Oh it's that time of the year again...your desk looks like a bomb just exploded, you've got coloured highlighters strewn everywhere, you're finding little post it notes here and there, even in your hair, you've got books open to pages with all this brand new information you probably should've learnt months ago...it's exam time.
Ahh the lovely SWOTVAC period, that uni's have blessed us with to study. Only if we could.
You're stressed, anxious, nervous, tired, and you just can't seem to find the 'on' button for your brain, or stay awake and focused long enough to read through one page.
Well...have some chocolate mousse !
I'm being serious.
I'm being serious.
Raw chocolate avocado mousse
This is literally a 5 min ticket purchase for a trip down the Einstein lane.
Chuck some cacao (I used Loving Earth's raw cacao powder), avocado and raw honey/stevia to sweeten, and voila !
Cacao is full of magnesium and iron, and when combined with a HEALTHY fat like coconut oil, or avocado in this case, aids with depression, anxiety and headaches, also boosting brain function and clarity. SWOTVAC saviour.
If you're still peckish for some more brain food:
Nuts
Nuts and seeds are high in the antioxidant vitamin E, aiding in less cognitive decline as you age.
Walnuts especially are packed through the roof with nutrients. It is also the only good nut source of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which promotes blood flow, delivering oxygen to the brain, making that little guy tick and work through those lectures !
Dark chocolate
Yessiree ! The exam doctor prescribed chocolate. Aside from its other antioxidant properties, it also contains natural stimulants like caffeine, helping you to FOCUS. So reap the benefits without all the excess refined sugars and fats of normal chocolate.
 |
| Idea: Add some dark chocolate or cacao powder to your fruit smoothie ! |
Black tea
I'm not a fan of coffee, but I am definitely a tea person. I find it more natural and works better for me anyway.
Black tea not only also contains the natural stimulant, caffeine, but has also been linked to decreasing the amount of cortisol our bodies are producing. Cortisol, being that evil hormone that links to our high stress levels.
 |
| Idea: Try a cool iced lemon tea to de-stress. Take that cortisol ! |
Dark leafy greens
Yes, sorry. But seriously, they're not that bad. Besides, you want those HD's don't you ;)
Greens, like the almighty kale and spinach contain high amounts of B-complex vitamins, who are responsible for calming your nerves. Furthermore, these vitamins are also responsible for making serotonin, which is the chemical that boosts your mood. Thus, less stress and helloooo motivated brain to study and happy days !
 |
| Idea: Chuck together some wholegrain pasta, kale, olives, sautéed mushrooms, tomato and feta. |
 |
| Idea: Sneak some spinach into your morning smoothie ! (You can't even taste it) |
Avocado
Ah, good ol' avo. By now you've probably already heard of all the good things these green gems do. But they also enhance blood flow and will really get those brain cells excited.
Try avocado in some guacamole, a rich source of those stress-fighting B vitamins !
 |
| Idea: Loni Jane's (instagram: @lonijane) no oil, no salt baked potatoes with homemade "tomato sauce" and the almighty guac !) |
Berries
Another food that helps keep that evil cortisol steady and at bay. Rich in vitamin C, these will keep the stress levels down down down *insert coles ad*
 |
| Idea: Top off your morning oats with some fresh berries |
Last but not least, EAT YOUR BREAKFAST. You put fuel in your car right, so why you no fuel your brain !? We've all seen those Nutella ads, cereal ads, milo ads, etc. One thing they have in common is that they all promote eating breakfast as students tend to perform better on a happy content breakfastful-stomach in the morning. It has also been linked to improving short term memory and attention!
Well there you have it, some food for thought. So pack away those bags of chips, chocolates, energy drinks, soft drinks, they are dragging you down, further and further away from those high distinctions...
So eat good foods, stay chill, stay focused, keep your head in the game and good luck.
Smash those exam papers !!!
No comments:
Post a Comment