Brain foods make you think differently for Back to School
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.
EVANSTON, IL (PRWEB) August 9, 2005 -- 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.
About
the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care
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.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/8/prweb270777.htm