Boosting Your Academic Performance

Have you ever felt tired after eating lunch?

Ever felt like procrastinating on your assigned studying task?

Believe it or not, the food you eat can have a major impact on your academic performance. If you wish to be more effective in getting things done, then it’s very important for you to first tackle your nutritional needs. Once your nutritional needs are fulfilled, then it’s easy to increase your focus and get more things done in less time.

Knowing a little about things such as your glucose level; being aware of your eating habits and; remembering some of the basics related to how you eat, can make a difference in your academic performance and success.

Keep in mind the following related to consuming foods and academic performance:

Your Glucose Level

If your goal is to become more focused in your work, then it’s very important to keep your eye on the glucose level. Your glucose level is what keeps our brain awake and alert. This level must be high enough, so that you don’t experience mental stress or exhaustion. When the brain doesn’t feel stressed, then it can continue to work without causing any problems such as fatigue.

One of the worst types of foods to eat is simple carbohydrates such as sugar. The problem with sugar is that it causes your pancreas to secrete insulin. This insulin triggers the cells in your body to extract excess glucose out of the blood stream and then store it. As a result, your brain suffers from losing the glucose it needs. The brain works best with around 25 grams of glucose circulating in the blood. You can get a steady flow of glucose by eating foods that are complex carbohydrates. Whole plant foods are considered complex carbohydrates. Fruits such as banana are also another source for a steady flow of glucose.

Eating the Right Foods

We all know that junk food can be bad for us. However, we eat it anyway. We do this because when we eat junk food, we receive an instantaneous burst of energy. However, that energy quickly disappears soon afterwards. This is why it’s not unusual to feel tired after eating a big meal. In fact, there’s a measurement for how steady the flow of glucose is being released from the food called a glycemic index. Food with a lower glycemic index can help you increase brainpower and improve mental focus. Also eating breakfast every day is important. It’s also effective in fighting obesity, since there’s less temptation to consume and overeat later in the day. Often skipping breakfast can ruin several hours of your academic productivity. The key to eating the right food is to choose foods that are going to release a steady flow of energy (glucose) for you.

Drinking Water

Water is so important that you can only last 3 days without it. In comparison, you can last three weeks without food. It’s good to consume at least 80 ounces of water per day. It’s also a good idea to drink water the first thing in the morning since your body gets dehydrated after several hours of sleep.

Being mindful of these simple basics will serve not only assist you in reaching your goal of academic success but also with just eating healthy overall.