What would you recommend a construction worker health wise ?

[Motif]

When it’s sure that he will stay in that job.

working all day in hot summers too.

Diet advices?
recovery advices?

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

That is a good question. Hydration and sugars would be a big one in the hot summer months, and definetly LOTS of protein.

 

[JamesGatz]

On my physical labor days Milk and Fruit do me a lot of good (OJ, watermelon, and pineapple especially - helps me stay hydrated and process a lot of protein), a bit of gelatin and mexican coke does me a lot of good too after a long day

With that being said if you have the option to take a safer job I would look into that - I get breathing issues and neurotoxic effects breathing near construction sites/smoke (estrogenic effects), paint (neurotoxic issues for sure) - I would imagine that firefighters and construction workers have a difficult time taking on those issues long-term

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

On my physical labor days Milk and Fruit do me a lot of good (OJ, watermelon, and pineapple especially - helps me stay hydrated and process a lot of protein), a bit of gelatin and mexican coke does me a lot of good too after a long day

With that being said if you have the option to take a safer job I would look into that - I get breathing issues and neurotoxic effects breathing near construction sites/smoke (estrogenic effects), paint (neurotoxic issues for sure) - I would imagine that firefighters and construction workers have a difficult time taking on those issues long-term

My dad and ex-husband are retired firemen and fortunately they always wear breathing apperatus. Neither of them have breathing issues. Construction workers definetly are more exposed. How awful that would be though to wear mask all day long ugggh!

 

[Charger]

I've been in the electrical trade for 5 years.

One thing I became really cognizant of during my apprenticeship is how construction workers in general tend to be really poor at managing their stress. Probably why there's so many alcoholics and people with drug problems in the trades.

In short, I recommend optimizing your hormones, do everything that's beneficial for optimal/high testosterone levels along with raising dopamine. This will make even the mundane aspects of your job feel like fun and prevent you from feeling tired or overwhelmed by the physical nature of your job.


It depends on how far you want to take your efforts to achieve this, but I'll share my diet, supplements I use, and why.

I eat a mostly low starch, low pufa, low tryptophan diet consisting of 4 eggs, 1lb lean ground beef, peas, apple juice/sauce, and raisins. I'm usually always energized eating this way, I limit my eggs to 4 and ideally raisins as well to keep tryptophan in check. (Dates are admittedly a better choice for this reason.)

Here is a list of supplements I use and their purpose. This pretty much puts me in a high-focus, low-stress mode ready for whatever the day brings.

Construction is definitely one of those fields where you want to prioritize stress management, I've seen this industry eat a few people in just my short time in it.

 

[Motif]

What about salt , magnesium and potassium ?

do they need more cause they sweat a lot ? How much more ?

 

[Charger]

Should be getting plenty of potassium through diet, especially if you're drinking fruit juice.

Salt your food to taste and don't restrict it. I take salt tablets when I feel I need more.

I take Magnesium Malate 425-1275mg before bed, forgot to list this in my supps.

 

[gaze]

breathing in silica dust, asbestos, dust particles, is for sure one of the worst things someone can do for their health. the effects are permanent since the particles get lodged inside the lung cells. wearing the best possible mask (n95?) at all times would probably be a good idea, i would imagine breathing in a paper bag nightly may help a bit to help ease the lungs, although i'm not sure if there's a risk of rebreathing the particles if the exposure is recent.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

.

Should be getting plenty of potassium through diet, especially if you're drinking fruit juice.

Salt your food to taste and don't restrict it. I take salt tablets when I feel I need more.

I take Magnesium Malate 425-1275mg before bed, forgot to list this in my supps.

I lake a make a salted milk and coconut water drink and add in a little extra sugar. It is great to keep me going between meals on a hot day!

 

[BearWithMe]

I would recommend finding a better job.

Come on, nobody wants to spend their life as a construction worker

 

[Motif]

I've been in the electrical trade for 5 years.

One thing I became really cognizant of during my apprenticeship is how construction workers in general tend to be really poor at managing their stress. Probably why there's so many alcoholics and people with drug problems in the trades.

In short, I recommend optimizing your hormones, do everything that's beneficial for optimal/high testosterone levels along with raising dopamine. This will make even the mundane aspects of your job feel like fun and prevent you from feeling tired or overwhelmed by the physical nature of your job.


It depends on how far you want to take your efforts to achieve this, but I'll share my diet, supplements I use, and why.

