Ms. Miller stressed the need for volunteers to join the staff assembly committees. Executive Committee member, Zack O'Donnell introduced guest speaker Dr. Liz Applegate, who held the attention of her audience for the entire 45 minutes, with her humor and candid talk about food, nutrition, and how to feel better and perform better. The quality of your sleep as well as the quantity will have a definite effect on your ability to concentrate on the job. The level of stress in your life, be it work or family issues, can influence your short-term memory. Food also affects performance mainly through dehydration, sporadic eating, or lack of nutrients.
Hydration is important, as the body is mostly water.
She stressed that water is the best fluid, yet Americans annually consume an average of 55 gallons of soft drinks per person. Caffeine drinks such as coffee, lattes, and espressos are ok when taken in moderation although major consumption can be a performance zapper and espresso can contribute to high cholesterol. Dr. Applegate went on to describe performance foods such as eggs, fats, fish, fruit, and beans. She stressed the importance of including whole grains, as the brain needs carbohydrates. She feels that one should go no longer than four hours without eating something as this will keep energy levels consistent and hunger distracts us.