Foods to eat before a big test

[RLK]

At a workshop the other day, someone gave these handouts to us on test anxiety. I thought this was kind of interesting. It says...

Fresh fruits and vegetables are often recommended to reduce stress.

Stressful foods can include: processed foods, artificial sweeteners, carbonated soft drinks, chocolate, eggs, fried foods, junk foods, pork, red meat, sugar, white flour products, chips and similar snack foods, foods containing preservatives or heavy spices.

I'm not too sure if that means you're only supposed to have a banana before a 4 hour test though or what, but next time I think I'll stay away from the stressful foods anyway and see if it helps.

I got that info at this site: http://www.studygs.net/tstprp8.htm

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[highlyfavored]

At a workshop the other day, someone gave these handouts to us on test anxiety. I thought this was kind of interesting. It says...

Fresh fruits and vegetables are often recommended to reduce stress.

Stressful foods can include: processed foods, artificial sweeteners, carbonated soft drinks, chocolate, eggs, fried foods, junk foods, pork, red meat, sugar, white flour products, chips and similar snack foods, foods containing preservatives or heavy spices.

I'm not too sure if that means you're only supposed to have a banana before a 4 hour test though or what, but next time I think I'll stay away from the stressful foods anyway and see if it helps.

I got that info at this site: http://www.studygs.net/tstprp8.htm

Very helpful. thanks!

 

[bananaface]

Don't eat alot of beans.

 

[Serenity Now!!!]

Don't eat alot of beans.

You should add broccoli or milk (if you're lactose intolerant). Your fellow test-takers might not appreciate it if you do

 

[ethyl]

I was told by my anatomy prorfessor and physiology professor that eating a large meal before an exam or any size meal minutes before an exam can damage your grade. They claimed our parasympathetic system starts to take over.. taking blood from your brain to your gut. Sounded like bs to me, but I don't take the chance.

 

[Plowi]

Guys. I would recommend eating something like oatmeal and having chamomile tea (relaxing) for your breakfast. Do not eat a lot because the blood will go from your brain to your digestion, not a good thing when you gots to think. Id recommend drinking water early instead of right before you go in. Gluck.

Oh and correct me if Im wrong, but foods like white bread and sugary breakfasts make you more tired than something like oatmeal or whole grain cereal because simple carbs are digested faster? hmmm...

 

[Serenity Now!!!]

I was told by my anatomy prorfessor and physiology professor that eating a large meal before an exam or any size meal minutes before an exam can damage your grade. They claimed our parasympathetic system starts to take over.. taking blood from your brain to your gut. Sounded like bs to me, but I don't take the chance.

Yeah, they call that the "ITIS"

 

[Nikki2002]

powerbars and gatorade. yummy yum

 

[ethyl]

I try not to eat anything before a big test... because my stomach will grumble and make the most horrible noises during the test taking silence.

 

[BiOGoly]

Eat a light meal, stay away from high sugar or high fat foods (or anything that might give you heartburn or irritate your stomach). I read somewhere that a meal of eggs toast and a small coffee were determined to have a small but statistically significant positive effect on test taking. Something about the protein in the eggs and a little caffeine for alertness. I think there might be something to that, but then again... just don't over do the coffee!

 

[calrx]

I was told by my anatomy prorfessor and physiology professor that eating a large meal before an exam or any size meal minutes before an exam can damage your grade. They claimed our parasympathetic system starts to take over.. taking blood from your brain to your gut. Sounded like bs to me, but I don't take the chance.

I'm going to blame my low Math and Chem PCAT scores on the fact that I ate a big granola bar during the 10 minute break!

 

[nerdystar]

Yeah, they call that the "ITIS"

ha-ha

I'd never heard anyone beside my boyfriend call getting sleepy after you eat "The Itis" until now. That's funny.

 

[peteRx]

Do not eat a lot because the blood will go from your brain to your digestion

It kind of scares me that people who are future pharmacists actually think the brain receives less blood during digestion.

 

[Bananay]

It is always interesting to know how food affect our body and mind. but does anyone know anything about supplements such as Focus Factor or One-A-Day memory and concentration pills? I took one-a-day memory and concentration pills before and i did well on my classes test on average of 90s. but before i took the pills my average was in the low 70s. however, One-A-Day memory and concentration pills are not in the market anymore. Can you guys comment on this topic?

 

[ethyl]

I'd also like to know if any healthy pre-med or pharm students did better on exams from taking Aricept (or any other cholinesterase inhibitors) for a few months.

 

[BiOGoly]

does anyone know anything about supplements such as Focus Factor or One-A-Day memory and concentration pills? I took one-a-day memory and concentration pills before and i did well on my classes test on average of 90s. but before i took the pills my average was in the low 70s.

Bah, Focus Factor? Don't waste your money. But let me tell ya, I've got the REAL deal. An all natural, organic, herbal, homeopathic, holistic supplement I was recently introduced to in an informative email...it's called Sucrosa®.

