Energy/Brain Boost Secrets?

So according to my surgeon I should not be drinking coffee. Another obvious one is no chocolate.

Are there any tricks or foods that you use to boost up your energy, to make your brain perk up and function at it's top capacity.

I am 3 weeks post-op and planning to take a professional certification exam in a few weeks and was hoping to pick up some pointers. Back in the old days I'd have a coffee and right before the exam eat some chocolate, but those days are over....

Extra protein is a really good boost for sure, and we need lots of it anyway! When I'm getting tired in the afternoon at wor****ep some string cheese in the office fridge and munch on one of those, and that seems to help. Nuts are good too, a small handful of cashews work well.

Water with lots of lemon in it is good, too. Maybe it's the cold (I like lots of ice) or the sourness, but it seems to perk up my brain!

Green tea has caffeine in it. I'm not sure if your doctor said no caffeine at all but if some is ok, I would have some green tea before the exam.  That's what I did before I started drinking coffee again. :-)

I am guessing that it is the caffeine more than coffee but you might ask to make sure.  Ask your surgeon if you could drink green tea or even half-caff for the exam.  Depending on how far post-op you'll be when the exam rolls around, you might be able to get away with green tea or half caff.

I get the lulls in the afternoon.  I'll eat a lean protein snack and I feel better to get past the afternoon lull in energy. 
Congrats on your surgery and good luck on your exam.

Increasing your dose of B12 a bit might help, but you need to do that ASAP because it will take a bit of time to increase your level. Getting plenty of sleep leading up to the exam will also help.

There are also external things you can do for a one-day boost: eat a snack of protein and some healthy carbs about an hour before the exam; do some light exercise (a brisk walk, even) to get your circulation going and to get the endorphins, etc. up; wash your face and hands with some cold water and get a cold drink right before the exam.  (Yes, I know the cold water thing sounds silly, but when I was in grad school I read a study that showed that the exercise and cold water tasks significantly helped with short term mental acuity!)

Lora