Midterm season has just ended, however don’t get too comfortable because final exams are fast approaching. How and what you eat has a large effect on how well you do on exams, more than you might think. Eating a healthy diet has been linked to emotional, physical, and cognitive health. When you eat healthy, you are giving your body and your brain the vitamins it needs to stay well. Here are tips to follow so that you are giving your brain the food it needs.
Five ways to feed your brain:
1. Get rid of those nasty habits.
Students tend to stress eat when studying for exams and often the food they are eating is not healthy. Since food is connected to our brains physical and emotional and cognitive health, unhealthy eating causes students to stress even more and not retain the information needed. A good thing to do to get rid of bad habits is keeping a food diary. That way you can keep track of what you are eating and make efforts to change it.
2. Eat small and frequent meals.
Eating smaller and more frequent meals prevents getting too hungry, which can cause overeating. This feeds your brain a steady supply of food so that your brain isn’t tempted to crave more food.
3. Make a meal schedule.
Things like always making time for a lunch break, not rushing through lunch, and avoiding eating late at night are a few ways to start making a meal schedule so you don’t skip a meal or overeat.
4. Don’t skip breakfast.
It’s not a joke when it’s said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast is associated with reduced problem-solving ability, low energy and decreased motivation.
5. Have a rainbow of variety.
When choosing food to eat it’s good to aim for a variety of colors. Literally make a rainbow with the different kinds of fruits and veggies to ensure you are getting a balanced diet.
* Also remember that beverage choices are just as important as food choices. Drink plenty of water!