Exam season is here and it's time for teens to get their heads in the books. Use the power of good nutrition to help feed your brain and balance stress levels.
Feed your brain with healthy fats
Omega 3 for oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines and omega 6 from nuts and seeds are important nutrients to help support memory, concentration and mood. Here’s how you can get more in your diet:
Add nuts and seeds to breakfast – try chia in overnight oats.
Sardines on seeded wholemeal toast makes a good lunch.
Peanut or almond nut butter on toast, or on chopped apple as a healthy snack.
Eat slow release carbohydrates
Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to fuelling your brain. Carbohydrate foods like bread, rice, pasta, cereals and crackers that contain fibre are a better option than white and refined carbohydrates that are quick-fire fuels that will plummet your energy and leave you crashing out. Swap to wholemeal bread, brown rice, wholewheat pasta and wholegrain cereals for more slow and sustained energy to fuel your body and brain better.
Don’t skip meals
Keep mealtimes regular. If you skip a meal, your body will power out more adrenalin, which can level you feeling more stressed and anxious. If exam stress is affecting your appetite, try eating little and often, rather than three main meals. Remember that your brain needs a regular fuel supply from food to help with concentration, memory and mood.
Keep healthy snacks handy
Take a break and have a snack. Go easy on the sugar, but stock up on foods that make a tasty snack to fuel your brain. Here are some ideas: Yoghurt; trail mix; oat and seed bars like Graze or Kind bars; oatcakes and cheese, banana on wholemeal toast with peanut butter.
Keep hydrated
Dehydration will drain your energy levels, so keep well hydrated. Water is best. Try adding some lemon or oranges slices, or have a couple of cups of herbal tea in the day. Choose herbal teas with ingredients like ginger and lemon, or chamomile and lemon balm to calm.
The night before
Get away from the books and get outside. Take some exercise and eat a healthy dinner. Fuelling your body and brain well the night before a test or exam is really important. Take a break from the books and eat something that you like, but that will work well to feed your brain too.
Spaghetti bolognese with wholewheat pasta, fajitas with wholemeal wraps, stir-fry with chicken and noodles or salmon with potatoes and vegetables are good options.
After dinner give yourself a chance to relax and get to bed early so you are ready for the next day.
The morning of your exam
Your alarm is set and the studying is done. Get a decent breakfast in before you go into the exam to help optimise your brain power, help with memory, concentration and stress levels.
Don’t be tempted to skip breakfast, otherwise you will be missing out on brain fuel and you’ll be running on empty. This will trigger a stress response, so even if you are nervous and your tummy is flipping, eat something light to help with the pre-exam nerves.
It is best to eat food that your body is used to, rather than introducing new foods on exam days.
The ideal breakfast for exam days includes a combination of a slow release carbohydrate like oats or wholegrains with a portion of protein – this could be eggs, yoghurt, nuts and seeds or milk and a piece of fruit. Here are some ideas: weetabix with milk and sliced banana; porridge or overnight oats with nuts and seeds and berries; boiled, poached or scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast; low sugar granola with yoghurt and fruit; peanut butter on toast with banana.
If you are feeling stressed and anxious, Bach flower remedies can be useful. I also recommend a supplement containing l-theanine and lemon balm to help with exam stress and concentration. I like Higher Nature’s Exam Toolkit for teens who are struggling with exam stress. Good luck...
