My mind is like my car. Some days I fill it up with the right fuel, keep it organised and drive it below the speed limit. But once in a while, I drive it around in a rush, get flashed by a multinova, can’t be bothered filling it up with petrol and mess begins to accumulate inside.

When I’m not being a responsible driver and/or looking after my car, life never seems to work as well. Similarly, when I’m not looking after my mind by eating the right foods that will fuel it, life especially doesn’t work.

For years I ate greasy foods on a regular basis. One night my family and I would have McDonalds, a few days later I would have Hungry Jacks for lunch and when I got tired of these fast food places, I made my way to the local fish and chip shop. It probably won’t surprise you that feeling sluggish and having poor concentration was the norm for me throughout my days at primary and high school. I only realised how abnormal this feeling was when I finally got sick of eating greasy food, started exercising regularly and switched over to a healthier, more natural diet.

Friend and University Professor Dr Peter Dingle says,

“A healthy diet can enhance your mental acuity and reduce or prevent brain decline. A functioning brain relies on healthy building blocks and a healthy fuel source. As a result, good nutrition and exercise are critical for a good memory”

So what are these “healthy fuel sources” Dr Dingle says we should be eating? Below is a list of some of them.

Public speaker/nutritionist Helen Frost says simply in her public talks that we have two basic groups of foods - live foods and dead foods. Live foods are the most natural foods (i.e. anything grown on a tree or from the ground) and these make our bodies feel happy and strong. Whereas dead foods are those that have been heavily processed and these result in sad, degenerated bodies over time. When we go shopping for groceries we should always consider selecting live foods (that’s fruits and vegetables) over dead foods (i.e. microwave dinners, frozen pizzas, white bread).

Below are some frequently asked questions on diet/nutrition by students

How many vegetables and fruits should I be having each day?
5 - 9 cups (predominantly of vegetables).

What are the best drinks to have?
Water, green tea, apple juice (with no added sugar) and herbal tea. Avoid soft drinks. Cans of soft drink contain on average 11 teaspoons of sugar, caffeine, acid, artificial colours, and preservatives (all of these ingredients are a recipe for disaster if you are going to study or take a test) and take 3 km of walking to burn off! Students should be sipping on water every 20 minutes to keep their brains hydrated. Often when we have trouble studying, it is because we simply need some water.

I heard fish is really good for you. Why?
Certain types of fish (i.e. salmon, sardines, cod and tuna) contain a fatty acid called omega 3. Studies have found omega 3 helps students to concentrate, memorise information better and combat fatigue.

I don’t like fish. What else can I eat to improve my memory and concentration? Walnuts, cabbage, broccoli, strawberries and raspberries are all excellent sources of omega 3.

Is it ok for me to drink tea or coffee when I am studying for exams?
I try to avoid drinking tea and coffee at all costs and encourage other students to do the same. Tea and coffee contain caffeine which is a stimulant drug that is likely to increase your anxiety levels and may induce insomnia. You don’t want to feel tired and stressed out studying for exams. This will result in your brain having difficulty processing and recalling information.

What about energy drinks?
These drinks are no different to drinking a strong cup of coffee. Avoid them and you’ll feel better for it.

My high school chemistry teacher once said to me with a serious look on his face ‘Miss Genovese, if you’re not careful you’ll have a stress induced heart attack’. I was 16 at the time and thought relaxation was for lazy people who spent their lives meditating in caves in far away places.

As a teenager feeling stressed out was the norm for me, which was a problem. On several occasions my mind would go blank in test situations and as a result, I ended up failing those tests.

It wasn’t until I started studying Psychology at university that I realised that I could actually do something about my high stress levels. Below are 3 simple ways that have helped me to relax over the years.

1. Breathe

Often when we feel stressed or nervous (e.g. giving a presentation before the class or taking a test) our breathing becomes faster and shallower. We often notice ourselves breathing fast and may think ‘woah, I’m so nervous!’ and this may cause us to stress us out even more! One way we can change this is to consciously make an effort to slow down our breathing. I usually spend 2-3 minutes focusing on breathing deeply in and out for 6 seconds to start with and then for 3 seconds. This exercise will help you to feel more in control of your body and can slow down and clarify your thoughts. Students have even told me that doing this breathing exercise before important sports games makes a difference to their performance.

2. Laugh

Try to laugh and feel stressed at the same time. Can you do it? I bet $100 that you can’t. There is so much truth to the saying ‘Laughter is the best medicine’. 10 years ago Dr Kataria (inventor of laughter yoga) noticed that his patients who laughed more regularly appeared to have better immune systems, heal faster and appeared to be calmer than patients who did not laugh as much. The reason for this is that laughter releases endorphins, which is a chemical that gives you a natural high. So if you’re feeling stressed out, catch up with a friend who makes you laugh or watch a comedy show. If you can’t do that, force yourself to laugh. Say out loud ‘HA HA HA HA HA’ (I don’t recommend you do this in public) because the brain doesn’t know the difference between a fake laugh and a real one. In a nutshell, you can trick your brain into releasing those feel good, happy chemicals (endorphins).

3. Exercise

When I walked into my university gym six years ago there was a sign on the wall that said “The question is not - can I afford to do this? The question is - can I afford not to do this?” Studying law for me was not easy and going to the gym after every lecture was the main reason I stuck with the degree. As an 18 year old attending lectures on contract and criminal law I felt like the lecturers were speaking a foreign language. I did not understand the legal jargon that was being used and this was upsetting for me. After every lecture I would be telling myself “I can’t do it. It’s just too hard. Perhaps I’m not cut out for this” and somehow in my helpless state, I’d get myself to the gym. After a one hour session of cardio and strength training I was a different person. I felt clearer, less stressed and just knew I had to break things down, use my legal dictionary more often and take things one step at a time.

So there you go, 3 simple strategies to help you stress less. What works for me, may or may not work for you. You won’t know unless you give them a good shot (test them out for 30 days). If you know of any ways that help you to relax and decrease your stress levels I’d love to hear about them.