College Survival Guide – We have had great success in keeping students well when going off to school. While many things are hard to avoid, following some simple tips can make a huge difference.
Dorm refrigerator stock list: | College Survival Guide
- Yogurt (cow or goat)
- Kefir (cow or goat)
- Kombucha
- Hummus
- Guacamole
- Carrots
- Almonds
- Sunflower seeds
- Walnuts
- Apples (stay fresh the longest)
Cafeteria Dining: | College Survival Guide
- For breakfast, choose eggs, fruit, toast and yogurt when available. Avoid high sugar options like cold cereals and pastries.
- Choose soups, salads and sandwiches when available
- When choosing pasta and pizza, try to choose non-white flour options
Immune System check list: | College Survival Guide
- Spend 20-30 minutes outside in the sun for adequate vitamin D levels: Vitamin D helps prevent depression and illness
- Exercise daily when possible: find activities you enjoy or use the gym
- Time management for stress prevention
- Studying early in the morning and going to sleep early verses studying late at night will give better sleep, lower stress levels and higher immunity
- Daily consumption of yogurt, kefir, Kombucha or supplemental probiotics to protect against staphylococcus, mono and Epstein Barr
- Aim for two pieces of fruit each day
- Aim for vegetables with 2 of your meals
- Daily use of B-Complex and vitamin C, and keep elderberry syrup on hand if you start to get a cold
- Sugar will lower immunity
- Alcohol: Choose dark beers, red wine and high quality hard alcohol. There are health benefits to alcohol, but it doesn’t come from binging on the cheap stuff. Trying to avoid a hangover? Stick with Vodka or Tequila (both with lime) and make sure to drink water in between drinks.
- “Sorry, I missed that last tip and I’m hungover. What do I do?” Drink coconut water, have a meal with some fat and take extra B-complex.
How to Increase Mental Stamina | College Survival Guide
Treat studying like a mental workout. Your body begins to require a constant supply of glucose to focus. Eat at consistent times with good sources of protein at each meal, keep snacks and water or electrolyte drinks on hand. If you are needing help with stress, concentration and increasing mental stamina, consider the herb Rhodiola Rosea. In multiple double-blind, placebo controlled trials, Rhodiola Rosea enhanced learning, prevented mental fatigue, reduced errors and improved the quality of work produced. 1,2 Phytoadaptogens are a class of herbs which increase the capacity to adapt to stressful conditions and which have been used medicinally since the 1960’s in the for- mer USSR. The most extensively researched are Aralia mandschurica, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Rhodiola rosea and Schizandra chinensis (Wagner et al., 1994; Brekhman and Dardymov, 1969). Of these, Rhodiola rosea has the most pronounced effect on mental fatigue during stress and strain (Saratikov et al., 1987), al- though all of them have some effect on mental and physical work capacity against a background of fatigue and stress.
Test Anxiety and Depression | College Survival Guide
Studies have shown that the herb Ashwagandha has demonstrated the ability to relieve stress, protect brain cells, and to be as effective as some tranquilizers and antidepressant drugs without the side effects. In one study, oral administration of ashwagandha for five days suggested anxiety-relief similar to those achieved by the anti-anxiety drug Ativan and antidepressant effects similar to the antidepressant drug Tofranil.3
We recommend Cortisol Calm by Pure Encapsulations which also contains Rhodiola Rosea.
Sources
1. Darbinyan, V. et al. Rhodiola Rosea in Stress Reduced Fatigue-A Double Blind Cross-Over Study of A Standardized Extract SHR-5 with a Repeated Low-Dose Regimen on the Mental Performance of Healthy Physicians during NIght Duty,” Phytomedicine 7, no. 5 (2000): 365-71.
2. Spasov, A. A., et al., “A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study of the Stimulating and Adaptogenic Effect of Rhodiola Rosea SHR-5 Extract on the Fatigue of Students Caused by Stress during an Examination Period with a Repeated Low-Dose Regimen,” Phytomedicine 7, no. f2 (2000): 76-78.
3.Bhattacharya SK, Bhattacharya A, Sairam K, Ghosal S. Anxiolytic-antidepressant activity of Withania somnifera glycowithanolides: an experimental study. Phytomedicine. 2000 Dec;7(6):463-9.
