Board Exams 2018: Why Staying Hydrated During Exam Preparations Is As Important As Having A Healthy Meal

It is the exam season again. Amidst much anxiety and anticipation, CBSE Board exams kickstarted yesterday. Class 10th took their first board exam yesterday. With the return of boards this year, both class tenth students and teachers are under immense pressure. Class 12th board exams have also begun. At this point, students are busy mugging up and burning midnight oil to make sure they skip nothing important in their portion. Parents too are working extra hard to assist their child in every way they can in this stressful period. For a healthy revision, one has to take into account several factors. From diet, exercise to relaxation activities, one needs to ensure you don't tax your brain too much to be zoning out during the D-DAY.(Also Read: Beat Exam Stress: Eat Like A Scholar For Stress-Free Exams)With the pressure mounting each day, the biggest blunder you might be committing is neglecting food. Regular intake of food is not only essential for healthy mind and body balance, but a good diet can also help you strengthen your concentration power. Avoid junk food, it tends to slow you down, apart from inducing several other health consequences. Eat plenty of green vegetables and dry fruits. Fish, sprouted grains, fresh fruits also help in releasing tension. It is also advisable to have your heavier meals during the day and go light for dinner. Having heavy and greasy dinner could prove to be a tad too much on the child's digestive system. Make sure the board exam aspirant eats enough to be fuelled through the day. Hence, give energy-dense food items in short intervals throughout the day.Why Is Staying Hydrated Important?A healthy and nutritious diet during the exam season can only work its charm if you are well hydrated. Consultant Nutritionist Dr. Rupali Dutta says it is extremely important to stay hydrated at all times as dehydration is known to cause lethargy and makes you feel tired. Dr. Dutta says it is always advisable to keep a bottle of water at your table while you are preparing. You should carry one to the examination hall too, if allowed. And not just water, there are several other fluids that can help you stay hydrated - chaas, fresh nimbu pani, coconut water and kanji are some of the good fluids you can load up on.Macrobiotic nutritionist and Health practitioner Shilpa Arora says, "70 percent of our body is water. Hence it is important for the body to be well hydrated. You could drink coconut water loaded with minerals of optimum hydration. Go for fresh green juices and smoothies in between meals and avoid aerated drinks and sugary beverages like iced tea and packaged juices. Nutrients rich diet will keep the brain well nourished for students  to focus and study for long hours." While coffee might seem to be a tempting way to keep your brain alert, there are many reasons why you should particularly avoid coffee during this point. Coffee escalates your energy and makes your brain alert for a while but this hike also takes a downward trend in no time. Green tea or simple nimbu paani is a better alternative 
 Other than this, excessive intake of caffeine can upset blood sugar having a detrimental effect on your concentration level, says Dr. Dutta.Fluids aid mental alertness, concentration and prevent headaches, so make sure your diet is well balanced and has many foods that are rich in water content too. Spinach, cucumber, apricots, pineapple are some fruits and vegetables that are high on water content.Here's wishing everyone preparing for Boards 2018 good luck and health.