Download Feed your brain

WHY IS NUTRITION IMPORTANT?
FEED YOUR BRAIN

Eating well will help you to increase your energy
level, achieve and maintain a healthy weight,
and feel great! Additional benefits include
increased ability to concentrate, strong
muscles and bones, and a healthy immune
system. As a student, it can be difficult to
balance eating well with your busy schedule
and funds. However, it is not impossible!
Planning ahead is the way to success.
HOW YOU CAN MASTER NUTRITION

Better nutrition starts with giving thought to
what you put in your body. We all need the
nutrients and energy food provides, so it's
important to plan what you're going to eat.
Whether you make food yourself, share meals
with your family, or eat on campus, try these
strategies for eating well:

Eat foods from all of the food groups –
vegetables and fruit, grain products, milk and
milk alternatives, meat and meat alternatives –
along with a small amount of unsaturated fat
(such as vegetable oil). Spread out your protein
intake throughout the day to stay fuller longer.

Prevent those distracting hunger pangs by eating every
two-and-a-half to four hours a day. Start with a filling
breakfast high in protein and fibre. For instance, one
banana and a whole grain whole wheat bagel spread
with one tablespoon of almond butter and a glass of
skim or soy milk. This type of breakfast within two hours
of waking will rev up your metabolism and feed your
brain, keeping you energized and actively burning the
calories you take throughout the rest of the day. Have a
light snack before lunch and another light snack either
before or after dinner depending on your sleeping
schedule.

Choose snacks that will help you get more
vegetables and fruit in your diet by
complementing them with foods high in either
complex carbohydrates, protein or healthy fats,
such as half an avocado sliced with wheat
crackers or an apple and a small handful of
almonds.
BRAIN FOODS?






Your nutrition suffers the most when you are cramming for exams or
finishing a essay at the last minute. Good eating habits can fade and
junk food and more caffeine than usual can become the norm. Try
these combinations to enhance studying with improved concentration
and sustained energy:
combine green tea and lemon juice for more antioxidants and a
lower, healthier amount of caffeine.
Pack an apple and some nuts (or beans) for a good dose of fibre,
unsaturated fats, and protein.
Skip the simple carbohydrates found in many fast foods and opt
instead for equally fast whole grains. Try whole grain toast, carrots, or
tomatoes for complex carbohydrates and a steady supply of energy.
Exercising your academic muscles
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
FIND THE TIME TO FIT IN SOME EXERCISE WITH A HECTIC
SCHEDULE.


It’s common knowledge that physical activity has many
health benefits. We know that exercise helps build strong
muscles and bones, prevents illness and chronic disease,
and controls weight gain. However the mental benefits of
physical activity are equally important. By exercising for 30 to
60 minutes most days of the week, you’ll feel energized, be
more mentally alert, improve your self-esteem, and lower
your stress levels!
Since stress is the number one health issue affecting
academic performance for students worldwide, find time for
physical activity. More than 80% of British students post 16
through to HE do not exercise enough to benefit their body
and brain. See what Southfield Grange has to offer and also
look to your local community.
HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY LEVEL OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY?
HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY LEVEL OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY?
Here are five recommendations for adding physical activity into your busy student schedule:
Find 10-minute workout breaks:

Your 30 minutes of activity a day doesn't have to happen all at once. Take a break between classes
and walk to the coffee shop furthest away.
Try "active transportation":

Depending on your situation, you can try riding your bike to school, or get off the bus a stop ahead of
where you need to be.
Join a sports club :

With many sports to choose from, chances are you’ll find a team that works for you. You get the
added health benefits of socializing with friends as you exercise!
Take advantage of local gyms and sports facilities:

Try walking the perimeter of the campus where possible and permissible at lunch, join or create a
group and go to a local fitness centre, swimming.
Start your own walking or running group:

Inexpensive options to exercise include walking and running around campus, and if you do so as a
group, chances are you’ll be motivated to keep it up.
IS LACK OF SLEEP AFFECTING YOUR
GRADES?
TAKING TIME TO MAINTAIN YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH IS
IMPORTANT – AND IT MAY EVEN BOOST YOUR GRADES.


Are you a chronically fatigued student, falling asleep in
class ?It is NOT true that to succeed at SOUTHFIELD
GRANGE you have to “pull all-nighters,” “burn the
midnight oil,” or continually get to bed later than you
want to and drag yourself out of bed in the morning.
The first few months in the 6th form can be
overwhelming. You might think that there thjust aren’t
enough hours in the day. Nearly 30% of 6 form
students recently surveyed have reported that sleep
difficulties interfered with their academic performance
in a previous year. Its time to change that statistic:
getting enough sleep is good for your brain!
SOME COMMON MYTHS WE HEAR ABOUT SLEEP
“EVERYONE IN MY ‘GROUP’ GOES WITHOUT SLEEP”



It might seem that your ‘group’s’ expectations are so
high that you can’t meet them without sleep; it might
also seem that your ‘group’ has a culture in which
valuing sleep and getting enough of it is uncool.
It’s true that most of us can mange the occasional day
on little sleep, but regularly depriving yourself of sleep
causes real problems with learning, memory, and mood.
It’s also true that you have a lot to fit into your day:
classes, sports, study time, extra-curricula activities. You
also might have a part-time job and/or a long commute.
“I DON’T NEED EIGHT HOURS”
A few people seem to be able to get by on very
few hours of sleep, but seven to nine hours is
optimum for most of us to function normally.
 Lack of sleep has a significant impact on brain
function, health, safety, and longevity. Sleep
itself can actually improve our mental function,
and researchers are discovering that it is vital
for learning and memory.

“I JUST CAN’T GET TO SLEEP”
You may be finding it hard to get to sleep because of:
 a lack of a consistent sleep schedule
 a reaction to drugs or stimulants such as caffeine
 anxiety about things that are going on in your life.
These are all real causes of insomnia. But if you are having trouble sleeping because
you can’t fit everything in, it’s worth looking at how you manage your time.
You might want to:
 track (and re-evaluate) how you are actually spending your time
 look carefully at your term and weekly schedules, to see where there are lulls and
crunches
 start studying strategically
If you’re having trouble getting to sleep, try strategies such as:
 Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoking
 do not exercise within two hours of bedtime
 follow the same bedtime routine every night.