​

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/39082

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I'd also like to know if any healthy pre-med or pharm students did better on exams from taking Aricept (or any other cholinesterase inhibitors) for a few months.

People really do this? Aricept is so expensive! What about side effects for non-demented users?

 

[Bananay]

I'd also like to know if any healthy pre-med or pharm students did better on exams from taking Aricept (or any other cholinesterase inhibitors) for a few months.

oh, that is really extreme, i don't no why any healthy person would want to do that anyway.

 

[MAXHARDC]

Sucrosa LOL oh man. As we are on "brain stimulants" this all reminds me of my early days of nootropic experimentation. But all in all...

Caffeine works damn well to increase my focus and it's cheap as crap. Add some tyrosine and you can power through a 2 hour weight workout after spending 4 hours that day skating in the sun.

I still fail to undestand the fascination with these products among young, otherwise healthy individuals. Then again, I went through my phase back in college (first run of the smart drugs craze) so maybe I do....

I haven't looked at this stuff in a while. Generally what I recall seeing was that, in folks with impairments, the stuff worked great.

Whether it does much in otherwise 'healthy' folks is debatable.

Like just about every other drug out there: does wonderful things if you have a defect, not so much if you're fine to begin with. Think about ALA and insulin sensitivity for example.

I did DMAE + choline back in college and damn if I didn't feel energized, more focused etc. at the 6 week mark. Of course, having read that that's what was to be expected, maybe I just felt what I was expecting.

Ethyl, just this last week there was an article in Lancet about Aricept ( another alz treatment), the first not funded by the manufacturer. It turns out that Aricept doesn't work, at least alone; but, when combined with memantine, they do great.

Max

 

[ethyl]

I know a doctor that has a surplus of Aricept samples. She took them for a few months and had noticable improvement in memory... remembering detailed numbers from patient records, names and all that jazz. The adverse side effects are mild and rare and there aren't any real contraindications. I've contemplated taking it for a few months too but I think I'll give gingko a try.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Ethyl, just this last week there was an article in Lancet about Aricept ( another alz treatment), the first not funded by the manufacturer. It turns out that Aricept doesn't work, at least alone; but, when combined with memantine, they do great.

Max

This topic interests me greatly because my husband's father is on both of these. No one has been able to give us a good answer as far as how to exactly evaluate the efficacy of these drugs.

Alzheimer's is progressive, and these drugs are supposed to slow down the decline, but not stop it. FIL has continued to decline while on the medication, but you expect that. The question is, how do we know the impact of the drug if we don't know how much he would have declined without them?

 

[MAXHARDC]

This topic interests me greatly because my husband's father is on both of these. No one has been able to give us a good answer as far as how to exactly evaluate the efficacy of these drugs.

Alzheimer's is progressive, and these drugs are supposed to slow down the decline, but not stop it. FIL has continued to decline while on the medication, but you expect that. The question is, how do we know the impact of the drug if we don't know how much he would have declined without them?

In my training it has been stressed that it is essential to keep up continuous medication lest the deteriation will accelerate to quickly reach a stage comparable to that of untreated patients. Might it be the case that this repeated washout protocol in a way "ensured" the mediocre findings? Was it wished for? Perhaps it also contributed to the extensive dropping out - if patients and their carers actually feared discontinuity of medication? If the study had been funded by the pharmacological industry, would they have allowed such washout periods? With what rationale were they necessary for this study?

I have during the years had a rather pragmatic view of the cholinesterase inhibitors. They are better than nothing but the effects are modest, and they are expensive.

Max

 

[MAXHARDC]

Ethyl,

Are you looking for long term memory drugs, or short term CNS drugs to keep you focused?

Max

 

[All4MyDaughter]

In my training it has been stressed that it is essential to keep up continuous medication lest the deteriation will accelerate to quickly reach a stage comparable to that of untreated patients. Might it be the case that this repeated washout protocol in a way "ensured" the mediocre findings? Was it wished for? Perhaps it also contributed to the extensive dropping out - if patients and their carers actually feared discontinuity of medication? If the study had been funded by the pharmacological industry, would they have allowed such washout periods? With what rationale were they necessary for this study?

I have during the years had a rather pragmatic view of the cholinesterase inhibitors. They are better than nothing but the effects are modest, and they are expensive.

Max

I agree. Now that he's on them he needs to stay on them, even if they don't seem to be working all that well. The price tag for Aricept and Namenda together tops $350. He is also on other expensive meds as well.

 

[Crazy_Norwegian]

I had orange juice and a snickers bar before I took my PCAT...*real healthy*

 

[evamm]

have you tried a coke with chocolates and a cup of coffee??
you can add a red bull if you want hehehe You will see the results

 

[MAXHARDC]

have you tried a coke with chocolates and a cup of coffee??
you can add a red bull if you want hehehe You will see the results

Hopefully during the exam, and not in the bowl