also reduce the risk of various diseases.
- Make small healthy steps every day by focusing on the positive. For example, add more fruits and vegetables to your diet instead of limiting yourself.
Keep a food diary in the NiceDay app where you describe your food and mood. This way you gain insight into how your diet can influence your mood.
And remember: were you not able to maintain a healthy diet today? No problem, just try again tomorrow!
In an earlier blog you could read more about the happiness hormones dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. In this article I would like to tell you more specifically about the hormone dopamine. A number of things have an influence on the production of this happiness hormone and I would like to tell you how that works! You can read about dopamine here.
Dopamine & nutrition
The substances “phenylalanine” and “tyrosine” are needed to produce dopamine. In any case, food already produces a dopamine production, but you can also choose certain foods that are naturally rich in these substances to boost your dopamine production. These are almonds, avocados, bananas, chocolate, dairy, legumes, seeds, nuts, lean red meat, chicken, turkey, seafood and tofu.
In addition, it is useful to eat antioxidants. These can prevent certain substances from damaging the dopamine-producing cells. It is about these three antioxidants:
- Beta-carotene and carotenoids: leafy vegetables, orange fruit and vegetables, asparagus, broccoli, beetroot
- Vitamin C: peppers, oranges, strawberries, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
- Vitamin E: nuts, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, broccoli, carrots
Furthermore, vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, iron, magnesium, vitamins B3 and B6 are involved in the production of dopamine. Make sure you get enough of these vitamins and minerals by eating vegetables, fruit and red meat, possibly supplemented with nutritional supplements.
Finally, it is good to avoid foods that can reduce brain function. This includes processed foods, white flour, cholesterol, caffeine, saturated fats and sugars.
Dopamine & exercise
Activate your NiceDay step count and make sure you have enough exercise! You can do this by walking, cycling or practicing a different sport every day for 30 to 60 minutes (or at least 8,000 steps). Exercise increases the calcium in your blood, which stimulates dopamine production and uptake of dopamine in your brain. In addition to sporting, sexual activity also stimulates dopamine production in your body. By having sex, your dopamine supply is quickly replenished and the threshold is lower to do it again!
Dopamine & sleep
Your brain uses little dopamine when you sleep, so with enough sleep you have more dopamine for the next day. Sleep at least eight hours a night. Here you can find tips for a good night’s sleep.
Dopamine & relaxation
To get your hormones in balance it is important to relax. By releasing hormones, you experience a rushed feeling during stress. This feeling can be useful if you have a deadline and need to complete tasks, but it is less useful if you feel this continuously. For this reason, try to balance your hormones by consciously dealing with your thoughts. You can read more tips to relax in this article.
When did you last take a day off? Or have a bath for an hour? Read a book in the middle of the day? In your busy life it hardly ever happens. And that is a shame, because you actually charge your battery by concentrating your thoughts on something completely different then work. What you need is a good hobby. The best, to be able to switch off completely on a regular basis. You can switch off optimally by meditating; 5 minutes a day already do wonders (says Harvard).
Here you will find more tips about increasing your happiness!
Do you want to increase your happiness? Then make sure you supplement your dopamine supply! Eat, exercise, sex, sleep, relax, read and have a nice day! 🙂
“Do more or what makes you happy”
NiceDay actions:
Try to write down your thoughts and feelings in your “Feeling Registration” so that you gain insight into what is going on inside of you.
You can get really insecure from a blemished skin. You might even notice that you feel less happy when your skin is blemished. There are so many cosmetic products for a glowing and pure skin, but it’s even better to nourish your skin from the inside. Therefore we provide some tips on how to take care of your skin.
Nutrition do’s and don’ts
Several researches confirm that there is a relation between dairy products and acne: the more milk you consume, the more you suffer from acne. Another research shows that people eating high amounts of saturated fats and/or simple carbs suffer from acne more often. This are products high in sugar and oily products like cheese and crisps. But there is also good news: science never found a relationship between chocolate and acne. And you can continue eating spicy foods without any harm as well :-).
Vitamins and acne
As to vitamin deficiencies and acne there hasn’t been done that much research yet. But it seems like a vitamin A deficiency and vitamin E deficiency is related to (the amount of) acne. However it’s important to get all vitamins and minerals in, because it’s good for you immune system which prevents infections.
Omega fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids can help when you suffer from inflammations (fiery and painful pimples). This is because the omega fatty acids can inhibit the inflammatory process. You can get them from fatty fish, walnuts, plant based oils and green leafy vegetables.
Water
The skin exists for a big part of water. Water is needed to get metabolic wastes out of your body. A dry skin can cause irritations, redness and inflammations. You lose dead skin cells more easily when you drink enough water which prevents clogging.
Sleep and stress
Insomnia can cause stress. Research shows that stress has a strong relation with acne. This is because your body produces hormones during stress which can lead to a blemished skin. But acne can cause stress as well. It has a serious impact on quality of life, self esteem, body image and social relationships. So try to get enough sleep and avoid stress as much as possible. If that’s not possible, try some mindfulness so now and then.
The sun and heat
Sunlight can reduce acne, mostly on places like the chest and back. But don’t let your skin burn in the sun, because this will only make the acne worse and can cause skin cancer. Use sun protection and don’t be in the sun for longer than an hour. Foggy heat can make blemishes worse because it clogs sebaceous glands. If so, make sure to wash your skin more often with handwarm water.
In the fitness world everybody seems to eat chicken, egg whites and protein shakes. But did you know that getting enough protein in is important for everybody? Your body is not able to produce some of the nutrients in protein, so it’s important to get them from our nutrition. Let’s dive into it!
Dietproof
Upping your protein intake is very efficient when you want to lose weight. Proteins are satisfying and do not contain that much calories. Next to that, directly after your meal your body converts some of the energy (calories) into warmth (thermogenic effect), instead of in fats. However, this doesn’t mean you will lose weight by eating a lot of proteins, it will only help you to eat less during the rest of the day.
Nutrients
It’s also good for you if you don’t want to lose weight. All cells in the body contain protein. An adult person consists of approximately twelve kilograms of protein in total. The body uses protein by breaking off cells and rebuilding them again. You also lose protein through your hair, nails, skin flakes, sweat and urine. It’s important to replenish your protein level again! Also, protein is needed for muscle retention and muscle gain to make you feel fit and strong.
Other functions
Furthermore, protein regulates processes in the body. Enzymes for example, are proteins. Just like antibodies and most hormones. Protein also transports substances, like oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. And lastly, we also need proteins for the transmission of stimuli from the brain- and nerve cells. All in all, protein is very important!
Dietary advice
A regular active person needs 0,8 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight. The absorption of animal based protein is better than plant based protein, this is why vegans and vegetarians need to take 15 grams extra.
Because athletes use their muscles more often, they also need to eat extra protein. For endurance training this means 1,2-1,4 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight and for strength training it is 1,7-1,8 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight.
Animal based proteins vs plant based proteins
Animal based proteins are better for protein absorption, since they have the complete set of nutrients and plant based proteins don’t. However, too many meat and dairy products can cause an higher intake of, for instance, saturated fats (the unhealthy ones). So, a combination of animal based proteins and plant based proteins is the best. Animal based sources of protein are chicken, diary and cottage cheese. Plantbased sources are soy products, cereals, legumes and nuts.
Do you get enough protein in?