Month: March 2020

Essential Oils for Studying

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Struggling to keep up with your studies? When I say “I neeeeeeeed coffee,” I should really just say “I neeeeeed energy……that is without an energy crash.” You may wonder what could be a solution outside adding caffeine to my studies. This is when essential oils can provide some help. 

Focus is absolutely essential when it comes to retaining the information you are studying. Unfortunately, this isn’t always easy. One of the best essential oils found to promote focus and concentration is rosemary. Rosemary has an earthy aroma and contains active compounds that affect and improve the pathways of the brain responsible for focus, memory, and retention. A study was done on students that took a test which quizzed knowledge they had just learned. The students in a room scented of rosemary essential oil performed better than those in the room absent of the smell. Another essential that can provide benefits to improving memory and concentration is lavender. 

On top of lavender improving memory and concentration, lavender has shown significant calming effects.  Sometimes stress is inevitable when learning the pathway of a nerve or a complex, math equation, it can really get the best of us. To deal with the stress you need to relax, so how about adding some lavender to your study routine. Lavender can also be a great booster when energy levels run low. 

Focus can’t exist without energy and alertness. Outside of lavender, studies done with peppermint essential oil have shown effectiveness in fighting burnout and exhaustion. Aside from reducing some daytime fatigue, how can you resist the pleasant, sweet smell of peppermint?

Now about when those exam blues hit. We can admit, at least I know I can, they can hit hard when one tough exam comes after another. However, speaking the A into existence can do more wonders than you think. A positive mindset while studying, or during those tense minutes in an exam are crucial. How about the fresh juicy scent of lemon essential oil or sweet orange to create a positive mindset while relieving some of that anxiousness.

There are a couple different ways in terms of how to use essential oils. The first way is aromatherapy. This is essentially using a diffuser. The essential oil is diluted in water and released into the air. Another way to get your use is topically. Blend a few drops with a carrier oil and apply to your skin. Be careful, if not diluted properly those with sensitive skin could have a small reaction. Lastly, oftentimes essential oils are added into lotions and candles to keep the scent lasting anytime throughout your day.

Why Are Macros Important?

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Calories make up all the foods we eat (sadly so as I think about that extra brownie). Now do you know what makes up these calories? That would be macronutrients, otherwise called macros. Calories can be divided into either fats, protein, or carbohydrates. For every gram of fat there is 9 calories, while every gram of protein and carbohydrate each contains 4 calories. This explains why the serving size of peanut butter seems so small but in reality it is very calorie dense. 

For years, there have been constantly new trends in relation to macros. In the 90s there was a strong fat- free infatuation. Fat free this, fat free that, advertised everywhere. But then more research came out and it was discovered there were numerous benefits to healthy unsaturated fats such as avocados and nuts. These benefits take part in the brain, heart, and have even been shown to benefit in fat loss. Following this fat free craze, there came the Atkins diet which focused on cutting carbs. However, this approach did not necessarily provide any benefits either given the research. 

So what proportions of macros should I be eating? 

The acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR) for carbohydrates is 45-65%. This means that this percentage of your calorie intake should come from carbs. About  20 -35% of your calorie intake should come from fats while 10- 35 % should come from protein. Everyone is different and everyone has different needs. A marathon runner needs an abundance of carbs while a powerlifter needs an abundance of protein. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends that athletes get 60- 70% of their calories from carbohydrates. Therefore, if you are one that does not like to participate in much physical activity you may have a smaller ratio between the three macronutrients. 

What’s the difference between micronutrients and macronutrients? 

Our body needs a lot of macros while our body needs a very small amount of micronutrients. However, they are still very essential to a healthy diet. While macronutrients are divided into three categories. Micronutrients are divided into four categories: water soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, macrominerals, and trace minerals. 

Conclusion

While monitoring your macro content to the T may be the nutritional ideal way to ensure you are staying on track, it’s not always very practical. It doesn’t have to be hard to ensure you are consuming all three macros. Too often we wake up and grab a granola bar and apple for breakfast not realizing we are not providing yourself with any protein or fat. Without protein and fat, you are only going to become hungrier quicker due to fat and protein’s benefit of delaying gastric emptying, aka slowing digestion. On top of this, rather than simply focusing on your calorie amount and macros it should be a priority to focus on consuming foods that you know will benefit you. Yes, a donut and an avocado may have the same calorie content but which will provide you with sustained energy as well as beneficial micronutrients.