Eating Healthy Like a Trucker

A big challenge for drivers who want to eat healthy meals is just getting past the typical high-calorie fare to find inexpensive but healthy food choices while out on the road. Photos: J.J. Keller & Associates

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The news came as a shock to Emily Plummer. Her blood sugar level had jumped, threatening to end her 18-year career as an interstate truck driver.

“I had picked up a load and was on my way to Washington state when I got the phone call,” the Springfield, Missouri, driver said. “You’re thinking, ‘This can’t be happening.’ I’ve worked too hard to get where I’m at.’”

Plummer is far from the first driver to have health issues jeopardize her career. Seven in 10 drivers are obese, which puts them at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and heart disease, according to a study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The medical conditions that often accompany obesity, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, can put a driver at risk of not being medically qualified to drive.

Plummer had been diabetic for five years, and maintained acceptable blood sugar levels with the help of medication, before her blood sugar spiked. She knew her diet wasn’t great, but wasn’t sure how to change it.

“I was still eating the cheeseburgers, French fries, soda, and candy, and chips,” she says. “I was just eating whatever I wanted to eat, and that was horrible.”

Beyond the doughnut display

One of the challenges Plummer and other drivers face is lack of easy access to inexpensive healthy food. Truck stops are loaded with deals on supersize candy bars and soda. Restaurant specials often revolve around high-calorie offerings. Healthy food is available, but doesn’t dominate the selection and is rarely on sale.

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Source:: http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/drivers/article/story/2017/06/eating-healthy-like-a-trucker.aspx