HEALTHY EATING AND TRUCK DRIVERS. IS IT POSSIBLE?

For the truck driver, healthy eating is not a utopia, it just takes a series of precautions.

The profession of truck driver allows to travel around the world. It certainly has many advantages, and it is a highly sought-after profession, but it certainly cannot be considered as a peaceful life.

The rhythms and habits are upset by travel and schedules that affect even the most natural and simple daily gestures, such as eating meals.

The nutrition of those who are always on the road for work is often based on “improvised” solutions.

When time is short, unforeseen events are almost the rule and delays are the order of the day, you stop at the first useful motorway restaurant, and you settle for what you find. Or, at best, take a trip to a restaurant.

But the consequences can be, in the long run, disastrous: excessive weight, if not outright obesity, and cardiovascular problems, to name but a few.

Still, there are alternatives for healthy eating.

TRUCK DRIVERS AND FOOD HABITS. IN SEARCH OF REGULARITY

Leading a "healthy" life also depends a lot on the type of work you do and being a haulier means sitting for many hours.

The consumption of irregular meals and the rigid shifts, which one ends up accepting, only make the situation worse.

In fact, drivers, driving heavy vehicles, are subjected to various stress factors, harmful to the body. From shifts, which force one to rest irregularly, to nutrition, to the constant vibrations to which the spine is subjected for hours and hours at the wheel, to long driving times and therefore to incorrect postures.

However, it is a job that involves a very stressful lifestyle that is difficult to sustain. The very nature of work is sedentary, hours and hours behind the wheel, relying on enormous quantities of caffeine, in search of some energy.

Because another problem is that of rest and breaks. Very often in a single stop you have to feed, take a shower, and rest.

Truck drivers and healthy living: an increasingly “heavy” combination 

The hauler category is a risk category because sitting for a long time carries a greater risk of developing so-called abdominal obesity, one of the highest risk factors.

The deposit of fat in the abdomen can be avoided.

And to do so, it is recommended to monitor the measurement of the abdominal circumference which must never exceed 102. The risks of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension and oncological diseases are strictly related to the measurement of the abdominal circumference.

EATING HEALTHY AND BEING CONSTANTLY BEHIND THE WHEEL: IT'S NOT SO EASY

Nutrition is the basis of the health of each of us, especially if we think of a lifestyle as complex as that of the truck driver. For this reason, it is important to choose carefully what to eat, and how often, even if it is difficult to give up on snacks and ready meals, which are "practical" and quick.

Truck drivers are forced to sit for several hours a day, in the grip of stress, nervousness and haste. Not to mention fatigue and tiredness, all factors that, without even realizing it, slow down the metabolism and expose them to several health risks.

How many times does it happen to quickly consume sandwiches, fries, sauces for haste or nervousness? These unhealthy snacks, together with fizzy drinks, do not help the metabolism, on the contrary, they weaken it, affecting health and digestion, increasing the feeling of sleepiness.

Therefore, during the long journeys and the complex routes that must be faced, it is good to avoid all these foods, and opt for healthy eating, which contains the right caloric intake and ensures a sense of satiety.

Eating healthy away from home, when you are forced by work

Being able to combine the timing of a job, which involves continuous travel, with a healthy lunch break can be challenging.

Of course, there are bars and restaurants located in many realities, large and small. There are supermarkets, bakeries and fast-food restaurants, but there are just as many considerations that those who travel a lot must make.

When the delivery times, or the punctual execution of the work, allow breaks because it is necessary to wait for the reopening of the commercial activities, it is natural to have a quick ultra-caloric meal. A continuous diet based on sandwiches and, perhaps, fizzy drinks can certainly only harm the body.

Furthermore, resorting to a meal in a restaurant could take a lot of time, not to mention the cost which, at the end of the month, can be quite important. In fast-food restaurants, or at bars, there is certainly greater savings, but it is also true that there are many related problems.

One thing is certain, a healthy diet allows you to keep your body and mind efficient, responsive and proactive, which are essential characteristics for the truck driver’s activity.

The break between one route and another. The management of sleep and physical activity

“Where truck drivers eat, you eat well” is the phrase that comes to mind when we see trucks parked in front of a restaurant.

And that's where we go, certain of being able to find tasty, abundant and cheap food. In the collective imagination, truck drivers eat huge lunches and rest abundantly before resuming their journey.

In fact, according to the European regulation CE n. 561 of 03/15/2006, a truck should not be driven more than 9 hours a day, interspersed with breaks for a total of 45 minutes every 4,5 hours of travel. These 45 minutes should be enough to have a meal or snack, do some stretching exercises and a short walk to restore good circulation or a short rest to recharge body and mind.

But, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Competition and, even more so, the economic crisis have forced companies to save on transport times and the cost of meals, forcing truck drivers to exceed, sometimes illegally, the maximum travel hours, not to respect breaks and to resort to junk food.

<So rest and healthy eating are sacrificed!>

Today, a truck driver drives up to 18 hours a day, amidst smog and traffic, consumes high-calorie food and, too frequently, exceeds the speed limits established by law.

With a consequent decrease in driving reflexes, increased sleepiness, obesity and health problems related to incorrect nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle, as well as an increase in the risk of accidents.

The lifestyle of a truck driver, mostly sedentary, often leads to a slowing of the metabolism, which exposes more than other categories of workers to the risk of obesity with consequent frequent daytime sleepiness and propensity to sleep apnea (a very dangerous phenomenon, which leads to to sleepiness while driving).

TRUCK DRIVERS’ DIET: HEALTHY EATING SUITABLE FOR LONG TRAVEL AT THE WHEEL

Truck drivers face a variety of problems on a daily basis.

