Sharpen your mind and get more energy for the new term, whether you’re at school or work!
- Improve your concentration
- Stay energised all day
- Forget brain fog
- Learn how to support your body during stress
- Stay active even when you’re desk-bound
- Get proper sleep to boost memory and learning
MORNING
Set up for the day the best way with a super breakfast that will support your immune system (to protect against back-to-school/office bugs) and keep up your energy.
Your kids’ breakfasts are especially important because their schedules mean they eat earlier in the evenings (so skipping breakkie would mean a much longer period without eating), they tend to need to keep going for longer stretches, and also they don’t snack at their desks like the grown-ups!
Back-to-School Breakfasts
- For steady energy, include protein foods such as nuts in granola, tahini in quinoa porridge, and Greek yoghurt with fruit.
- Feed the brain with fats - use coconut oil in buckwheat porridge, cook up some eggs, peel an avocado, or even plate up some smoked fish.
- If toast is a favourite, switch to gluten-free (try making the one found in our Magical Book of Superfoods - free recipe ebook). Almond butter, mashed avocado and eggs are all great toppings.
- Smoothies are an easy and fun way to pack in the nutrients, you can’t go wrong with some banana, avocado, spinach, ground almonds or nut butter, and your choice of plant milk/water.
- OB Tip: Add Organic Burst Spirulina that contains Vitamins B6, B12 and iron for immune system support. The back-to-school period is notorious for spreading infections.
- Make a gluten-free pancake batter the night before with buckwheat flour, eggs and a splash of almond milk, so you’re set and ready to go in the AM!
- Avoid commercial ‘kids’ cereals, which are packed with sugar and refined carbohydrates. The vitamins and minerals in these are artificially added synthetic compounds. Go for naturally nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds for breakfast instead.
“Feed the brain with fats in the mornings: coconut oil in buckwheat porridge, eggs, avocado.”
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Think Twice About Coffee
Coffee is a great way to get focus for some people, but if you eat processed foods, you’re under stress or you know it always gives you the jitters, then try our cappuccino alternative with Organic Burst Maca that boosts your energy without dehydrating or depleting your body of nutrients.
Mix 1tsp Organic Burst Maca with warm nut milk (froth up if you have a whisk) and a squeeze of rice malt syrup, for more sweetness.
Another important benefit of Organic Burst Maca is that it can help you adapt to outside pressures – so you don’t flip out (!) by nourishing the hypothalamus, your gland that controls stress hormones.
Another favorite alternative of ours is a Wheatgrass Latte, which is powerfully energzing, alkalising and helps curb cravings too. Our wheatgrass tastes really nice and a little sweet (thanks to the amazing cultivation techniques used by our farm in New Zealand). Simply mix 1 teaspoon in a plant milk of your choice (we love it hot or cold).
>> Read on to get tips on mental clarity and how to exercise at your desk...
DURING THE DAY
What you eat and drink, as well as how you move, through the day have a massive impact on concentration and a clear mind.
Sharpen Your Mind
- Clever snacking means eating foods that contain protein and/or fats to keep you going longer.
- One of our favourite snacks that helps keep us fuller for longer and aid concentration is a Chia Pudding. Organic Burst Chia is rich in good fats, complete protein and amazing soluble fiber.
- Stay sharp with Organic Burst Spirulina, a brilliant source of iron for brain function, plus it contains 60-70% complete and absorbable protein. Take 1tsp in a smoothie, a glass of lemon water or make some super-easy spirulina truffles, kids love them too!
- Sometimes a foggy head is the result of an overload of toxins, try Organic Burst Chlorella to cleanse heavy metals, pesticides, alcohol and other toxins from the body. Mix 1tsp with a glass of water with lemon juice or take x4 easy-swallow tablets.
- Balance your energy levels by avoiding sugars and fast release carbohydrates. This means dodging the ‘healthy’ jacket potato and pasta salad for lunch, plus the biscuits, sweets, pastries and chocolates.
- Stress can also disrupt your energy levels – think about the burst of adrenalin you get before a meeting or exam and how exhausted you feel afterwards – So stay away from sugar, caffeine and alcohol, nourish with protein and B Vitamins (in Organic Burst Spirulina) to feel balanced.
Stay Active
Sitting is the new smoking! According to experts, we are sitting ourselves to death and the sedentary lifestyle is literally shortening our lives!
On a day-to-day basis, sitting can cause backache, posture problems, weight gain and less oxygen to your cells – this makes you yawn and reduces concentration.
Here are our tips on including more movement in your everyday life, especially if you sit at a desk all day.
"Deskercise" tips:
- Stand up and stretch at regular intervals. Standing around may not feel like a workout, but it’s much better than being seated all the time. You could set an alarm to remind you to get up every 15-20 minutes, or even download an app on your screen to give you 'stand up' alerts!
- When you’ve completed a task, get up and hit the stairs, do a couple of flights before returning to your seat.
- Shoulder shrugs are fantastic when you’re getting a stress headache, simply raise your shoulders up to your ears, hold for 2 seconds and let them drop with an outward breath. Repeat 5-10 times.
- If you have a little privacy at your desk, you could do a few squats, or hold a squat while thinking, or even on a conference call.
- Try using your desk for some triceps dips and push-ups (encourage your colleagues to join you, so you don’t feel stupid).
“Try shoulder shrugs when you’re getting a stress headache: shrug, hold 2 seconds and drop”
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NIGHT
Sleep is the missing link for many people’s health, especially if your immune system is suffering, you’re stressed or your struggling to concentrate. At this time of year, when we’re launching into a new term, or into new projects, you may need to adjust your routine to ensure you’re sleeping enough.
Sleep tips
- The nights are getting darker (for everyone in the northern hemisphere anyway), so try to go to bed an hour earlier. The optimal time for adults to get to bed is by 10.30pm as this gives your body more time to detox and rejuvenate. Remember kids need more sleep.
- To help you unwind, run a bath with Epsom salts, magnesium flakes and lavender oil – this is a good recipe for children too.
- Sleep is also very important for the memory and learning functions of the brain, so if you’re studying or have some facts to memorise, read them before you go to sleep and they’ll stick in your mind. Get your kids to go through their spellings just before bedtime!
- Get all our OB tips on improving your sleep, including what foods to eat and those to avoid here.
Let’s have a happy and healthy Autumn term!