Proper nutrition will certainly protect your child’s brain and yours against toxins. It will also improve their mental alertness and assist memory.

To maintain mental alertness, the brain needs:

• A steady supply of oxygenated blood
• A steady supply of blood sugar (glucose)
• And between 8-12 glasses of water per day

So, what can YOU do to boost your child’s brainpower?

1 Aerobic exercise improves thinking and learning.

2. Poor airflow, stuffy and overcrowded rooms lead to under-performing results.

3. Reduce your sitting time; be active.

4. To boost alertness, eat animal protein, nuts, legumes and seeds.

5. To induce calmness and relaxation, eat some starchy carbs, starchy grains or sugary carbs.

6. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eat protein first to boost your alertness.

7. Our brains run better on a nibbling diet [ eg celery, carrot sticks, tomato slices, mushrooms, peanuts, fresh fruit, yoghurt, rice cakes, cheese, yoghurt based dips, popcorn (unsweetened)]

8. Lessen the time between eating; otherwise there is a loss of concentration and decreased alertness.

9. Take Omega 3 to regulate positive moods (salmon, tuna, sardines.)

10. Take anti-oxidants.

When these are given early in life, people stay healthier, suffer less chronic illnesses and of course live longer. [ eg prunes, raisins,blackberries, garlic, kale, spinach, broccoli, dark chocolate, raspberries]

11. Research shows that people who have high levels of B12, B6 (shellfish, chicken, fish, whole-wheat products) and folic acid (liver, mushrooms, leafy green vegetables) in their blood, performed better on memory and special copying tests.

12. Limit your salt intake.

13. Take vitamins (A, B, C, E and folic acid) These are essential for brain development, repair and maintenance.

A = liver, egg yolks, milk cheese, carrots, spinach, broccoli, red/green peppers;

C = citrus fruits, tomatoes, melons, orange juice;

E = vegetable oils, eggs, green vegetables, fruit, whole-grain cereals

14. Watch vegetable oils which contain Omega 6; these produce inflammation and cell damage in the brain.

15. Olive oil aids memory.

16. Try Ginkgo (which supports brain cells) and Ginseng (which helps your brain cells better utilize energy) and finally…

17. Learn to breathe properly. The richest blood flow is in the lower lungs so do power breathing exercises; ones where the breathing is deep and not those shallow, chest breathing types.

Ok, so you want some Bonus Tips…apply these:-

* Eat eggs in moderation.

* Limit alcohol consumption.

* Cut back on sugar, especially sucrose and fructose.

OK, It’s Time for Some Action. Here’s What I Invite You To Do NOW:

Perhaps you already do use the foods mentioned above. What have you noticed about your concentration and memory? Share your experiences and stories with us. If you do not eat these foods, or more importantly, your child’s eating habits do not include them, then I recommend that you add them.

I look forward to your comments…

When our kids discover HOW they learn, they absolutely gain more control over their lives.

They are able to demonstrate and share their strengths, boost their self-esteem, become less afraid to make mistakes and increase their capacity to solve problems in life.

OK, what can you do NOW to develop this?

1.    Tap into your child’s learning style so they become a more active and involved learner.

Identify their preferred style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic). Then discover what activities will enhance your kid’s learning style.

2.    Discover HOW smart your kids are by meeting SLIM-N-BIL.

We are ALL intelligent in some way-Spatial, Linguistic, Interpersonal, Musical, Naturalistic, Bodily, Intrapersonal and Logical.

Each intelligence can be enhanced by specific materials, activities and special outings. When you identify their dominant intelligence/s, you will learn what they like to do, what they are good at and how they learn best.

3.    Create a supportive environment which invites and entices your kids to learn…and increase their learning retention.

Every aspect of the learning environment can affect your child’s experiences…lighting, temperature, acoustics, color, décor, seating, posters, music, aroma, plants, pets and toys.

4.    Take and make effective notes with Mind Mapping strategies to enhance your child’s success.

This information tool will increase remembering what is said or read, increase understanding and help organise material. Mind maps are colorful and have lots of pictures and symbols.

The ideas are connected and excellent for memory retention.

