Students might start thinking a little differently, once they learn about brain foods, and how they can help their concentration and make their school work easier.
The most important meal of the day is breakfast. Kids who eat breakfast consistently do better on tests. Getting better grades is important, but making time to eat breakfast is tough. "If you don't have time for a sit down breakfast, grab a handful of walnuts, a whole grain breakfast bar, yogurt, or some peanut butter stuffed inside a whole wheat pita," advises Dave Grotto, a registered dietician, nutrition expert and director of nutrition educational services at Block Center for Integrated Cancer Care & Optimal Health. "Stay away from the high sugar/caffeine foods like doughnuts, soda and coffee," explained Grotto. "Eating those foods can provide immediate fuel (glucose) to the brain, but it's a very short-term fix. As your glucose level falls, concentration becomes difficult and you end up feeling tired and ready for a nap. Try making a fruit smoothie the night before so you can grab it in the morning and guzzle it on the way to school," suggests Grotto, who recently coached contestants auditioning for 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' about specific brain foods that are optimal for concentration, and those that will slow a person down. "Use fresh fruit like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, red grapes, and pomegranates ? all high in antioxidants, which research shows enhances cognitive function, recall and memory. Add some yogurt, mix in two tablespoons of peanut butter, for a supercharged brain smoothie. This tasty concoction will zap the brain into an A+ charged state of concentration that will last for hours."
One of the best brain boosters is the dependable egg. Eggs contain protein and choline. Choline is one of the B vitamins that participates in many biological processes, and is especially important for healthy brain, cardiovascular, and liver function. Check the label for the type of eggs that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, which are also naturally lower in cholesterol. Omega 3 fats contain DHA, an essential fat needed for brain development and for reducing harmful brain plaques.
Students who chow down on burgers, fries, chicken nuggets or pizza at lunch, will get a quick blood sugar surge, accompanied by that all too familiar crash, most likely just as it's time to walk into their next class. Studies have shown that consuming a high fat diet can impair learning skills as well as memory. Instead, try a grilled chicken sandwich on a whole grain bun, or grilled tuna or salmon burgers on whole wheat bread. Lean proteins with whole grains, along with some healthy fats, will help students sustain energy and maximize their potential throughout their school day.
Like gasoline in a car, students need to fuel themselves in moderation throughout the day. "If hunger pangs hit in mid-morning, mid-afternoon, or as soon as you come home from school, avoid snacking on candy bars, soda and potato chips," says Grotto. "These foods can raise cholesterol levels, contribute to weight gain and obesity, and an increased risk of diabetes. Instead, choose brain food snacks like almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, whole grain cereal bars, peanut butter and fruit juice-sweetened jelly on whole grain bread. Instead of soda, mix non-sweetened grape juice with green tea. Green tea has the same healthful antioxidants as red grapes and berries. If you need a chocolate fix, the news is good. A small bar of dark chocolate ? rich in antioxidants, is fine. Or. some dark chocolate chips with some healthy nuts ? good for you and tastes great!"
Students need to keep their levels of concentration up to absorb all the information teachers are feeding to the brain. At night brain power needs to be maintained to handle homework and studying, to say nothing about extracurricular activities and a busy social life. "Feeding your brain the foods it needs, will help you think in a new way about what you eat," concluded Grotto.
The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care and Optimal Health was founded in 1980 by Penny and Keith Block, M.D. with a focus on treating the patient as a whole person, not treating just the diagnosis or symptoms. The Center's research-based treatment integrates an innovative approach to the best of conventional medicine with scientifically sound complementary therapies -- therapeutic nutrition, botanical and phytonutrient supplementation, prescriptive exercise, and systematic mind-body strategies -- to enhance the recovery process. Block has pioneered this "middle ground" approach to cancer care and optimal health ? designing a total treatment plan that is tailored to the precise needs of each patient, using a unique set of clinical and laboratory assessments. The Block Center is breaking new ground with the creation and development of Cancer Rehab as an innovative treatment modality, and currently is the only private North American medical center using chrono-modulated chemotherapy. While the Block Center is a full treatment clinic, it is involved in collaborative research with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas as a Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) and is also engaged in clinical cancer research with other university facilities in the United States and Israel.
Betty Hoeffner, is a freelance writer who writes articles on a number of subject matters.
tidy up service Winnetka ..Nuts of all kinds (I am talking peanuts, cashews etc)... Read More
Heart disease results when plaque builds up inside the arterial... Read More
Each and every person living in the UK is... Read More
I'm going to be a bit radical here, but know... Read More
How To Have A Healthy ThanksgivingEnd of the year holidays... Read More
Evidence for the importance of fruit and vegetable intake to... Read More
Beans. Legumes. Pulses. Whatever you call this plant group, they... Read More
Fat is a nutrient that is a contributor to the... Read More
Although you may have heard about soy and all of... Read More
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in... Read More
I turned into my parents' driveway in Maryland and parked... Read More
Meal replacements have been part of the diet landscape for... Read More
America's focus on nutritious eating began to receive national attention... Read More
Incorporating these fat loss tips will improve your nutrition program.... Read More
Since the 1930's the western diet has dramatically changed. This... Read More
You may have heard that essential fats are an important... Read More
Diet nutrition physiqueToday, learning about diet nutrition physique isn't all... Read More
Several years ago, Marilyn M. couldn't even spell fibromyalgia.Now she... Read More
Liquid vitamin mineralThe liquid vitamin mineral dietary supplement is a... Read More
Nutrition usually only comes up when people are finally deciding... Read More
So what's all the shake up about anyway?. To put... Read More
When you actually sit down and think about it, bottled... Read More
Most digestive disorders develop because of the bodys inability to... Read More
What if I told you tap water and homogenized milk... Read More
How often do you pick up items at the grocery... Read More
kitchen deep cleaning Lake Forest ..When we think about the benefits of being ensuring a... Read More
The Health and Nutrition Industry has come about as peoples... Read More
We sometimes hear about ways that we can take care... Read More
Do you want more energy? How about more of the... Read More
Studies on whey demonstrate it's an even better protein supplement... Read More
You say you don't know what glyconutrients are? You are... Read More
Do you notice your child putting off going to the... Read More
You can eat whole flax seeds but you need to... Read More
Fats (triacylglycerols) ...Some basic terminology ...fat or fatty acid ...In... Read More
Can You Lose Weight Through Eating?You get fat when you... Read More
"It's not what you eat, it's what's eating you that... Read More
Strict "no carb" phases of low carb diets have developed... Read More
Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the healthiest of them... Read More
In the last twenty years, a huge and growing body... Read More
There's no doubt--carbohydrates have taken center stage in public discourse... Read More
The proliferation of fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and vending... Read More
Green tea has been used as for medical remedies in... Read More
Recently, trans fats have risen to the forefront of the... Read More
A green and lush oasis in the middle of a... Read More
Question from Jack:A question from Jack, one of the subscribers... Read More
Anyone who has spent a day fasting from food, or... Read More
It is often taken as a given fact that soy... Read More
Creating Your Target is easy.What I use to help create... Read More
How is it that we can't seem to think that... Read More
Are you sick and tired of the confusion about our... Read More
Nutrition |