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| Yes, it’s true. Besides being the ultimate bad patient, doctors are not generally known for their own nutrition skills. They can work side by side with a nurse and a nutritionist on a patient’s behalf, but forget about their own health. How many residents live on nourishment provided by candy machines? The funny thing about this is that it is almost a rite of passage. A junior resident will look toward a chief resident and model their behavior. Unbeknownst to them, the chief resident is watching every move that their attending physicians make, wanting to behave just like the big boys. If the attendings skip lunch and mention this only once to a resident, then surely the trickle down effect will be astonishing. Considering the hours spent walking around the hospital or standing on one’s feet as well as the tremendous amount of brainpower expended during the learning process of residency, food should not be considered an afterthought. Let us consider breakfast, the meal of all meals. How many sit down to a nutritious hot breakfast before zipping off to round on patients? I would venture to guess that the numbers are fairly low. Instead, many probably grab a cup of coffee to drink in the car and something that can be eaten while driving. This usually ends up as a wholly non-nutritious item like a donut, danish, Pop-tart, or worse – nothing at all. My husband always used to say that he didn’t like and didn’t need breakfast. Then around lunchtime when he is dragging his you-know-what, he would either eat the wrong thing or move forward in his day without eating anything at all. To avoid the “I don’t have time to eat a nutritious breakfast problem,” try planning ahead to accommodate your spouse’s lifestyle. The introduction of a hot breakfast was met with some reluctance, but in the same manner that you introduce new foods to children, I did this with my husband. First we tried toast, English muffins, and homemade banana bread and then moved onto things like eggs and sausage or omelets. Although hesitant to try this new method of eating because he felt it would cost him time in the morning, my husband admittedly felt better. In fact, he ended up joining the gym at the hospital and now runs every morning before he rounds. I seriously doubt he would have had the energy to run ten steps if he wasn’t eating a regular hearty breakfast. The next big hurdle that we had to find a way to clear was lunch. Lunch? What is that meal? Yes – a meal that no one can justify taking the time to eat. I would be naive to think that my husband could break scrub to grab a healthy lunch so what could I do to ensure that he would at least eat something during the day? What I was trying to avoid was a man so hungry that when he walked through the door at night, he wanted to eat everything he could get his hands on and then some. We talked about what he definitely did not want to eat which included anything requiring preparation or a purchase. This ruled out most microwave meals or food from the hospital cafeteria. To simply pick up a Lunchables was out of the question as they are too high in fat and sodium for my liking. We agreed upon a can of V8 vegetable juice, carrot sticks, and cheese like string cheese or cheese cubes. He would get a serving of vegetables and protein to keep him sustained throughout the afternoon. Believe it or not, he liked this option and has been sticking to it on a regular basis. Luckily, he is a creature of habit and I don’t have to worry that he will get tired of eating the same thing over and over. Sometimes I will throw in the little tuna kits or a bologna and cheese sandwich for variety. If your spouse is now having more energy due to a nutritious breakfast and lunch, if at all possible try to carry this over to your dinner meal. Regardless of having a resident in the home, many families in the U.S. have this same problem. Since you are most likely dealing with a scheduling problem as every day usually means a different time for dinner, plan meals that are easy to make, nutritious, and can stay warm either in the oven or a crock pot. To alleviate stress with last minute cooking, I try to make meals on the weekend and freeze half of them. Then if I am in a pinch due to time or finances, I simply throw one of my freezer meals in a crock pot and we have dinner. You can make beef stew, chicken soup, spaghetti sauce, lasagna – the possibilities are limitless and much more affordable than a regular regimen of McDonald’s and take out pizza. Introduce some healthy meals to your spouse and you may find he or she isn’t the only one eating better. You may find yourself at the gym or choosing not to finish off your little one’s dinner. Live a happy, healthy and active life and you, too, will find less stress in your life as a result. |
| Is Your Resident Eating Well? By Marian Krueger |