The healthy way to better marks

While memory pills are best avoided,simple improvements in diet,lifestyle and increased activity can certainly help.

Exam time brings with it stress and increased demands on the brain,worsened with wrong food,lack of sleep and lessened physical activity a bad combination for performance.

While memory pills are best avoided,simple improvements in diet,lifestyle and increased activity can certainly help.

Research suggests that good diet,exercise,sleep and other aspects of our daily interaction with the environment have the potential to alter our brains function. Studies have found the effects of food on brain and cognition through several intestinal hormones like leptin,ghrelin,glucagons and insulin.

Studies reported that high fat,high sugar diets rich in refined starches,which have been associated with insulin resistance and weight gain,are found to impair memory. Dietary components that have effects on cognitive ability include lipids,vitamins,minerals,anti-oxidants including vitamins A,C & E,flavonoids,lecithin and choline. Iron deficiency and anaemia are associated with lowered performance.

A study conducted in about 800 children in Australia supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids and micro-nutrients (iron,zinc,folate and vitamins A,B6,B12 and C) in a drink mix reported higher scores on tests that measured verbal intelligence,learning and memory after 6 and 12 months.

Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish,flaxseeds,mustard oil,mustard seeds,chia seeds,walnuts,butternuts,kiwi,green leafy vegetables,urad dal,rajma,soybeans,lobia and bajra.

Anti-oxidants and flavonoids are known to reduce cell damage. Anti-oxidants include vitamins A,C,E and alpha lipoic acid. Vitamin A can be obtained from yellow & orange coloured fruits and vegetables including papaya,pumpkin,carrots,mango and green leafy vegetables.

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Adequate levels of Vitamin C are needed for optimum brain function,while low Vitamin E levels have been associated with poor memory and performance,particularly in older individuals.

Flavonoids are found in fruits,green tea,cocoa,dark chocolate,beans and ginkgo biloba (brahami). Curcumin found in turmeric is protective for the brain. Low doses of caffeine too have been found to improve mood,alertness and cognition.

Ishi Khosla is a former senior nutritionist at Escorts. She heads the Centre of Dietary Counselling and also runs a health food store. She feels that for complete well-being,one should integrate physical,mental and spiritual health. According to her: To be healthy should be the ultimate goal for all.