Double nutrition for a ‘triple shift’

A mother's day begins at 5 am when she wakes her children for schools and usually ends past midnight, after finishing all the household chores. That is the situation if she is just a home maker. Those with career commitments have an even more punishing schedule. Obviously then, there are a few questions that need to be asked to each mother to put her nutrition - or lack of it – in perspective.  

Do you rush about each morning, trying to balance your personal and professional commitments? Feeding your family while simultaneously dressing for work? Do you often end up skipping breakfast and feel tired the rest of the day? Maybe you are blaming it on the effort involved in balancing your home and office responsibilities but the fact of the matter is that there is something missing in your diet that would give me the energy that you used to have - a nutritious breakfast.

Busy women often find themselves skipping meals, eating snacks that are tasty but without any nutritive value, skimping on vitamins and overstuffing with fat-free foods. Such women also have to realize that what works for men may not work for them. They have different nutritional requirements.

Skipping meals can leave you feeling drained, unable to concentrate and want to forfeit your evening workout. When you skip meals earlier in the day it can result in overeating at night.

When night time falls you'll be more likely to choose foods that are high in fat, sugar and calories; leading to feelings of guilt.

The next stage is lunch. Working mothers have to juggle a dozen assignments simultaneously all day so opt for a filling lunch that doesn't pile on the calories

Ask any working professional about the worst impact that the recession has had on the office environment and you will get a one-word answer across the board - stress. The fear of being rendered jobless has ironically affected work efficiency more than any other factor. Multi-tasking is now a given as is working late hours. So how does one deal with such high stress levels and manage to keep it from affecting your professional performance?

If you are one of those working mothers who avoid lunch because it leads to drowsiness and there's too much work to do afterwards, beware. Skipping meals is not the solution; instead try eating the right sort of food at lunch time. Opt for something that will provide the nutrients you need without the undesirable results like feeling bloated or sleepy afterwards.

Multi-tasking can often lead to health problems and illness. When a mother is recovering from an illness, what she needs is an easily digestible, nutrient-dense food. Also, as the immunity level of the convalescent person is low, the food should be wholesome. During convalescence, the requirement of vitamins and minerals and other micro-nutrients increases, so food intake needs to be planned accordingly.

Finally, while rushing from one task to another, grab a quick snack. The hot summer sun can really sap your energy so opt for small portions of quick and healthy meals all through the day. Each day until the monsoon is an endurance test, especially if you have to be out of doors in the afternoon sun. Those who 'face the heat' need to be extra careful about what they eat. Oily, fried snacks are a clear no-no while too much tea or coffee can lead to acidity.

Sure, there are countless varieties of fat-free and reduced-fat products, but that doesn't mean they are all healthy or nutritious. Remember that 'fat-free' does not always equal 'calorie-free'. Certain fat-free foods are actually loaded with sugar and calories, so gorging on them can definitely cause weight gain.

Fat-free items may also starve you of important vitamins and minerals, since many fat-free products are refined which means that they're low in key nutrients. Research shows that mothers, who switch to a low-fat diet, often fall below their requirement for vitamin E. Instead of these 'quick fix' solutions, it's advisable to opt for snacks that provide much-needed nutrients without any side effects.