feeling a bit all-over-the-place?

When you work from home you end up doing things a bit differently than you normally would if you were in the office. For some of us, it’s easy to have work bleed into nearly everything we do, checking e-mails when we should be unwinding, worrying about things and returning to work because we can’t switch off.  We might end up snacking more or even eating too little because we have no one dragging us away from our desk and out to lunch.

Today we’ve teamed up with local Nutritional Therapist Elisabeth, who offers some easy tips to support your health when you’re at home all day, and shares some healthy snack ideas, PLUS a YUMMY adrenal-boosting recipe…

1 ~ Have a daily routine.

How: wake up and start work around the same time every day.  Have a shower.  Have breakfast.  Stick to exercising at the same time or at least make time for a walk.   I know one writer that lights a candle to mark the beginning of the workday and blow it out at the end. 

Why: It will give you a sense of stability, which can contribute to your overall mental health.  It’s important to have boundaries around your working day so having a set schedule will help with that. Set a clear end time for your work and maintain it.

2 ~ Keep your blood sugar balanced

Why: It’s easy to skip lunch and not take a break. However, going too long without eating will disrupt your energy, make you feel like falling asleep on your keyboard at 3pm and have your thoughts wander away from your task.   Being consistent with your meals ensures a steady flow of energy to our brains while keeping our inflammatory responses in check.

High blood sugar / low blood sugar can cause anxiety or tank your mood – this is a natural survival response that signals we need to eat more balanced.

How:  Have breakfast, lunch and dinner with a couple of snacks in between.  Skip the coffee on an empty stomach and save it for mid-morning. Caffeine can really mess with your blood sugar and cause anxiety. Hydration is key so swap for herbal teas like Green tea or Rooibos.

3 ~ Movement and fresh air

Why:  In the office we move a lot more than we do at home.  Sitting still for a long time makes you stagnant. Movement increases natural feel good hormones and endorphins. This improves your mood and reduces stiffness, aches & pains.

How: Some stretches in front of a window, circle with arms, jumping jacks are all good to incorporate during the day. Or trampoline if you have one. An hour of movement means better sleep, more energy and focus, less depression and anxiety.

4 ~ Regular sunlight is important

Why: If you are struggling with brain fog and low energy in the afternoon make sure get a few minutes of natural light on your face first thing in the morning, or as soon as practically possible after you wake up. Too much blue light disrupts our sleep / wake cycle and reduces melatonin. Balancing this with natural light is important. You could also try infra red light.

How:   Get out first thing with your cup of tea for ten minutes. Or open the window and do some deep breathing while you get some natural light on your face.   Take an early evening walk to signal to the brain the reduced intensity of light and instruct our body that the day is ending.

These things will help improve the quality of your sleep, and therefore your immunity

Try this Adrenal Cocktail Recipe

This is supportive for anyone with adrenal stress. The adrenal gland is vital for regulating stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline and they control the body’s energy levels, blood pressure and heart rate in stressful situations. There are some variations on this but this is my version. Have this twice / day.

•  1/2 cup or more Orange Juice – Ideally freshly squeezed but if not, make sure its not from concentrate and no pulp. For its Vitamin C

• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp of Cream of Tartar -  For its potassium content–this can be low for some

• 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp of Sea Salt - For sodium, since one’s levels might be low. Himalayan salt is also workable. Both provide some extra minerals in small amounts; processed table salt doesn’t.

• Optional – you can add a tbls of coconut cream/organic cream for extra creaminess.

LET US KNOW HOW YOU GET ON? POST YOUR PICS AND TAG @HONOROAKWELLNESSROOMS & @EC.NUTRITION

“I am a Registered Nutritional Therapist and women’s health coach.

I support women, who are tired of trying to figure it out all on their own, to bring their metabolism and hormones back to balance through a nutrition made simple approach, using Real Food and Minerals. I spent my childhood in Sweden. The simple rituals around food and traditional recipes are now woven into my approach to women’s health.

My mission is for you to make peace with food and your body.”