Tips for a travel nurse to become more heart healthy

Every person should work to maintain a healthy heart, but this task is especially important for people with travel nursing jobs, as these professionals are often held up as examples of living a healthy lifestyle. A travel nurse serves as role model for his or her patients, so taking the necessary steps to achieve good cardiac health is essential. Of course, with a busy work schedule and constant traveling, this is not necessarily an easy task. 

Here are some tips for travel nurses to keep their hearts healthy.

Routine exercise
Being a travel nurse means doing a fair amount of walking around a healthcare facility and physical work with patients, so it's easy to assume that extra exercise isn't necessary. However, experts recommend working regular physical activity into your life, even if you have an active job. It doesn't need to be much – working out three times a week for 20 minutes is a good start – but it should be regular. Bouncing between intense exertion and dormant periods can actually hinder your metabolism. 

The very nature of the work can make it difficult for travel nurses to work out regularly. Because they are away from home so frequently, it is easy for travel nurses to fall out of a fitness rhythm. However, there are many ways to bring good exercise habits with you to each new assignment, including lightweight equipment, yoga apps and running shoes.

Control your portions
Exercise is essential for a healthy heart, but it is not the only ingredient. Your diet also plays a large role in maintaining strong cardiac fitness, which means that travel nurses need to have a strong understanding of nutrition if they want to keep their hearts ticking smoothly. Limiting certain foods – like fats, sugars and cholesterol – is crucial, but it is also important to keep portions in check.

This can be particularly difficult for travel nurses, who often work for extended shifts without much time for meals. Instead of lining up in the cafeteria or visiting a nearby restaurant, you may want to try packing your own meals. Not only will this allow you to control exactly which ingredients make it into your dishes, but it will also help you precisely manage your portions. The Mayo Clinic recommends using measuring cups and spoons to control portion size until you get the feel for it.

Reduce stress
A healthier diet and regular exercise are the two most important factors for improving heart health, but limiting stress and anxiety is also essential. According to the American Heart Association, stress brought on by work troubles, lack of sleep, and excessive alcohol consumption can take a toll on your heart.

"When stress is excessive, it can contribute to everything from high blood pressure, also called hypertension, to asthma to ulcers to irritable bowel syndrome," Ernesto Schiffrin, physician-in-chief at Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital, told the source.

Combining a less stressful life with increased attention to your diet and exercise routine can help you become a heart-healthy role model for your patients.