Speaker 1: 1:18

Shift work can be brutal, but it doesn't have to be. Welcome to a healthy shift. My name is Roger Sutherland, certified nutritionist, veteran law enforcement officer and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades. Through this podcast, I aim to educate shift workers using evidence-based methods to not only survive the rigours of shift work, but thrive. My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and wellbeing so they have more energy to do the things they love. Enjoy today's show. Well, hello there and welcome back to a Healthy Shift podcast. I'm your host, roger Sutherland, a veteran shift worker, health and wellbeing coach and your number one advocate for making shift work healthier, smarter and much more sustainable for you, the shift worker.

Speaker 1: 2:14

Today, I want to talk about something really simple but incredibly powerful nuts. Yep, we're talking about a small handful of nuts small, about 30 grams a day, that's it. And here's the thing this small daily habit can actually make a massive difference to your health, especially as a shift worker. So why nuts? Well, I get asked over and over and over again what's a really good snack for a shift worker? To carry? Nuts, are it, I'm telling you, nuts, are it? And let's go into why. Nuts are a nutrient powerhouse that one small handful gives you plant protein, which supports your muscles and metabolism. It gives you healthy fats, which are mostly unsaturated, which supports your heart, brain health and the manufacturer of sex hormones being testosterone, progesterone and estrogen. It brings fiber, which helps keep your gut happy and helps to keep you feeling fuller longer. Plus, they're rich in vitamins and minerals, a la magnesium, iron, zinc, vitamin E, selenium, folate and so many more, and not to mention the fact that they're packed with antioxidants, plant sterols and polyphenols, all of which help fight inflammation, hi shift workers, and protect your body from long-term disease. Hello again, shift workers. This is why they are perfect for shift work.

Speaker 1: 3:59

Now, let's be honest. Shift workers need snacks that are A easy to carry, b non-perishable, c they're ready when you are, and D they're actually good for your body. Nuts literally tick every single box. You can throw a bag in your work bag. You can keep some in your locker, your glove box. Oh, you can even put some in your scrubs pocket. They don't need a fridge, they don't go off and they don't spoil and, most importantly, they work for your health and not against it.

Speaker 1: 4:34

Oh, but, rog, aren't nuts fattening? Let's bust this myth right now. Yes, nuts are high in fat, but it's the good kind of fat, the kind that helps to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. And shift work shows that heart disease and stroke are prevalent in shift workers. And the research consistently shows that people who eat nuts regularly are less likely to gain weight. Let me repeat that People who eat nuts regularly are less likely to gain weight. In fact, regular nut eaters tend to have a lower BMI, they have less belly fat and better weight control overall, and that's because not all the fat in nuts gets absorbed by the body and because the protein, the fat and fiber in nuts helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. They actually help you to eat less overall and they don't even have to try it.

Speaker 1: 5:39

Nuts for your heart, your brain and your longevity. So let's just zoom right out for a second, because chronic fatigue, inflammation, poor diet and irregular sleep are all part of you, the shift worker's struggle, and these things increase our risk for a cardiovascular disease, stroke, cognitive decline and even type 2 diabetes. But a daily serve of nuts can actually help to counter this. Can you believe that? Because studies show that regular nut eaters have better heart health, lower cholesterol, reduced blood pressure and even improved brain function. It supports vascular health and reduces inflammation, which are two of the biggest concerns for our shift working community, who get little recovery time between those demanding rosters.

Speaker 1: 6:42

That you're working? Okay, Rog, you've talked me into it, I'm convinced. So how much do we need and which nuts should I be getting? Well, simple, the sweet spot is this you won't believe it, but it's just 30 grams a day. And how much is that? It's about a small handful. Or, if you're into measurements, about a quarter of a cup. I kid you, not a quarter of a cup. Or you could have two tablespoons of nut butter on your toast. That's what you could do. Now, all nuts are beneficial. Seriously, just pick your favorite or just go for a mix of them Almonds, walnuts, pistachios Try those pistachios before bed, because they're linked to sleep Macadamias, cashews, pecans, peanuts Well, they're technically a legume, but they're just as beneficial, even chestnuts.

Speaker 1: 7:37

Should we have them raw or should we have them roasted? It doesn't matter. Nutritionally, they're roughly the same. Insignificant difference. Activated, no, you don't need them. The science does not show any added benefit for activated nuts. Salted, yeah, occasionally, but stick mostly with unsalted.

Speaker 1: 8:01

And if you're FODMAP sensitive, just limit yourself to 10 almonds or walnuts a day, but you can still include nuts. How can we include nuts? I mean seriously. You should put some in a bag and carry them wherever you are. But it's not just snacking. You can get your 30 grams in so many different ways. Just add them to a smoothie, sprinkle them on your yogurt, stir them into oats or muesli, toss them into a salad Delicious. Put them in stir fries. Sprinkle them over the top of that, stir fry A veggie bowl, add nut butters to your sliced apple or celery, or bake with almond meal or ground walnuts. God damn it. It's not complicated, it's not expensive, it's less than a dollar a day and it adds a major boost to your overall health. Nuts what a winner.

Speaker 1: 8:54

Now you're probably wondering why I haven't talked about this before. There's a lot that I haven't talked about before, but nuts are for the win all right, short one today, but nuts, nuts, nuts. I want you to be going down to your local nut store and I want you to be getting a bag of mixed nuts. The one thing that I do want to warn you of make sure you take some out and put them into a little container 30 grams. Put them into a little bag, little container or something and take them to work, because if you take the whole container, you'll be like Rog, because Rog loves to start on the container and can't stop until the container's gone and then feels horrible later on. Another little hint that I'll give you in relation to gaining weight research actually shows that the calories from nuts that we absorb are actually about 22% less, so that 30 grams of nuts might be about 200 calories. It's around about 160 calories that we might absorb. It's not full, all right, keep that in mind as well. So there's a little anecdote for you to go with it. Okay, so if you took one thing from this episode, what's it going to be? I'm going to the nuts store. That's what it's going to be. Let it be this A handful of nuts a day is one of the simplest ways to protect your health as a shift worker.

Speaker 1: 10:17

I kid you not. It's easy to carry, you don't need the fridge. It's packed with enormous benefits for your heart, your brain, your gut, your energy. Give it a go. Keep a container in your locker and make it part of your routine. And if you've already made this habit part of your shift working life, I'd love to hear from you. What is your go-to nut? Let me know via Instagram at a underscore healthy, underscore shift, or shoot me a message. That's all for today's episode. Take care, look after yourself and keep making those healthy shifts. Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released. It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on. If you want to know more about me or work with me, you can go to ahealthyshiftcom. I'll catch you on the next one.