Eat Right: Exams are couple of months away; experts share tips to improve nutrition in kids

It is that time of the year again when the stress levels for school-goers are at an all-time high – exams are only a couple of months away. It is also the time when parents, especially mothers are worried about what kind of nutrition will not only keep their kids healthy but also increase their concentration and retention.

According to experts and dieticians, two things play an important role when it comes to the health of students – proper nutrition and physical exercise. While parents will wonder how physical activity will help their kids improve their academic scores, Ayush Khrub, Physical Education Facilitator at Apeejay School, International in South Delhi has a different take on this.

“Few people understand the need for students to set aside time for physical activity. The truth is that even 30 minutes of any exercise can help students improve their memory and in turn concentration. It also lengthens a student’s attention span. The fitter a student is, the longer he/she can sit and study,” Khrub explained.

Some of the exercises that students can turn to are: Yoga and meditation to improve concentration. “It is important that students take time out either to go for a walk or even run for 30 minutes during the day. This can be broken into 15 minutes each – morning and evening,” Khrub said.

A word of caution

Students are advised to consult their doctor before they start any strenuous exercise. “While doing a headstand is great to improve concentration, it is important that the child has no other health issues. One can do Suryanamaskar for the whole body, it has 12 asanas and Chandranmaskar has 14 asanas. However, always consult a doctor or a yoga instructor before they start on any exercise regimen,” Khrub stressed.

The same holds true for deep breathing exercises like anulom-vilom (deep breathing). “Kids who have respiratory issues need to avoid this at all costs,” Khrub said.

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“Few people understand the need for students to set aside time for physical activity. Even 30 minutes of any exercise can help students improve their memory and in turn concentration”

–Ayush Khrub, Physical Education Facilitator at Apeejay School, International, South Delhi

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He added that the school holds regular physical activities for students. “We rotate this; one day it is yoga, another day basketball, and yet another football. We also have to see the students’ body types. And depending on that, we have to make changes and suggest activities that will benefit them,” Khrub said.

The role of nutrition

According to Jasleen Kaur, a dietician in the capital, besides physical exercise, the right kind of nutrition plays just as important a role. “There are so many things that parents can do. During this time (exam months), they can increase their child’s intake of milk and nuts. Milk can be given with dates, turmeric, and even saffron. For kids who don’t want to eat nuts, these can be ground into a powder and added to the milk. Saffron, almond, and walnuts are really good for students; it increases their concentration. This can be given to students taking their class X and XII Board exams,” Kaur said.

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“Parents can give their kids foods high in iron and vitamins and minerals; these can help students during stressful exam months”

–Jasleen Kaur, Dietician

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For food, mothers need to give their children high-protein meals. “Besan ka chilla or green leafy vegetables with makke ki roti are a perfect meal. These are high in iron and vitamins and minerals that can help students during stressful exam months. The best part is that such meals also keep the kids full and satiated for longer hours,” Kaur advised.

What to avoid

“It has been seen that kids during exam time drink a lot of tea and coffee. This is a no-no. This is because nicotine and caffeine increase anxiety and stress in kids. Substitute this with milk. Avoid junk food since it is high in preservatives and has little nutritive value. Also, the sodium in packaged food creates cravings and over a period of time, it becomes addictive,” Kaur said in conclusion.