Kids are under unique stressors these days. School is far from normal and may consist of staring at a computer screen for hours on end. So…
What can we do to support our kids’ emotional health and academic achievement?
A new study suggests that part of the answer may be…
🌳 TREES 🌳
- The study looked at 450 middle schools and nearly 50,000 students in Washington State. The schools were in urban, suburban, and rural communities. They included high-income and low-income families as well as students of many different ethnicities.
🌱 Students consistently got better scores on standardized tests for both reading and math when they had more tree cover around their school 🌱
After accounting for 17 different variables that might influence a child’s academic success, you won’t believe what the researchers found…
Students consistently got better scores on standardized tests for both reading and math when they had more tree cover around their school
This information is pretty reliable, given the large sample of schools and range of conditions. It builds upon past research that has shown exposure to nature improves concentration in the classroom and decreases disruptive behavior.
What does this mean for students learning from home during the pandemic? It means they need to get outside and exposed to some greenery. It will decrease their stress, help them focus when they get back inside, and maybe even boost their grades!
What about trouble focusing?
There are key nutrients that can help with focus! Always get nutrients from fresh whole foods and when that isn’t enough there are some great kid friendly supplements that are high quality and kid approved!
Omega-3: When people talk about brain foods, fatty fish is often at the top of the list. About 60% of your brain is made of fat, and half of that fat is the omega-3 kind. Your brain uses omega-3s to build brain and nerve cells, and these fats are essential for learning and memory. Not getting enough omega-3s is linked to learning impairments, as well as depression.
Vitamin K: Broccoli is packed with powerful plant compounds including antioxidants. It’s also very high in vitamin K, delivering more than 100% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI. This fat-soluble vitamin is essential for forming sphingolipids, a type of fat that’s densely packed into brain cells.
Antioxidants: Blueberries are great for your brain. Blueberries and other deeply colored berries deliver anthocyanins, a group of plant compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Some of the antioxidants in blueberries have been found to accumulate in the brain and help improve communication between brain cells. Animal studies have shown that blueberries help improve memory and may even delay short-term memory loss.
Magnesium: Pumpkin seeds are a great nutrient dense snack that is rich is necessary minerals such as magnesium. Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and most people are deficient. Magnesium is needed for sleep, mood, concentration, healthy bones, muscles, and nerves.
Would you like more information on how to incorporate nutrients into your kids diet? Email us!
Reference
Kuo M, Klein SE, Browning M, Zaplatosch J. Greening for academic achievement: Prioritizing what to plant and where. Landscape and Urban Planning, 2021; 206: 103962
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204620314456