Ease Out Exam Stress

While exam time can be stressful for you, you need to be careful about your diet and health. Your memory play games with you, your concentration , and stamina tends to diminish. You don't want yourself to be stressed out, so here is how to ensure that you get through the exams well.

FEED THE BRAIN
Food has a direct relationship with concentration, intelligence levels, memory and reaction time. The brain burns fuel even while sleeping, so ensure that you eat a substantial breakfast to prevent a mental fog.

• Stock Up On Antioxidants: Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants and help preserve memory. Vitamin C and E sharpen the brain. Eat broccoli, strawberries, papaya, oranges, sunflower seeds, almonds and peanuts.
• Go Fish: Eat fish twice a day as the brain uses the choline in fish to make acetylcholine, which helps enhance memory power and reasoning.
• B Booster: Include Vitamin B rich foods (whole grains, eggs, lean meats and green vegetables) in the diet to improve concentration and memory.

POWER UP
This is when stamina is needed in big doses.

• Stick To Low GI: Low Glycemic Index foods release energy slowly, resulting in a long lasting feeling of energy. Nuts and seeds, being low GI foods and effective fatigue busters, can be munched while studying.
• Iron Out Kinks: When iron level drop, it results in fatigue, poor concentration and reduced work performance. So make sure your diet includes egg yolks, pumpkin seeds and leafy greens.
• Five A Day: Heavy meals divert the blood supply to the digestive tract and causes fatigue. Have four to six mini meals and snacks through the day, instead of two or three heavy meals.
• Good Fats: Essential fatty acids (omega 3) and Mono Saturated Fatty Acids (MUFA) are effective fatigue busters. So include fatty fish (salmon, tuna and mackerel), flax seeds and walnuts in the diet. Also, the fats in chips can cause fatigue, so say bye bye to them.
• Ration Out Coffee And Colas: Being loaded with caffeine, coffee, tea and colas dehydrate the body and intefere with sleep. So say a big NO to them.

BUST STRESS
Here are some easy skills to beat stress.

• Breathe: Once in a while, close your eyes and just focus on breathing. Your brain should get as oxygen as it can.
• Tune In: Music boosts brain power as it makes listeners feel relaxed and stimulated. It produces a heightened alpha brain wave activity similar to the one found during  deep relaxation and meditation.
• Laugh: Keep funny movies, TV serials or comics in stock. Laughter increases endrophins, lowers stress hormone levels, and activates T-cells, which fight viruses.
• Walk: A 10 minute walk outside is an energy booster. So, take your ipods, mp3 players or fm players, plug them into ears and have a small walk.