Food for thought: Exam tips
Exams are coming which means hard work, revision, guilt, worry and late nights. Not only that, but there’s nothing in the fridge since the last time you looked. It’s harsh. We’ve been there, which is why we wanted to tell you about a few things you can do to help ease the pain during this trying time.
Eating when you're stressed
GET YOUR B VITAMINS:
These are the group of vitamins largely responsible for the smooth running of your nervous system and which are needed to help release energy from the food you eat. B vitamins are found in many foods but especially nuts, dairy products, fortified breakfast cereals (check the label), pork, lean meat, bacon, fish, eggs and wholegrains.
EAT YOUR BREAKFAST!:
We know we sound like a broken record, but you need to eat breakfast every day, and particularly the morning of an exam. This provides glucose to your brain, making you mentally alert. By eating the right sort of breakfast you can increase your intake of calcium, folic acid and vitamin c.
Feeling tired?
Make sure you’re getting enough iron
It might have more to do with your diet than your revision. If you don’t get enough iron in your diet, you’re likely to feel very tired. Other symptoms include:
- difficulty concentrating and shortened attention span (not good news if you're trying to revise)
- looking pale and feeling faint
- breathlessness
If you're a girl you need to make sure you’re getting enough foods that are iron-rich.
Tinned oily fish such as sardines, salmon or mackerel (but not tinned tuna) are good, as their omega oils can block production of the enzyme that makes us feel tense when under pressure.
You should be able to get all the Vitamin C you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Vitamin C Is a real immunity booster. It can help ease coughs and sniffles and keeps your bones, teeth and everything else nice and healthy. It's also involved in collagen production for healthy skin, the metabolism of cholesterol and helps your body absorb iron more easily. So get your five portions of fruit and veg. Good sources include oranges, broccoli, peppers and sweet potatoes.
Drink lots of water – most of us don’t drink enough water, which can make us dehydrated and tired, which is definitely what you don’t want during your exams.