Nutritional Therapist, Sarah Brereton on fuelling brains, boosting focus and easing stress, naturally.

This time of year brings longer evenings, hints of summer, and holidays on the horizon, but first, exams. Whether you’re sitting them yourself or supporting a family member, it can be a stressful time for the entire household. Good nutrition can make a difference on many levels: supporting energy levels, concentration, and even eye health.

Batch cook some healthy meals and stock up on nutritious snacks. Having some of the student’s favourite dinners ready to go is also important. It’s vital to get enough B vitamins to support the nervous system. Foods like broccoli, kale, and spinach are great sources. As exam days approach, getting your five-a-day becomes even more important.

“Omega-3s can improve brain function at the very simplest level, by improving blood flow,” says Dr Alex Richardson, author of They Are What You Feed Them. She places huge importance on omega- for brain health, particularly in growing children and teenagers.

As a Nutritional Therapist for the last 15 years, I completely agree – omega-3 is essential to fuel a hard-working brain! Support brain and vision health by topping up on good fats daily. I know it can be tricky to get these foods into teens, so consider introducing your student to Cleanmarine Krill Oil High Strength. It contains 590mg of concentrated, high-strength omega-3 Krill Oil, plus 10μg of vitamin D3 – 200% of your RDI in just two capsules. DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function and vision, and the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250mg.

I like these Krill Oil capsules because they don’t cause that unpleasant fishy aftertaste and they’re highly absorbable, so a little goes a long way. Cleanmarine also offers a smaller, kid-sized capsule in Cleanmarine for Kids.

Encourage the whole family to eat 2–3 portions of oily fish a week to boost everyone’s intake of essential fats. Examples include salmon, mackerel, and herring. They’re easy to prepare in oven steam parcels with garlic, lemon, and a drizzle of oil.

Omega-3s (especially EPA and DHA) also help reduce inflammation in the eyes, preventing dryness, irritation, and tiredness. They enhance the oil layer of tears, preventing excessive evaporation and that heavy, fatigued feeling. Krill oil contains a unique, naturally occurring antioxidant called astaxanthin, which further supports eye health by reducing inflammation.

After all that screen time and studying, I find natural eye compresses incredibly helpful. Use steeped black tea, lavender, chamomile, or eyebright tea bags on the eyes to soothe and relieve irritation. Leave on for 5–10 minutes in the evenings to reduce inflammation and promote relaxation.

It’s also essential to balance study with rest and relaxation. An Epsom salt bath before bed can help, as it adds extra magnesium to the body, often called the “natural tranquiliser.” Encourage downtime with relaxing music or a favourite form of movement – yoga, Pilates, football, or dance – or a much-needed mental reset.