I eat a mostly low starch, low pufa, low tryptophan diet consisting of 4 eggs, 1lb lean ground beef, peas, apple juice/sauce, and raisins. I'm usually always energized eating this way, I limit my eggs to 4 and ideally raisins as well to keep tryptophan in check. (Dates are admittedly a better choice for this reason.)

Here is a list of supplements I use and their purpose. This pretty much puts me in a high-focus, low-stress mode ready for whatever the day brings.

Construction is definitely one of those fields where you want to prioritize stress management, I've seen this industry eat a few people in just my short time in it.

Thanks!

How do you know that you need more salt ?

and how much calories do you get? I personally somehow struggle to get enough.

 

[Motif]

.
I lake a make a salted milk and coconut water drink and add in a little extra sugar. It is great to keep me going between meals on a hot day!

?

 

[Charger]

Thanks!

How do you know that you need more salt ?

If you're feeling sluggish or down/serotonin symptoms. Have a little salt and see if it perks you up.

I would recommend finding a better job.

Come on, nobody wants to spend their life as a construction worker

It has it's downsides like any job or industry, but it's a good way to make decent money without taking on unnecessary debt. The most frustrating part can be working with lazy people, the upside being that it's easy to stand out if you apply yourself.

There's a variety of different trades and specialties that people can branch out to depending on what suits them. Some specialties, especially as an electrician, are quite easy on the body and technical/interesting enough to keep you mentally engaged, it's not all brainless grunt work and if someone gets stuck doing that their entire career, they never were applying themselves to begin with or don't care.

Will I stay in this industry the rest of my life? Who knows. I think everyone should always be pushing to better their situation wherever that leads them. Personally, there's no job I'd want to do my entire life, so what matters to me is money at the end of the day. I'll scrub toilets for a living if the money is right.

 

[BearWithMe]

It has it's downsides like any job or industry, but it's a good way to make decent money without taking on unnecessary debt. The most frustrating part can be working with lazy people, the upside being that it's easy to stand out if you apply yourself.

There's a variety of different trades and specialties that people can branch out to depending on what suits them. Some specialties, especially as an electrician, are quite easy on the body and technical/interesting enough to keep you mentally engaged, it's not all brainless grunt work and if someone gets stuck doing that their entire career, they never were applying themselves to begin with or don't care.

Will I stay in this industry the rest of my life? Who knows. I think everyone should always be pushing to better their situation wherever that leads them. Personally, there's no job I'd want to do my entire life, so what matters to me is money at the end of the day. I'll scrub toilets for a living if the money is right.

Have you ever actually worked in job like that

 

[Charger]

Have you ever actually worked in job like that

Scrubbed toilets? No. I worked in retail for a long time before getting into construction and I can definitely say I'm happier doing this than what I was for sure. But the main gripe with retail at the end of the day was money, sure it sucked, but if you're paid enough to afford what you want outside of work, most things become way more tolerable.

 

[Motif]

If you're feeling sluggish or down/serotonin symptoms. Have a little salt and see if it perks you up.



It has it's downsides like any job or industry, but it's a good way to make decent money without taking on unnecessary debt. The most frustrating part can be working with lazy people, the upside being that it's easy to stand out if you apply yourself.

There's a variety of different trades and specialties that people can branch out to depending on what suits them. Some specialties, especially as an electrician, are quite easy on the body and technical/interesting enough to keep you mentally engaged, it's not all brainless grunt work and if someone gets stuck doing that their entire career, they never were applying themselves to begin with or don't care.

Will I stay in this industry the rest of my life? Who knows. I think everyone should always be pushing to better their situation wherever that leads them. Personally, there's no job I'd want to do my entire life, so what matters to me is money at the end of the day. I'll scrub toilets for a living if the money is right.

Thanks. When I was sweating a lot I sometimes add whole teaspoons of salt; but I’m always scared that it’s harmful.

 

[BrianF]

I worked in construction for two years doing some of the toughest manual work imaginable. I consumed a lot of starchy carbs at the time and simply could not have managed without them.

Knowing what I know now, I would not consume as much bread as I did and would cut it out at lunchtime, but I would still need two slices of toast for my morning two eggs (butter and salt) and I would consume a plate of well cooked potatoes, mashed with butter and lots of salt, every evening after a shift. Probably washed down with OJ to mitigate the endotoxic reaction.

I know that starches arent good for us, but tough manual labour is unnatural and punishes your body and because of this, starchy carbs cannot be eliminated from your diet if you undertake this type of work. There is simply nothing better than this for providing the energy required.

The stress on your body without the starch will be worse than the negative effects of taking the starch, Much, much worse in my opinion.