Battling Burnout: Eat Some Long-lasting Energy

Eating a good breakfast is a commonmandate from most doctors,but do you practice whatyou preach? Burnout on the job isoften caused by zapped energy, whichmakes the stress of a busy practiceharder to cope with.

The answer for some physicians canbe found in a cereal bowl, so to speak.Many busy professionals, includingdoctors, describe their breakfast in thefollowing terms:

1. They have little variety—somehave eaten the same breakfast foodsince childhood.

2. They rarely prepare breakfast withtheir own two hands.

3. They eat breakfast quickly, on thego, or at work.

4. They often skip eating breakfastaltogether.

These four breakfast trends explainwhy many busy professionals are addictedto sugary treats and Starbuckscoffee, feel famished by lunchtime, andexperience an energy crash around 3:00PM. The following are some options thatmay solve your energy crisis:

•Fresh fruit salad over yogurt (usegoat's milk yogurt if you have troubledigesting dairy). Blend these ingredientsinto a smoothie and put it in a travelmug for a commuter-friendly breakfast.

•A big plate of kale or Swiss chardstir fried with garlic and olive oil,topped with avocado, pecans, raisins,and goat cheese. In the summer, usefresh, raw spinach or arugula instead ofcooked greens.

•Breakfast sandwich of whole graintoasted bread (try Rudi's brand), organicalmond butter, sliced banana, andground flaxseed.

•Egg omelet with spinach, salsa,avocado, and red onion slices. For atravel-friendly option, try hardboiledeggs with a side of avocado strips andzesty salsa.

•Dinner leftovers (try making athick vegetable soup or chicken/vegetablestir fry).

•Whole, rolled oats topped withraisins, dates, and walnuts.

•Brown rice or quinoa topped withavocado, tomato, pine nuts, basil, and adash of tamari soy sauce.

These breakfasts may sound strangeto you at first. Please keep an open mindand try as many of these meals as possible.You may be surprised to learn the"untraditional" breakfasts boost yourenergy and satisfy your taste buds betterthan traditional breakfast options.

Christi Lehner-Collins is a certified holistichealth counselor based in Boston, Mass.She specializes in helping busy professionalsall over the world practice stress-freehealthy eating and guilt-free self-care. Shewelcomes questions or comments at christi@ bostonhealthcoach.com. For more information and free resources,visit www.bostonhealthcoach.com.