Brainfood
Keep your brain fully supplied
Between variable class schedules, side jobs and a busy social life, nutrition often takes a back seat, even though it's the precious fuel that keeps you energized throughout the day and reduces your tiredness.
Some useful tips to help you stay fit every day!
Food is a real tool that can be used on a daily basis to improve many aspects of student life, such as concentration, memorization, stress management and sleep quality.
Boosting concentration and memory skills
- Snacks: eat nuts and red fruit (raspberries, strawberries, berries, etc.)
- Green tea is a great way to start the day
- Green vegetables! Beet and sweet potatoes are also ideal
- Rapeseed oil makes an easy addition to salads
- Eat fish, whether fatty or lean
- Dark chocolate is particularly good for improving both memory and concentration!
Managing stress
- Fish again! Extremely rich in omega-3, it acts as a natural anti-stress agent.
- Rich in magnesium, walnuts continue to play an important role in reducing stress and anxiety. Their daily consumption helps to regulate stress.
- A food with multiple properties, dark chocolate increases levels of serotonin, also known as the "happiness hormone", which is notably involved in anxiety and pain management.
Fight tiredness
- Opt for foods rich in fiber and protein (dried or fresh fruit, wholemeal bread, high-fiber cereals).
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Choose magnesium-rich foods such as cashews, Brazil nuts and dark chocolate.
- Eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruit, kiwi fruit and raw vegetables.
- Get some fresh air and get moving!
Improve sleep quality
For a better quality of sleep, look for foods containing serotonin and melatonin, commonly known as the "sleep hormone". Salmon and bananas are good sources of melatonin, as well as milk and honey.
- Respect your sleep schedule and avoid heavy meals before going to sleep!
Stay well hydrated
Good hydration is the ultimate element in completing a balanced diet that will help you get on with your studies. Water is absolutely essential for the functioning of our body and mind.
Our brains are 80% water! Lack of water can be a cause of stress, leading to concentration problems and memory loss.
- Regular hydration reduces the level of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the blood, which can help improve sleep quality.
Balanced eating on a modest budget
Eating well doesn't have to be expensive, but it does require a bit of organization. While a good part of a student's monthly budget can easily be spent on meals out, it is possible to enjoy a low-cost meal by cooking simple, quick and balanced dishes at home.
Tips
- Eat healthy, and vary your pleasures
- Choose unprocessed products such as vegetables, fruit, eggs, nuts, meat, milk and legumes.
- Buy fresh, seasonal produce (replace out-of-season produce with frozen).
- Choose wholegrain products
- Canned foods are inexpensive (corn, tomatoes, peas, etc.) and easy to store. Legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils) are also high in protein.
- Cooking with others is a great way to share moments of relaxation.
- Avoid eating fatty foods at lunchtime, as this will increase the need for sleep in the early afternoon!
«I am what I eat»