Are you a teenager appearing for your Xth or XII class board exams? Well then, this is the time of the year when you must be busy feverishly preparing for the exams. During the couple of months or so prior to the commencement of exams, it is a common phenomenon among youngsters in this age group to neglect their meals and pursue erratic eating habits. So, you are not likely to be an exception either.

Unfortunately this habit of poor eating will take a heavy toll of your health and general well being. The relationship between nervousness and lack of appetite is a vicious cycle. Out of sheer nervousness, you will shun healthy meals, which in turn will make you weak and nervous.

It would be wise therefore to discard the idea of skipping meals, eating haphazardly and to get down to some sensible eating habits.

• First and foremost, students need to consume substantial quantities of proteins. Recent researches reveal that there is a definite correlation between choline a substance naturally founding high protein foods, and good memory. Which is probably why the Indians in the Northern hinterland consider the fish-eating folks of all the coastal states, to have better mental faculties than themselves.
  
  
• Therefore, it would be a good idea to eat a lot of proteins e.g fish, eggs, pulses, cottage cheese, Soya/Tofu/Soya derivatives, curd/yoghurt and so forth.
  
  
• Experienced nutritionists suggest that growing children in their mid/ late teens ought eat a lot of dried fruits like almonds, pine nuts, dates figs etc. Being packed with energy these food items help in repairing the damage caused by stress.
  
  
• It has been generally observed that around the time of examinations children tend to suffer from stress related diarrhoea. So it is absolutely essential that they are served less oily, less spicy and easy to digest foodstuffs.
  
  
• Children preparing for their crucial examinations must increase their intake of liquids/fluids e: g milk, juices, and soups. However, processed/packed soups are an absolutely no-no. Despite the manufacturers’ tall claims, such soups are lacking in the essential nutrients and moreover contain synthetic preservatives, which youngsters could conveniently do without. Fresh mixed fruit/vegetable juices, especially carrot juice, garnished with suitable spices are indeed a boon for the examinees.
  
  
• Tea/ coffee is a beverage that students love to consume because of their stimulating properties. However drinking coffee/tea on an empty stomach early in the morning is bound to prove disastrous. Similarly gulping down mugs of black tea /coffee in order to stay up the whole night, will do more harm than good. This habit gives rise to ailments like nausea, hypertension, insomnia among other things.
  
  
• Students normally experience hunger pangs in between meals. During such times, the parents must put their foot down and convince/persuade the children to have plenty o fresh fruits instead of junk food like burgers, pizzas, chips, samosas, bread pakoras, chhloay -bhaturay and lots more. Instead fries and snacks prepared at home would be a good substitute as the standards of hygiene and quality of materials can be ascertained.
  
  
• A word of caution! Everyday one comes across hordes of ads highlighting the near miraculous powers of several drugs/mixtures, claiming to enhance memory / retentive power, increase concentration and ameliorate overall performance in the exams. Without any offense meant to anybody, in case you plan to try these out, you will be doing so at your own risk. Unfortunately the efficacy stuffs such as these have not yet been scientifically authenticated.