Eat Sleep Rave Repeat

Learning Objective: To explore how we can look after our body

to optimise our brain power.

Eat

In one colour, write down the food that is good for you when revising and in another colour

write down the food that is bad for you.

Food/Drink to boost brain

power

What do the experts say?

Spinach

Spinach is rich in the nutrient folate, which has the capacity to temper levels of the amino acid homocysteine; elevated homocysteine levels could be one of the risk factors in Alzheimer’s.

Spinach is also rich in polyphenols, plant substances that may help to protect the brain from damaging pathological processes including inflammation. A leading theory about ageing in the brain relates to damage caused by the inflammation process.

What do the experts say?

Salmon

Salmon is one of the oily fish that offers a decent amount of the omega-3 fats linked to benefits for brain functioning and mood. Salmon contains more DHA than EPA, and this means it has particular value for brains that are developing (children) or ageing. Salmon also offers good amounts of vitamin B12, which may boost brain health.

What do the experts say?

Dark chocolate Dark chocolate may enhance brain function as it is rich in a polyphenol known as epicatechin, which is part of the flavonoid group of compounds. Epicatechin has been found to enhance blood flow to the brain, and in animals has been found to improve brain function.

What do the experts say?

Eggs

Eggs promote brain function and mood as they are a rich source of choline, a key building block in the manufacture of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Many drugs used to treat dementia are designed to increase acetylcholine action in the brain.

What do the experts say?

Blackberries

Polyphenols, abundant in blackberries and other berries, can protect brain cells from inflammation and damage caused by free radicals. Extracts of berries have been found to improve brain function in animals and some human research shows promise in this area too.

What do the experts say?

Beef

Beef is rich in vitamin B12, which, along with vitamin B6 and folic acid, can keep down homocysteine levels. High levels of homocysteine have been linked to dementia. Beef is a good source of iron, low levels of which can lead to impaired mental energy. Children, particularly picky eaters, can run low in iron, which may impair concentration and has been linked with hyperactivity.

What do the experts say?

Water

About 70 per cent of the brain is water, and my experience in practice is that dehydration is a common and eminently treatable cause of mental lethargy. My advice is simply to drink enough water to keep the urine pale yellow and odourless throughout the day.

What do the experts say?

Walnuts

Walnuts are rich in a type of omega-3 fat known as alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which can convert to the types of omega-3 fats found in oily fish (EPA and DHA). Walnuts also contain polyphenols, which can protect brain cells from damage. In one study, feeding walnuts to aged rodents improved brain function.

What do the experts say?

Oysters

Zinc is found abundantly in oysters and facilitates the manufacture of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter key to brain health /and function.

Article by Dr John Briffa published in The Times 2012

Pupils revise their diet as brain food sales soar

A DEMAND for food to fuel the brain cells has set supermarket tills ringing as the exam season approaches.

Leading supermarkets are convinced that parents of A level and GCSE candidates have changed their shopping habits to boost their children’s results. Students embarking on finals and end-of-year exams also appear to be investing in food to boost brain power.Sales of fish, peppers, spinach, avocado, blueberries and other fresh fruit are soaring. Demand for coffee has also risen sharply, especially in university towns and cities.

The trend has been spotted by nutritionists working for leading retailers who believe that parents and students are swapping stories about healthy eating for exams. The rise in sales of food linked to strengthening memory is so pronounced that Tesco is planning to introduce a range of “brainfood” during the exam period.

Sainsbury’s has also recognised the demand for tuna, cod and haddock, which are high in Omega 3 oils, as school and university students embark on high-pressure revision.

Brain food Official Chart

Now come up with your top 10 foods for boosting brain power, counting down from 10 being your least favourite to 1 being your favourite. Try to

explain your choices briefly.

You will do this in groups and perform your top 10 to the class in a Radio 1 chart show style.

Food and Drink to AvoidJunk Food: A 2011 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed healthy people who ate junk food for 5 days performed worse on cognitive tests measuring attention, speed, and mood.

Researchers aren’t sure what’s causing the memory problems, but they suspect a poor diet may produce inflammation in the brain—specifically the hippocampus, the region that’s associated with memory and special recognition, says study co-author Margaret Morris, Ph.D. Even worse: Damage to the hippocampus can mess with hunger and fullness cues, leading to weight gain and obesity.

Alcohol: Alcohol is known to harm your liver in the long run, and it also causes what is known as “brain fog”. Like the name suggests, the term of brain fog refers to a feeling of mental confusion, it acts like a cloud that impacts your ability to think clearly, as well as your memory.

SleepHow many hours of sleep do you get on average during

the week?

How much sleep do you need?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN-_S1F4fnk

Get the right amount of sleep

Rave

How much exercise do you do?

RaveWhy should students exercise?Not only is exercise good for your overall health and fitness, but it also boosts your mental wellbeing.Exercise will help keep you calm during exams. You’ll feel more energised and refreshed, and that will help you perform better in your studies.

Keeping active doesn’t require a lot of time and effort. Doing 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of moderate intensity physical activity, such as fast walking or cycling, every week will give you many health benefits.If you’re not interested in sport, or school PE lessons have put you off exercise, now’s your chance to try a new activity, such as dance or martial arts.

During exams you may feel unable to take much time out from studying. Instead of giving up on exercise altogether, try taking small, regular breaks to refresh yourself and clear your mind. A 15-minute brisk walk to the library or around your house is a good way of getting some exercise.You could also try to exercise first thing in the morning. You may find it wakes you up and gives you energy for the day. Try swimming, a gentle jog or doing some stretching exercises.Think about what times of day you work best. Some people find revising and completing coursework easier in the morning, whereas others are more productive in the afternoon or evening. Plan your day and fit some exercise around your study plan.

Rave

It is important to take regular breaks from your revision. Take a short break every 20-30 minutes.

You could try the pomorado technique. Visit the website mytomatoes.com

Rave

Remember to treat yourself after a good day of revision...

Come up with your own logo and slogan for revision

Each group will be given either Eat, Sleep or Rave.

You need to come up with a catchy logo and slogan to encourage students to:

Eat – eat healthy during revision or to avoid junk food.

Sleep – get enough sleep

Rave – do exercise, take regular breaks or treat themselves after revising