The commercial or owner operator truck driver’s job is both stressful and sedentary. Add unhealthy food to this, and you’ve got the formula for high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Unlike a stressed out office worker who can hit the gym at the end of the day, the truck driver has just enough time to eat and hit the sack in his sleeper at the end of his day. Health clubs are out, and going vegan is difficult to follow. The solution? Making small changes a few at a time in your habits.
As providers of rig insurance in Florida, we want to share these three small changes that give big health benefits:
- Breathe deep. Chronic stress floods your body with stress hormones that induce high blood pressure. Chronic stress is also a risk factor for heart disease. Many therapists recommend deep breathing exercises as an effective way to manage stress. You can do it anywhere at any time. Inhale while slowly counting to five. Hold your breath and again count slowly to five. Exhale to another slow count to five. Consistent practice increases its effectiveness.
- Stop drinking soda. Studies have linked regular consumption of sugary soft drinks to heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, and weight gain. Soda doesn’t make you feel any less hungry, but it does add lots of empty calories in the form of sugar on top of whatever else you are eating. This speeds up weight gain. The human body requires plenty of fluid intake throughout the day. Quenching this natural thirst with soda significantly boosts your daily caloric intake. It also affects healthy bone formation, erodes your teeth enamel, and may cause liver problems.
- Walk whenever you can. When taking rest breaks away from your rig, go for a walk. It’s heart healthy and doesn’t require equipment other than a pair of shoes. It isn’t necessary to walk 30 or 40 minutes at a time. Walk whenever you have some time, even if it’s only five or ten minutes. The benefits of these short walks add up.
The above three suggestions don’t seem like much, but that’s the point. They’re small things with big health benefits when you’re stressed, drinking soft drinks, and aren’t exercising. Once they’re a part of your daily habits, you can start eating more vegetables and less meat.
To talk more about this, or anything else, contact us at J.E.B. Insurance Services, LLC.
