76 <strong>Style</strong> Teen | Wellbeing Levelling up Omega 3, obtained from food or supplements, is important for helping us to study and learn effectively and also helps to reduce the incidence of depression. Adequate omega 3 levels also improve skin health and support healthy reproductive hormones. There are hundreds of studies supporting the use of omega 3 fish oil supplements for children with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia and ADHD. • Food sources include: sardines, salmon, walnuts, pecans, hemp seeds, chia seeds, algae. • A 140g salmon fillet each week would meet the recommended requirements for a developing teenage brain. The wonder of exercise The Sport New Zealand Active NZ Survey 2019 found that only seven per cent of five to 17 year olds met the Ministry of Health guidelines of at least one hour of moderate-to-vigorous activity a day. Dr John J. Ratey has written a wonderful book, Spark, about his research findings on the effects of exercise on high school-age students. The students had to do moderate-to-high intensity exercise before school each day for a year. He found that those with higher physical fitness had higher test scores, with better attention, working memory and processing speed. Plus, the incidence of physical altercations dropped by 95 per cent over the school year. Exercise improves neuroplasticity of the brain so aids learning, mood, energy, immunity, quality of sleep and overall wellbeing. Ironing out anaemia Anaemia is common for all females, but often first appears in the teen years. It can be from heavy blood loss during menstruation, as well as poor absorption and/or poor intake of iron-rich foods. Iron deficiency results in fatigue, pale skin, poor concentration, dark circles under the eyes, muscle weakness, broken bones, frequent infections and/ or irritability. • Healthy gut bacteria are critical for iron absorption, so probiotics and lactoferrin greatly enhance this. A naturopath can recommend appropriate products and dosages for these. • Some iron-containing foods (from highest to lowest) include: paua, mussels, lamb and beef liver and kidneys, red meat, egg, tofu, figs, pumpkin seeds, marmite, molasses. • The Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for teen girls is 15mg (e.g. 1 cup broccoli, <strong>10</strong>0g beef and two paua fritters); for teen boys it is <strong>10</strong>mg. Deanna Copland is a naturopath and nutritionist whose favourite cuisine is Asian fusion. She is happiest outdoors, exploring Central Otago with her family.
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