Health tips for the surge Published Jan. 6, 2017 By Janine Reinholtz 20th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Health Promotions SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Next week’s surge, a fighter wing technique used to catch up on flying hours lost due to weather or other conditions, is guaranteed to bring long shifts and the potential for high stress. Here are some nutrition tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle or to help keep the common New Year’s resolution of eating well: • Have a meal plan and stick with it. • Don’t rely on snack bars or vending machines; plan meals and snacks for the entire week. • Eat well-rounded meals and snacks full of high-fiber fruits and vegetables, lean protein sources such as low-fat dairy, beans or white-meat chicken, and whole grains like wheat bread and brown rice. • Make a shopping list that includes the ingredients necessary for quick meals and convenient snacks. • Try to avoid purchasing highly processed foods. Prepackaged snacks like cakes, chips and breakfast bars tend to have excess sugar and saturated fat, which may make you tired. Convenience items that are both healthy and delicious can be added to your shopping list such as: string cheese, hard boiled eggs, tuna packets, peanut butter, fresh and canned fruit, oatmeal packs and microwavable brown rice. Remember to bring a microwave-safe bowl and a spoon to work if necessary. Night shifts can seem especially challenging. Try eating your main meals before your shift begins, ideally at a regular dinner hour, no later than 7 p.m. Throughout the night, snack lightly on nuts or fruit. At midnight, eat a small lunch meat or peanut butter sandwich on whole-wheat bread with a side of baby carrots or precut vegetables. Early in the morning, grab a pick-me-up such as yogurt or an individual serving of cottage cheese with a fruit cup. Remember that carbohydrates make you sleepy and protein gives you an energy boost. High protein snacks are your friend throughout the evening. The key to eating healthy this week is planning and preparing your food before you get into the grind. Cut up fruits and vegetables for meals and snacks and remember that fast and easy meals are the best way to go. If you do not have the time to make meals and cut vegetables up during the week, this chilly weekend is the perfect time to prepare your food. Precooked chicken breast, bags of lettuce and a roll is a great lunch. Consider making a stew or soup over the weekend and eating it over the first few days. Plan out further by prepping another meal this weekend and freezing it. Later in the week pull the entrée out of the freezer and place it in the fridge; bake it when you get home from your shift. Long hours can be stressful and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can seem daunting during these periods, but it is possible with proper planning and preparation. For more information on how to stay healthy during the surge contact the Health Promotions office at 803-965-1216.