Good health habits can mean better grades

Mothers have always preached about brain food. They will not allow their children to leave the house without a hot meal in their stomachs. According to recent studies, the preaching is not so far fetched.

So-called brain food, nutrients found in some foods that accelerate the thought process, does affect a student's ability to study and to retain information.

College is one of the first times students have complete control over how they treat their bodies. Once students leave home and begin college, a lifestyle change occurs.

Eating habits can change for a variety of reasons. As students enter new social settings, their food and beverage intake increases. This and other food-orientated activities are major causes of weight gain in college. Not having a mother around cooking the everyday meal bring to mind the "freshman 15," nasty little pounds put on the first time many are away from home. It is also believed that this increase has a major effect on a student's ability to study effectively and to get good grades

Joan Thompson, associate professor of nutrition, states that certain foods with particular nutrients can actually help how quickly the brain retains information and the time it takes to process that information. These nutrients include carbohydrates. The simplest carbohydrate is glucose, also known as blood sugar or dextrose. Body cells absorb glucose and convert it into energy. Professor Thompson also suggests water soluble B vitamins such as folic acid. Folic acid helps the body break complex carbohydrates into simple sugars to be used for energy.

Feeding the body the nutrients it needs to manufacture the neurological chemicals for information exchange between neurons is a vital component of enhancing brain potential. Research such on, http://www.health24.net suggests Choline, an amino acid combined with vitamin B5 to produce what many researchers call the memory molecule. Also particularly important for brain development are fatty acids and phospholipids, which form part of the structure of the brain cell membranes.

The article, "Human Nutrition," found at http://www.encarta.com reports on human nutrition: which studies how food affects the health and the survival of the human body. Nutrition affects the health and survival of the human body through the next test or midterm for a college student.

The article gives a list of nutrients that are vital to healthy living and enhance learning ability. It reports about proteins, which make up 20 percent of the body's weight, and minerals which make up another 20 percent. According to the article, water and rest are two of the most important factors in getting better grades. The human body is made up of about 60 percent water and because the body loses water constantly, it must be replaced. If drinking eight glasses of water a day is too much, fruit is an excellent source of water. Dr. Jennifer Turly assistant professor of nutrition also suggests drinking water for hydration to assist with dehydration headaches.

Dr. Turly also emphasizes nourishing the body along with the brain. "You have to nourish the body to be physically active. Students need to also nourishing the brain in order for the brain to be active," Turley said.

She goes on to suggest nourishing the brain with a high carbohydrate moderate protein low-fat diet.

Coordinator of the Human performance Lab Tim Ruden said, "activity and nutrition are interrelated and that students cannot have one without the other. Tim states that just like athletes, students cannot perform in the class without the proper nutrition. He goes on to suggest that nutrition and exercise relieves stress in which promotes clear thinking to achieve balance in the classroom.

Learning a few healthy habits can maximize studying efficiency and help students get better grades.

You can reach reporter Jennifer Larson by calling 626-7655.