Every morning the bell rings and Chris is bombarded.
Requests start flying in from all around the school and the next nine hours are a constant flurry. He will run from his office to the field, checking in with kids from around the school. Teachers fly in and out of his office, asking questions, reminding him of the upcoming game, as well as just asking how he’s made it the last three months without missing a beat.
His answer? He can’t afford to miss out on life at school.
Chris’ duties require him to be on campus at all times. Unlike many of the teachers at his school however, he doesn’t focus on one classroom or grade level - He needs to be on his game for every student, as they all count on him for support.
“My day isn’t the typical routine,” Chris explains. “While I have an office, there are not many days where you will ever catch me sitting down in it. I am constantly on my feet or talking to someone in a classroom, on the field or in the halls. I am in front of kids for hours at a time and I want to be sharp for every moment of it, because they have a sixth-sense for when you are not feeling it and completely engaged.”
Compounding all the stress from a busy and lively campus is how certain foods would cause Chris irritation.
“My diet hasn’t always been the best. I know the importance of nutrition and eating right, but when I’m running through the halls, I used to just make do with what I can get my hands on. The vending machines on campus were super convenient, but probably not the most nutritious things I could have had to eat… Otherwise, most days, I knew I wouldn’t have a chance to sit down and eat a proper meal until after the kids had left for the day.”
We’ve all been there: convenient is king and cheap, but Chris knew it came with other costs.
Losing Mental Focus
For Chris, he usually starts feeling it around 11am, when most of his most important tasks have been checked off. Physically, he can see the swelling set in around his ankles first. More importantly, his mental acuity would also fall off at this time, as a “brain fog” would set in and he would start losing focus.
“My left ankle is where I feel it the most. I have an old injury there that still nags me, especially on chillier days. I can feel it flare up and it is hot to the touch and slightly red. That’s when I know I am in for a bad day.”
Chris has always known that his diet is not the best when he’s on campus. It’s simply a fact of life when he’s running around and taking care of the kids and working with the faculty. He has taken supplements in the past, but it’s hard to keep track of all of them and fumble with pill boxes while he is on the go.
“There were a few days last winter where I would feel exhausted, usually right after fourth period, an hour or so after the kids’ lunch break. But I think seeing the kids fired up to be back in school was a good reminder that I couldn’t be MIA, especially when the kids needed all of us to be there for them.”
Natural is Best
It’s when he saw the classrooms half empty last winter that it really hit him. He had heard Dr. Liu on KTLA 5 talking about antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods to help support his immune system and he just knew it was the right thing to do. After all, the kids needed him to be on campus. His family needs him to be on his feet.
“I know that eating right is important. I tell it to my kids all the time, my colleagues can see when I’m not at my best, and most of all, I can feel it in my legs at night.”
Eating all natural foods and taking NACPro+ has been a game changer for Chris.
“I can’t afford to be down and out. We’re already understaffed and as is and last year already proved the next few years are going to be tough, but this is life now. The climate isn’t going to change, so I know that I have to change to take life on, full strength.”
Many people take eating all natural for granted. Health foods are more available than they were ten years ago, but Chris knows that life will always be there, challenges ever present.
“There are still days when I am in a rush and I can’t eat until 2pm. It is what it is, but that’s why I am thankful to have NACPro+. It has been a game changer for me and the kids.”