If you are going to take one supplement during your bar exam studies, I think it should be fish oil. Fish oil improves focus, learning, and mood. In fact, fish oil is essential for the maintenance of normal brain function throughout life.
Fish oil is important because it contains two important Omega-3 fatty acids: EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanic acid).
Approximately 25% of the human brain is composed of DHA, and without enough DHA in your brain, you may become depressed and you may not be as alert or focused as you can be. If there is not enough DHA available in your body for the brain to use to repair itself and make new brain cells, your brain will start unhealthy using saturated fat and transfatty acids do the job, making your brain cells hard and rigid.
Scientific studies back this up. One study discussed by Dr. Ray Sahelian in his book, Mind Boosters, involved a study with mice. Half of the mice were fed a regular diet with 5% palm oil while the other half of the mice were fed a regular diet containing 5% sardine oil. At the end of one year, the mice eating the diet with fish oil had more DHA in their brains. Furthermore, and this is what is important for people studying for the bar exam, the mice fed the sardine oil had brain synapses and cell membranes that were more fluid and their maze-learning ability was better than mice fed palm oil.
Fish (oil) really is brain food!
Fish oil has also been shown to calm down overactive brain signals, increasing the ability to focus, and has been shown to stabilize nerve cells. Since DHA is found in the retina of the eye, fish oil is believed to protect and even improve vision. Finally, the increased intake of fish oil has been linked with decreased depression. So taking fish oil can help improve your mood while you are studying for the bar exam.
My experience with fish oil
I have been taking one to two teaspoons of fish oil daily for about two months. I use Nordic Naturals, which is highly purified and guaranteed to be free of any contaminants, including mercury and PCBs. I have noticed that my ability to learn and recall information has improved. I seem to be able to think more clearly and I find myself getting upset less often. I truly believe in fish oil and plan to take it for the rest of my life.
If you can’t find Nordic Naturals or want to take something less expensive, try CostCo or one of the many brands you can find at Amazon. You can get fish oil in liquid or pill form.
Alternative
If you are a vegetarian or the thought of taking fish oil turns you off, you can substitute flaxseed oil, which has many of the same properties as fish oil.
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