Op - ED | How to Stay Healthy This Fashion Month

BUSINESS OF FASHION BY SARAH ANN MACKLIN

Fashion month can be an endurance test both physically and mentally. Runway model-turned-nutritionist Sarah Ann Macklin shares some deceptively simple but effective tips for staying healthy.

By Sarah Ann Macklin

As a former catwalk model, I have experienced first-hand the roller-coaster that is ‘fashion month’ with its avalanche of shows, presentations and parties. To be sure, the shows came with a rush and, at times, joy. But they also meant red-eye flights, 18-hour working days and the mounting pressures of social media scrutiny. When I stopped walking fashion week and started covering it as a wellness editor, it was obvious that other professionals, from journalists to buyers, were subjected to similar pressures. What’s more, we all suffered from poor eating habits, daily alcohol consumption, lack of sleep, anxiety and restlessness. 

Sadly, health is not on the fashion week schedule, and it’s time for the industry to have an honest conversation about what we are doing to each other. But short of wholesale change, there are some deceptively simple but effective nutritional decisions that can help you stay healthy this fashion month.

What to Eat

Busy periods inevitably raise our stress levels. Some of us can thrive under this stress, but for many of us, prolonged stress, results in hyper physiological levels of cortisol in our bodies, weakening our immune and inflammatory responses. During fashion month, try and steer clear of foods that increase the production of inflammatory cytokines. This means avoiding sugar, refined carbohydrates (white flour, white rice and white potatoes), processed meats, trans fat[SA1] , mono-sodium glutamate (MSG), food additives, processed vegetables oils and artificial sweeteners.

Instead, say yes to anti-inflammatory foods that are rich in antioxidants, help to decrease the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and stabilise our blood, providing necessary nutrients to support our mood. These foods include root vegetables, raw nuts, oily fish, bone broth, all vegetables, berries, turmeric, grass-fed meat, organic eggs, dark chocolate, extra virgin olive oil, green tea, ginger and garlic.

You also need to keep an eye on your fiber intake. The majority of us don’t get nearly enough fiber on a normal day. Add frequent travel and our demanding fashion month schedules and the situation gets worse. But fiber is food for our microbes. And happy microbes mean a healthy gut and a happy mind. So, don’t forget your fiber. Fiber is found in most plant-based foods, so try to include as many as possible in your diet.

Read the full article by Sarah Ann Macklin for Business of Fashion