5.    Boost you kid’s brainpower by feeding them brain foods, plenty of water and exercise.

Proper nutrition protects the brain against toxins, improves mental alertness and assists memory.
Foods such as animal protein, nuts, legumes and seeds boost alertness.

Water is central to optimal brain functioning. Aerobic exercise improves thinking and learning.

6.    Avoid and relieve stress so your child can process and retain information they need to access more readily.

Have you ever had a person’s name ‘on the tip of your tongue’? No matter how hard you try to remember, the harder it seems to become. When you stop trying and relax, the name comes to you.

By avoiding getting stressed, you are able to stop your mind from going blank. Do some relaxation techniques, listen to music or practise yoga,maybe even T’ai Chi.

7.    Get in a state of focused concentration so your kids can learn faster and easier.

Would you like your kids to learn techniques where time goes faster, they can spend more time doing other things which they really enjoy, get better results on tests, study less, get certain people off their backs and they’ll do better in school?

Then two such techniques are called SLANT and the Alpha State…tools which will help your kids to access the best state for learning.

Here’s what I invite you to do now:

1. Search ‘learning styles‘ & ‘multiple intelligences inventories‘. Complete to identify your/ your child’s preferred style and dominant intelligence/s.
2. Research and then practise relaxation techniques, SLANT and the Alpha State.
3. Eat brain foods, exercise daily and drink 6-8 glasses of water per day.
4. Research Tony Buzan and Mind Mapping.
5. Create a learning environment.

OK, It’s Let’s Talk Time…

I invite you to let us know which of these techniques you are already using with your children? Which ones are effective and have brought about change?

Leave a comment below and share what has worked..what hasn’t …You can do that, can’t you?

“Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me how to fish and I eat for a lifetime.”

Have you ever read the Aesop’s fable, “The Peasant and the Apple Tree”? The moral is that true value is sometimes hidden. Sometimes your children’s interests, their talents or their abilities are absolutely hidden … and you need to reveal them. All of us are a genius in one way or another.

OK, let’s look at 4 ways that will help you uncover those ‘hidden’ talents of your children…

1.Discover How Your Kids Learn Best

We all learn in different ways. No one way is better than the others. The three dominant learning styles we possess are visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Most often one style dominates.

Howard Gardner identified 8 different intelligences or geniuses. When kids discover HOW they are intelligent, they learn to manage their own learning and value their individual strengths. They gain more control over their lives.

Here’s what I invite you to do now:

• Research “Learning Styles” and “Multiple Intelligences” inventories.
• Complete them to discover both yours and your child’s learning style. Find out the strategies that support that style.

2. Use Color

Research shows that color is processed in that part of our brain that also stores long-term memory. When you use color to study, to take and make effective notes, your child increases their memory.

Here’s what I invite you to do now:

• Buy some colored felts. Get your kids using them when they are taking notes and making notes.
• Highlight key words in information.

3. Drink Plenty of Water – 6-8 glasses a day.

About 60% of our body is made up of water and approx. 70% of your brain. Water lessens headaches and stress, and increases concentration, focus and tiredness.

Here’s what I invite you to do now:

• Drink 6-8 glasses a day.
• Keep a container of water beside you when you are studying, especially when you are doing exams. Actually, have a drink now before you continue reading this valuable article.

4. Eat Brain Foods Throughout the Day.

Research tells us that our blood sugar cycles about every hour for teens, 45 minutes for kids, 90 minutes for adults. So, what does this mean? When your blood sugar is low, learning is difficult. Our brains require a steady flow of oxygenated blood and a steady supply of blood sugar. Proper nutrition protects the brain against toxins, improves mental alertness and assists memory.

Here’s what I invite you to do now:

• Eat brain foods every hour and include water rich foods such as lettuce and broccoli.
• Have small meals often.

When our kids know their preferred learning style and their dominant ‘intelligences’, they become more active and involved learners. Then, they are able to demonstrate and share their strengths, increase their self-esteem, become less afraid to make mistakes and increase their capacity to solve problems in life.

Remember: “Work SMARTER, not harder!”

Alright, it’s Let’s Talk time..