I find myself in a peculiar situation these days. My son is preparing for his school board exams and I must confess that I am prone to some anxiety on account of his diet. Friends and colleagues in the same boat are keen to know my prescription. But disappointingly, most still want to learn about memory enhancing products that I may be giving him.This possibly explains why, in February, there is a boom in the sales of memory enhancing products. Each year I try to explain that nothing on earth has been found so far that can have the desired effect. Though ingredients in memory enhancing products do seem to play a role in preventing degenerative changes in the elderly, there is no evidence that they work on kids.First and foremost, it should be remembered that memory or recall is a complex process that is closely linked to good blood circulation and nerve health. So it is important to eat the right kind of fats as this is extremely crucial in maintaining nerve health.Avoid packaged and fried foods that contain hydrogenated fats. The ideal fat/oil for children would be one with adequate ratio of Omega 3 fatty acids. Try to use oil derived from mustard seeds, rice bran, soybean, olives, canola or sesame seeds. It will be worthwhile to slip in some nuts and seeds — watermelon and sunflower or walnuts — into salads and cereals. All this will enhance the desirable fat content of their diets.nsingh.rxpress@expressindia.com
