What should you be munching on before and after you sit down to study? Here's a little food for thought!

The school year is just beginning. As the homework starts to pile up and the days feel longer, and longer, the end of the school year can seem pretty far away. If you're going to add playing sports, joining clubs, and participating in extra-curricular activities to your already hectic school schedule, you'll need to make sure your body is in tip-top shape -- especially your brain. You're going to need to stay focused and alert if you plan to pass all your classes, and filling your belly with junk food and sweets is a step in the wrong direction. Yeah, you're still young, but you need a healthy mind now more than ever. Smart, healthy eating habits help you keep a clear head. A clear head means great grades, and great grades will help you get a free ride to the college of your choice. (Something that will make you, Mom, and Dad very happy!) So what should you be munching on before and after you sit down to study? Here's a little food for thought! By Charli A. Penn

BREAKFAST

Your brain is like a brand new car. If you keep it filled with gas and take really good care of it, it will stay in excellent shape. As we're sure you've heard many times before, breakfast is, and always will be, the most important meal of the day. It's hard to resist getting those 15 extra minutes under the covers (especially when you stayed up late on the phone with your BF) but getting a chance to eat before homeroom is really important. If you want to make sure you have high energy throughout the day, you're going to want to eat foods that contain a large amount of Riboflavin (also called vitamin B2).

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