Fuelling your life: How employee benefits can support better nutrition

You can’t outperform a poor fuel strategy. If skipping breakfast, experiencing afternoon energy crashes, getting “hangry” and grabbing whatever’s convenient sounds like you, it might be time to make some changes to your nutritional strategy.

Luckily, better nutrition doesn’t require a full lifestyle overhaul – and your employee benefits may already cover the support you need.

Why better nutrition is worth your time

Nutrition impacts your work day more than you think. The food we eat is linked to our ability to focus, our mood and our stamina.

Our brains are hungry - they make up only 2% of our body weight, but use about 20% of the food energy we take in every single day.1 This shouldn’t come as a surprise - your brain does a lot - controlling movement, sensory processing, cognition, emotion, as well as regulating vital systems - and it needs a lot of fuel to do its job.2 Deficiencies in iron, Vitamin D, and B vitamins are closely linked to fatigue and diminished energy.3 Whereas stable blood sugar is related to the ability to focus.4 Poor nutrition can result in brain fog and mid-afternoon crashes, while better nutrition supports memory and decision-making. But your brain isn’t the only one involved. Did you know that your gut produces 95% of the body’s serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates mood?5 Nutrition affects anxiety, irritability, and resilience.6

Better nutrition now is also a long-term investment in your physical health. Eating the right foods can help you prevent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and inflammation-related conditions, as well as improve your cardiovascular health. Nutrition can also support you during some of life’s most intense stages, such as pregnancy and postpartum, when you’re going through midlife metabolic changes and as you age. Using your benefits to improve your nutrition now is one way we can be proactive, rather than waiting for a future diagnosis, when there might not be enough coverage.

How your employee benefits can support better nutrition

Dietitian Coverage: Get personalized, evidence-based support from registered dietitian consultations, who can offer you customized nutrition plans; support for digestive issues, food sensitivities, or medical conditions; or weight management and metabolic health guidance. Sure you can use Google or an AI tool to get advice, but a dietitian gives personalized, science-backed recommendations. Check your paramedical coverage for dietitian services and confirm reimbursement limits.

Employee Assistance Plan (EAP): Did you know that your EAP can offer you confidential nutrition & lifestyle coaching at no cost to you? This can give you the support you need to explore things like stress or emotional eating, and healthier habit-building.Nutrition isn’t just about food – it’s about routines, stress, and behaviour. Log into your EAP portal or call to ask about nutrition or lifestyle coaching services.

Wellness Spending Accounts (WSA): These accounts act as flexible health investments, which may cover things like nutrition programs, wellness apps or subscriptions, healthy meal services or fitness programs that complement nutrition goals. WSAs give you flexibility to invest in prevention, not just treatment. Review eligible expenses under your plan and look for opportunities to support healthier habits.

Telehealth Nutrition Services: Convenience removes one of the biggest barriers to getting help. And telehealth nutrition services do just that, by giving you convenient access to experts for things like virtual dietitian consultations and support for chronic disease management. They offer easy scheduling around work hours and ongoing follow-ups, making access very easy. Check if your benefits include virtual care platforms with nutrition services.

Proper nutrition fuels productivity, better energy improves collaboration and focus, and prevention reduces long-term complications. Your benefits aren’t just there for when you’re sick – they’re there to help you feel better every day. And it all starts with how you fuel your body.

Log into your benefits portal to review what dietitian, EAP, wellness spending, and telehealth options are available to you. Then choose one step that supports your energy this month. Book one dietitian session. Use EAP coaching to build sustainable habits. Plan balanced lunches for the week. Regardless of what you choose, progress is what matters, not perfection. Address one health goal at a time because small changes can have a big impact.

If you’d like to know more about how your employee benefits can help support your physical health, connect with Shannon for help.

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Citations:

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC124895/ 

2. https://menshealthfoundation.ca/nutrition/best-foods-for-focus-concentration/ 

3. https://homewoodhealthcentre.com/articles/good-food-good-mood-the-link-between-nutrition-and-mental-health/ 

4. https://diabetes.ca/resources/tools---resources/lows-and-highs-of-blood-sugar

5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6469458/ 

6. https://shop.natureswaycanada.ca/blogs/news/is-your-diet-making-you-irritable