Finals are upon us; impending doom is less than a week away. During such times of crisis, it can be just as easy to reach for a bag of chips or cookies as it is to lug out that twenty-pound physics book. Crunching on junk food, however, will not only add weight to the waistline, it will agitate your nervousness and increase your stress even more.
Despite claims in some magazines about stress-busting foods, there are no cure-all foods.
\Currently, there is no sound scientific evidence to support the idea that any particular food or group of foods reduces stress,"" said Jennifer Stremcha, a dietetic intern on campus. ""In addition, there is no substantiation to claims that our nutritional needs are significantly increased during periods of elevated stress.""
Pete Anderson, a lecturer in Nutritional Science, agreed no food will reduce stress, but, there are preventative steps to reduce stress. Anderson emphasized the importance of whole grains such as oatmeal and brown rice as well as fruits and vegetables.
""Those are the things almost everyone in this country lacks,"" Anderson said.
Although serotonin-producing foods like fruit, vegetables, soy products and dark chocolate are frequently promoted as ""stress-busters,"" Anderson said these foods will only noticeably reduce stress if a person had been consuming extremely unbalanced meals-like after fasting or when switching from an all-protein diet to a high-carb diet.
""A balanced diet is better,"" said Anderson. ""Eating things like whole grains and complex carbohydrates will moderate blood sugar.""
Skewed blood and sugar levels are directly linked to mood swings, including irritability, lethargy and increased susceptibility to stress.
In order to have the energy to withstand stress, Marcy Braun, a nutritionist with University Health Services, further recommended eating ""things that provide sustained energy, rather than a quick boost that fades rapidly. This means balancing carbs-that are less processed-proteins, and a moderate amount of fat.""
For a nutritious meal that any dorm-dwelling student can obtain, Braun suggested a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread, along with fruit, milk and a cookie. Stremcha named fresh fruit, nuts, whole grain bagels with peanut butter, pre-cut veggies and granola bars as backpack-friendly snacks to keep on hand.
""Also,"" Braun said, ""a large or high-fat meal before an exam can make you feel sluggish during the test. Try to eat moderately-sized meals that are balanced with carbs and protein.""
Another tip Braun gave is one of the oldest rules in the book: get enough sleep. Sleeping helps to both reduce stress and increase memory retention.
While regularly eating balanced meals is important, Braun also emphasized eating on a regular schedule during exam time. Specifically, students should eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking, pack a snack for mid-morning and eat lunch about four hours after breakfast.
""Plan for an afternoon snack if dinner will be more than four hours after lunch,"" she added.
Finally, studious night owls may feel the need for an evening snack. Braun cautioned that 75 percent of the day's food should be consumed before 5:00 p.m.
""Often, late-day eating reflects poorly managed hunger during the day, such as missing meals,"" she said. ""Once a meal is missed, people often feel constantly hungry in the evening and balanced 'meal' food is replaced with less nutritious and less satisfying 'junk' food.""
Many people confuse emotional with physical hunger, which may contribute to late-night eating.
""People who do not drink enough fluids often mistake thirst for hunger, and thus eat when they are really just thirsty,"" said Stremcha. ""A strategy that I use is to drink a glass of water at the first signs of hunger.""
If Stremcha is still hungry 15 to 20 minutes later, she eats a small snack.
""Your brain is the second largest energy-consuming organ in your body,"" said Braun, ""so don't be surprised if you are hungry even on days spent sitting in the library studying.""
