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Posted April 4, 2013

How Food Affects Your Postgraduate Productivity

You are what you eat.

With your brain being one of the hungriest organs in the entire body, it's no surprise that it needs to be well fed to ensure maximum postgraduate efficiency and productivity. Requiring double the amount of energy than other cells, your brain is a complex system which is literally fed by glucose that circulates from gut to brain.

But what foods are brain foods and what foods are drain foods?

Let's break this down...

Fruit It may sound simple, and that's because it is! Fruit is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates that will enable you to expend energy gradually over the course of the day. The carbohydrates found in fruit have long chains of sugar molecules that the body can break down at a slower rate, releasing glucose to the brain over a period of time.

Whether you're strapped for time in the morning, or want something to snack on during the day, fruit is the answer. Mental exercise, such as postgraduate study and research drains glucose , which is why eating fruit regularly throughout the day will keep energy levels high and increase mental alertness. From crunchy and watery fruits such as apples to antioxidant rich fruits like berries and citruses, you'll feel more alive in no time.

Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds are powerhouse foods. Containing high amounts of protein, fibre, beneficial fats and a whole lot more, nuts and seeds are the perfect snack for those undergoing postgraduate study. If you're looking for an immediate energy boost that won't come back to haunt you later on, nuts and seeds should be the first thing you reach for.

Try to stick to raw, plain, unsalted and unsweetened organic nuts and seeds if possible, and don't eat too many! The king of all nuts and seeds, although debatable has got to be almonds and sesame seeds. Other great choices include walnuts, hazelnuts, flax seeds and sunflower seeds. As far as peanuts are concerned, they're not actually a 'nut' and don't have as much nutritional advantages so try to avoid them.

Water Although not strictly speaking a food, water is a critical component of any optimal wellness plan. Adequate hydration is paramount. Aim to drink at least 10 glasses of water per day if you want to stay at the top of your game.

Water is essential to keeping your body and mind running at peak efficiency. Even a 2% drop in your body's overall total water percentage can contribute to short term memory loss and difficulty with analytical thinking. And that's not all - you'll also experience physical side effects such as blurred vision, fatigue and irritability, none of which are much use when attempting to write a 20,000 word postgraduate research paper !

" Poor meal programs and poor nutrition underlie so many workplace issues: morale, safety, productivity, and the long-term health effects of the workers and nations.

" ~Christopher Wanjek, author of Food at Work

What food helps you stay focused when undergoing postgraduate study ?

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