5 NUTRITION STRATEGIES

FOR THIS EXAM SEASON

1. REPLACE JUNK FOODS WITH HEALTHY
SNACKS:
▶ It's true that high sugar, deep-fried, salty or preservative rich foods
can dull the brain performance. Its extremely tempting to keep
such foods stored in our shelves for our children to pick when
hungry. However, these kinds of food can only worsen their
performance. Keep healthy snacks such as fruits, nut and nut
spreads, cheese cubes, fresh fruit juices, salads, dry fruits, nuts &
nut bars, nut and ghee based sweets, vegetable dips, lassi etc.
Some options could be apple with honey dip, walnuts dipped in
peanut butter, carrot sticks with hummus, steamed groundnuts
and jaggery etc. These will nourish and will help the child feel
healthy rather than feeling sluggish.
2. STATE THE IMPORTANT OF NOT MISSING
ANY MEALS:

▶ Help your child to understand the importance of all meals and

how food plays a huge role in their performance. Most children
skip meals or eat unhealthy non nutritious options such as biscuits
and breads. Make mealtime peaceful and accompany them
with their meals. Make sure that there is enough time to eat even
on an examination day. Inculcate this habit well in advance so
that they do not prefer to skip their meals.
3. HELP THEM TO STAY WELL HYDRATED:

▶ With added pressure, sleeplessness and low activity, the body

can feel extremely tired and dehydrated. Its important that the
child constantly keeps drinking water to flush out accumulated
toxins and to make the child feel fresh. Keep a bottle of water
around them at all times and remind them frequently to include
sufficient water. Additionally, fresh fruit juices or soups may also
help.
4. TAKE CARE OF THEIR GUT HEALTH:

▶ Its during this season, children usually suffer from constipation,

diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome due to the pressure, untimely
eating habits, bad foods choices, sleeplessness and more. Hence
its extremely important that their stomach health is taken care of.
For this purpose, give them a good amount of probiotics such as
curd, fermented foods such as idlis, dosa etc. Its also important to
provide a lot of fiber through fruits and vegetables. At least 2
servings of fruits per day and 3 servings of vegetables per day is
recommended.
5. GIVE FOODS THAT CAN KEEP THEIR
BRAIN ALERT:

▶ The most important organ that needs to be taken care of during this season is the brain. Its
not just about storing all information in the brain, but its also about ensuring that the brain
performs to its optimum when needed. It is important to help our children have sharp
memory, to grasp information well, to help make right choices and more. For this reason, we
need to include a lot of brain healthy foods such as nuts like almonds, walnuts, groundnuts,
pista, cashew etc and seeds such as pumpkin, watermelon or sunflower seeds, ghee, fish,
olive oil etc. Incorporate nuts and seeds in their snacks or milkshakes. Do not miss including
ghee everyday. Add a tsp of olive oil in their vegetable servings and fish whenever possible.
▶ Beyond these strategies, allow them to involve in some physical activities even during exam
times so their body is active and performs well. Some play time, sound sleep and relaxation
can help them p
▶ erform much better.
▶ Also, while doing these for your children, do not forget to include them in your diet as well.