My daughter is going through a rigorous academic summer program and she has homework every evening that last for about 4-5 hours. It's an opportunity for her to get a free scholarship for admission into an Independent school. What's good for energy and what can I give her for memory?
THanks as always
V.
A healthy diet (eating every couple of hours), lots of sleep, and a nice long break every now and then.
Almonds are a great snack. Protein with good fats.
Eggs are another--boiled eggs are a super nutritious whole natural food without additives or extras. Just lean protein and balanced nutrition.
Throw in some fresh fruit on the side and the protein will help keep her blood sugar stable and the good fats will help her brain function optimally, and the fruit will perk her up and provide some antioxidants and hydration.
Make sure she's getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. These are found in:
wild-caught fish
grass-finished beef
milk, cheese, and butter from cows grazing on green grass
the eggs of bug-eating, truly free-ranging chickens (yolks are deep orange)
cod liver oil supplements
Read Nourishing Traditions for additional information.
Make sure she gets enough sleep. I've seen one study (which I can't remember the source of now, sorry), in which elementary-schoolers who were mildly sleep-deprived for three days (1-2 hours less per night) dropped a full grade level in their test scores.
Have her get up and stretch. 4-5 hours at a desk without a break will cause injuries and pain. This is not good for concentration.
Good for her!! Peanut butter and jelly is a good filler. Can she have coke? Alot of ice and jus a little coke may do the trick!
I'm not sure but I'm looking forward to the answers.
Bananas for energy and have her chew Spearmint gum to help with memory recall.
Do not feed her sugar or junk food, coke or any other portions of the"american" diet. It is all a trick to make you fat, indolent and ruin your ability to think.
What is an Independent School ...a private one? I went to public school in NYC and got a phenomenal education. I cut school to feed my love of the theatre. The legitimate stage is a good brain food. I also went to art museums the city is full of them. First my father took me and then at age 12 I went to one every two weeks with friends of mine.
This also was excellent brain food. I went to the first Alvin Ailey dance performance ever given at the 92nd Street Y. They have hosted class acts for over 100 years and ticket prices are not too high. This is also brain food.
Do things with your daughter that feed her mind and her soul.
I was in love with the Opera and since I could understand other languages (another benefit of growing up in NYC) I had a wonderful time going to as many as my small budget allowed.
You always hear about this food or that herb for memory, but I find a lot of it is just hype. The best things you can do to help her with her memory are:
1. Find out her learning style - some kids study better in a quiet room and some study better with back ground noise.
2. Excerise - Excerise does increase the blood flow, which means more oxygen gets to the brain. It can be as simple as dancing to a favorite song.
3. Nnemonic devices - This involves being creative at associating different things that need to be memorized with already known stuff. You can even look them up online. (Ex: Never East Soggy Waffles is a nnemonic device for remembering the compass rose...North, East, South, West.)
4. Sleep - Sleep helps the brain relax and gives it time to absorb the material.
5. De-stress - Always keep your child calm and the environment calm. Do not over pressure your child or they will get frustrated and won't be able to concentrate.
6. Support - Give your child lots of encouragement and let them know you have faith in them.
7. Show interest - Learning is a 2-way street. The child won't take interest unless they see the parent is interested. Ask your child what she is learning, maybe even help her by testing her, but make it fun like "Cash Cab."
8. Organization is the key to success - help your child with organization skills to help them study better, including show her how to use index cards and color coding.
