impact on your driving, so it is important as a professional driver to undergo regular medical exams and certification. Common health conditions that can lead to disqualification include heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep apnea. These conditions can be improved, or avoided altogether, by living a healthy lifestyle. The bottom line is that staying healthy is important to keep your medical certification and your driving career on track. 3. YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS: Serious crashes have occurred as a result of drivers experiencing health emergencies while driving. Staying healthy, seeing your doctor regularly, and seeking treatment for medical problems can help keep you and others on the road safe. Staying healthy isn’t always easy, but, considering the impact it can have on your life and career, it’s important. Focus on these key steps to live a safe and healthy life. • Eat healthy. Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains every day. Avoid foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, and fat. Limit alcohol. • Be active. Be active at least 2 1/2–5 hours per week. Include activities that raise your heart rate and strengthen your muscles. This can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce high blood pressure, and reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and cancer. Tips for Getting on the Road to Better Health
THREE REASONS WHY DRIVER HEALTH AND WELLNESS MATTER
You might not realize it, but as a professional driver, you face health challenges many other people don’t. Spending hours behind the wheel each day can make it hard to stay fit. Driving in traffic can be stressful and exhausting. Healthy meal options can be hard to find. Irregular schedules, customer demands, and poor sleeping conditions can make it hard to get enough quality sleep. Over time, these factors can affect your well-being, your career, and your safety. Here are three reasons why your wellness matters. • Being healthy allows you to enjoy your life more. It helps you avoid physical limitations that can keep you from pursuing a hobby or joining in activities with family and friends. • Regular exercise and eating healthy can boost your energy and improve your mood. It can also help you feel better about your appearance and improve your self-esteem. • You might live longer. Research shows that a healthy lifestyle can add years to your life. The opposite is also true. Unhealthy habits like smoking, not exercising, and eating unhealthy foods can shorten your life. • It can save you money. Avoiding chronic health conditions can help you save money on prescription drugs, doctor visits, and medical procedures. 1. YOUR WELL-BEING: Good health can make your life better.
• Quit smoking. People who stop smoking greatly reduce their risk for disease and early death.
• Get adequate sleep. Most healthy adults require 7–9 hours of sleep each night to feel fully rested.
• See your doctor. Ask how you can lower your risk of health problems. Ask about any exams, tests, and medications you need and when you need them.
2. YOUR CAREER: Driving a heavy truck safely requires skill, good judgment, and constant alertness. Your health can have an
Zach loves Big G because he knows they will get him home to New York with no questions asked. “I was here about a year and a half when my wife’s grandfather passed away, and I asked for a load to get to New York to be with her, and they got me a load there without any questions asked. That was the day I decided I was going to stay at Big G until I retire or they shut the doors.”
DRIVER OF THE YEAR!
Zachary Bonomo has been selected as Driver of the Year for Big G Express. Zach joined the Big G family in January 2015 with just six months of OTR experience. He has driven over 500,000 accident-free miles and consistently ranks in the top three of the fleet for mileage. Zachary has a great attitude and is always positive, even if the situation is not ideal. He is a team player and is always willing to help and do anything that is asked of him.
His advice for new drivers is to “take every load they throw at you as long as it does not mess with your home time because, eventually, it all adds up.” Zach lives in Pulaski, Tennessee, with his wife, Katie, and sons, Landen, 7, and Bennet, 3. When he isn’t out on the road, he enjoys spending time with his family!
2 WWW.BIGGEXPRESS.COM
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