8 Nutrition Tips for Exam Success
I, like many of you, struggle to get a handle on my teens eating habits. As they become more independent and have greater influences it isn’t surprising that their diet becomes more about what they ‘like’ or ‘can grab’ to eat, rather than what they should be eating for health.
Exam success will be different for every teen but with exams looming there is no doubt that stress levels will be increasing and with it eating healthy food is likely to be even more challenging.
Here are my 8 nutrition tips to support your teen through their exams. Easy ideas they can implement to make sure their mind and body has what it needs to function well.
1 - Focus on adding high quality protein at all meals but especially breakfast. This aims to slow sugar release down to feel fuller for longer, help renew cells needed for a healthy stress response and help carry nutrients around the body for improved cognitive function.
You could do this by adding nuts and seeds and natural yogurt to granola or eating 2-3 eggs and avocado on whole meal toast.
2 - Healthy fats are essential for brain health, energy and immune protection.
A 2020 study found that people with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids (found in oily fish, walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds) had increased blood flow to the brain. The researchers also identified a connection between omega-3 levels and preservation of CBF (cerebral blood flow) delivering oxygen and nutrients to the brain for cognitive function.
Add nuts, seeds or oily fish to your meals.
3 -It’s important to counter balance cravings and all the ‘rubbish’ foods bought and eaten outside of the home. These foods feed into a blood sugar rollercoaster, nervous sythem dysruption and are likely to effect performance.
Cook balanced whole food meals - This equates to 1/2 plate vegetables and leafy greens variety is key, 1/4 plate protein including oily fish, 1/4 plate wholegrains.
4 - Emphasise the importance of resting to digest. Stress inhibits digestion and so without resting their bodies may not be absorbing what they need.
Try to eat at the table all together, take 5 deep breaths and chew food to a liquid
5 - Sugary foods and stimulants especially late night snacking and coffee are likely to disrupt sleep and excite the nervous system increasing anxiety and the inability to focus.
Avoid sugary foods, refined carbohydrates (white carbs) and stimulants to remain calm, consistent and focused.
6 - Water is vital for life- full stop. The brain is over 70% water but we also need it to eliminate toxins from the body that build up when stressed. The action of filling glasses and bottles up as well as drinking, allows the nervous system and brain to rest for a few minutes. Plus it’s an easy change to focus on through the day.
Have a jug of water and glass out and available. Measure how much is being drunk with a special bottle.
7 - Sleep is essential when learning information. It’s the time in which we file everything that’s happened in our day for use another time. It’s the work we do today for health tomorrow. So why when we’re stressed does sleep evade us? This goes back to the fight or flight response when you’re running from the lion. If you sleep you may likely die. So, we have to train our brains and nervous system to relax.
No screens 30 minutes before bed as it’s exciting and blue light interferes with the production of our sleep hormone melatonin.
Try tryptophan rich foods to increase melatonin production like bananas, cashew and cherries.
If you have a night owl you may feel it’s important to reset their circadian rhythm by getting them up and into the sunshine first thing in the morning. Then, shutting off ALL screens when it gets dark.
8 - Exercise - Some teens crave endorphin rushes to feel light, bright and euphoric and some need persuading to get up and at it - this depends on many things including their genetic make up but, exercise can help both.
If your teen looks for sugar or stimulants, unhealthy screen time or adventure late at night- maybe with friends, then the likelihood is they’re seeking an endorphin rush to escape, feel euphoric and happy.
A safer way for teens to feel this is to exercise daily. If it’s outdoors they’re also topping up their vitamin D. They could go for a run or do a group sport- anything to release happy hormones.
If your teen feels sluggish and unmotivated - they also require a good hormone release (including vitamin D) so
persuading them to get out first thing for a brisk walk in the sunshine might be right for them.
If you’ve found this useful you may like to get in touch or join my mailing list. This way you will be the first to hear about what I’m up to. I really try to keep the number of emails to a minimum but they are jam packed full of nutrition nuggets to help you navigate what you should be eating and when - so don’t miss out.