Why Rewarding With Food At Work Makes Stress Eating Worse
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This week we are celebrating all of the incredible nurses who truly give their blood, sweat and tears to their profession. I know, and personally work with the best of the best.
What’s really grinding my gears though, is how the system continually chooses to celebrate its hard workers.
And by system, I mean our healthcare system.
I’m sure if you’re a nurse or healthcare provider, this is very similar in the facility where you’re working.
Each day, it’s raining a new treat, junk food, processed food landmine to reward the nursing team and clog up the breakroom.
Now if you know me, let me be clear - I’m not villainizing food. (I’m the emotional eating coach… we don’t label foods, remember ;)
But what I fail to understand is why in HEALTHCARE do we not work harder (as a system) to support the actual health and wellbeing of the individuals that comprise it and keep it running?
Let me give a scenario to better illustrate my point:
Each day of nurses week, the hospital is exploding with cookies one day, donuts the next, cupcakes, more coffee and caffeine!, big pretzels, ice cream sundaes, CANDY BARS.
What. Are. We. Doing. ?
We’re striving to give our all to our patients, to help them heal and feel better, manage their chronic symptoms and illnesses…
And meanwhile an overwhelming amount of poor nutritional food sources, that play a direct role in chronic inflammation and dis-ease in the body, is perpetuated internally by the system itself.
And if it was only here or there, once in a blue moon, I wouldn’t be standing on my soap box right now. But we know this is the way we are “rewarded”... all the time.
Nurses are running around from patient room to patient room, short-staffed, overworked, tired. Going way too many hours without eating, let alone getting enough water.
When they have a quick second, they fly through the break room where all the said treats reside.
What’s the problem with this?
Typically, there’s not enough time to take an actual break to eat, so food gets shoveled down in a hurry.
Food is eaten in a stress response because of the busy shift - patients to see, meds to be given, charting to be done… then layer in new admissions, discharges, and a rapid response or code.
Stress response eating de-regulates our appetite, digestion, hormone signaling of fullness and hunger cues. Creating a disconnect with the messages we should typically receive when we’ve eaten.
We’re also more likely to choose foods “in the moment” that give instant gratification and taste good - because we’re stressed and want a way to relieve it. Food is a quick way to achieve that.. And oh look! There’s cookies… EVERYWHERE.
This “eating on the fly” may feel ok when doing it, but it’s later when we realize it isn’t aligned with OUR OWN health and wellness goals.
Moreso, all this leads to food guilt, shame, more dieting, negative relationship with body, and continued emotional eating.
STOP THE PIZZA PARTIES. SEND SUPPORT.
Real support. Like adequate nutrition to fuel our bodies through the physically and emotionally difficult shifts we endure.
Open space to connect: not only to talk about what we go through each day working in this field, but how we feel too.
Less pressure to work more shifts, pick up overtime because of short-staffing. A sure-fire way to employee burnout? Keep calling/texting us on our days off asking us to work. Let us rest, recharge, restore.
Building into the system, health coaches for health professionals. Why doesn’t every hospital, facility, office, etc. have health coaches on staff? For its employees. Just a thought.
I could list 100 more ways we could celebrate this week that would support the HEALTH and longevity of the fabric of the healthcare system. Our nurses. And without them, the system would crumble… right along with the cookies piled up in the breakroom.
Happy Nurses Week to each and every one of you! I admire you, I honor your needs, I’m here for you.
Cheers to your OWN health.
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