It’s 3pm. Surgery is done for the day. Now the clean up has to start before the 4pm rush. Surgery clean out, wipe down, instrument clean, patients obs, phone calls, patient discharges are all ahead of you. Then you see it on the staff lunch table - the box of Lindt chocolate balls from the old lady who owns the white fluffy with Cushing’s. Yes, your saviour. That sugar fix will hit the spot. You eat a couple, but for some reason feel guilty - isn’t this bad for me? Well, I’m here to make your day.

I’m sure you’ve heard it before “Everything in moderation”, which still holds true, so I’m not going to tell you to eat your body weight in chocolate. But, you definitely should include chocolate in your healthy eating plan.

Chocolate is not only a great source of quick burning carbs (perfect for that boost of energy halfway through the day), but also contains magnesium. Magnesium is especially important for vet nurses as it help with protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function - super important to recover from a physical day of heavy lifting and patient restraint. It also helps keep blood glucose levels stable. Working as a vet nurse can sometimes mean going extended periods without food, causing our blood glucose levels to fluctuate slightly. Magnesium is also beneficial for a restful sleep - something vet nurses most definitely need.

So how do you incorporate chocolate into your routine in a healthy way? Find different ways to incorporate cocoa into your diet. This could be a small chocolate treat after lunch or dinner, putting cocoa in your smoothie or making chocolate oats for breakfast (get the recipe here).

So the next time a client drops off that big box of Favourites, you can eat a few knowing you’re actually contributing to your health rather than feeling bad about it.