First of all, the long waits in the customer's yard, the consequent delays for other deliveries and the increasingly ruthless and unfair competition that comes from Eastern countries.

The end result is a truck driver stress situation that negatively affects the body (fatigue, sleepiness, poor reflexes, obesity, etc.) but also the mind.

The effects of all this can be kept under control by following a correct diet.

Ravinder Lilly, an Australian dietician, has studied a diet that can be tailored to suit one’s needs.

Advice and recommendations on "healthy eating" before driving

A good mood is always a good travel companion for a truck driver.

Eating foods rich in folic acid and vitamin B12 can help maintain a good mood in the cabin.

Bread, salads and chicken livers, but also fruit and vegetables, are foods to take on trips since, in addition to ensuring an important nutritional intake, they improve optimism.

It is therefore recommended the consumption of fruit juices, oranges and dried fruit.

The doctor also recommends making a good supply of muesli, a mix of cereals and dried fruit also containing oats, capable of raising the levels of serotonin, also known as the hormone of happiness.

ANTISTRESS NUTRITION: FISH, ZINC AND MAGNESIUM

Stress behind the wheel, on the other hand, can be counteracted with the omega-3s found in fish.

It is therefore advisable to start with a good supply of canned tuna, salmon and even beans, as well as a good dose of magnesium capable of regulating and controlling emotions.

Magnesium is present in spinach, figs and pumpkin seeds.

Another nutrient, which is often lacking in the body of truck drivers, is zinc, the absence of which makes one more anxious and depressed. To make up for the lack of zinc, it is important to eat pumpkin seeds, cashews and walnuts.

For transporters forced to move up and down Italy and Europe, it is of fundamental importance to take care of their bodies, starting with a healthy and controlled diet. Failure to comply with rest times could lead to rather serious diseases such as obesity or cardiovascular diseases, with risks for both the driver's health and road safety.

<Eating healthy and regularly is certainly an aspect not to be overlooked>.

Ministerial inquiries on health conditions of transporters

The world of transport represents a central element of every country.

Since its creation, the Central Committee of the Register of Truck Drivers has been committed to the development and improvement of freight transport for third parties.

The priority objective that the Central Committee of the Register wants to achieve, in agreement with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, is to raise, through prevention, the level of safety on the road, to save lives and reduce economic and social damages.

The tools identified to achieve this goal are many: study and research activities, road control activities, accident monitoring, creation of specific rest areas for road transporters and information and awareness campaigns for road safety and compliance with the rules of the road.

The study on improving safety, linked to the correct nutrition of drivers in relation to the driving posture and the levels of attention of the driver, is of particular importance. This study was carried out in collaboration with the Institute of Nutrition of the La Sapienza University of Rome and with the University of Naples. The main purpose of this project was to produce a handbook on the nutrition of the truck drivers, linked to the rhythms of work and the driving posture.

The importance of road transport for society and the economy has led more and more scholars to deal with the physical health of truck drivers, especially for the responsibility that this profession entails.

Driving a heavy vehicle every day, dealing with traffic and weather conditions of all kinds is a less simple task than it may seem and the risks of accidents are high. The risks increase when there are adverse factors, such as driver tiredness, inattention and physical disorders.

The category of truck drivers is at risk, but there are also positive sides.

In fact, the very fact of traveling and coming in contact with different environments is what is most appreciated by transporters.

And, moreover, driving a heavy vehicle can be a source of passion and pride.

TRASAUTO LOGISTICA: EATING HEALTHY MEANS HEALTH AND SAFETY

It must be assumed that the way a person eats can affect driving safety.

The driver must be incredibly careful and alert, and lucidity must not be compromised by an incorrect lifestyle. Lifestyle that, for Trasauto Logistica, must be safeguarded.

The lifestyle of Trasauto Logistica employees

We at Trasauto Logistica care about the health of our employees and that is why we recommend that drivers respect the small precautions to always keep fit while driving, especially on long journeys while driving.

Breakfast is, among all, the most underrated meal and perhaps the most important. Leaving sufficiently charged, without being weighed down, but full and full of energy can significantly change a day.

Then you don't need much: a nice juice or fresh fruit, tea or coffee, milk or yogurt with bread or rusks or, if you prefer, some dry cakes. These foods already give us everything we need: vitamins, proteins, minerals and sugars.

Lunch must coincide with the first long break of the day (which is not that long after all: 45 minutes; 30 if a first stop has already been made ...). Here too, making sure to vary during the week, there is no need to complicate one’s life. Bread, cheese, light cold cuts (raw ham, bresaola, turkey breast for example) with vegetables (salads, carrots, tomatoes, etc.) and fresh and seasonal fruit to finish. Water, tea, lemonade, never too cold, accompany everything very well.

Dinner, which often preludes to a night's rest, can turn into a pleasant moment of relaxation without the hassle of getting back behind the wheel immediately. You can start with soup or legumes soup, rice or pasta dressed with vegetables, fish, light meat sauce. Followed by a salad or fresh vegetables with extra virgin olive oil with lemon or vinegar and a little salt.

For those who prefer main dishes. Blue fish, or grilled light meat (chicken, turkey, rabbit) with a nice side dish of vegetables (both raw and cooked), cheese, even seasoned, bread.

In both cases the meal can be closed with fresh seasonal fruit. Water, tea, lemonade remain the best drinks. With a small refrigerator and a microwave, eating in this way requires no particular effort, is practical and cheap, and with small variations it is adaptable to all types of diets.

Rely on Trasauto Logistica employees for your transport. We follow the rules.

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