The Customs Broker Examination, CH 1, Part 5: Physical Techniques to Reduce Anxiety

The following is an excerpt of The Customs Broker Examination, by Scott Warren Taylor and Andrew Moxon. This book is a part of the Customs Broker Exam Preparation Course from Boskage Commerce Publications. We'll be posting a large excerpt here, with new posts every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Click here if you want to read the whole book right away.

Chapter 1: PHYSICAL PREPARATION

Part 5 : Physical Techniques to Reduce Anxiety - Diet


Notes on Diet

In addition to physical activity, one school of thought believes that diet is particularly important, and would have you blasting your system with vitamin supplements while preparing for the test. It is true that a vitamin deficiency can affect you in a variety of negative ways, both physical and mental. However, in America we live in a boundless ocean of diverse foods, and hopefully we have been taught by our mothers to adhere to a balanced diet. If you really want to add something to your diet, you might try vitamins B6, B12, niacin, and/or magnesium supplements if you are habitually nervous; B1 might help your memory; calcium is suppose to relax you, as is pantothenic acid found in rice, beans, etc. Of course you can be analyzed by a reputable nutritionist capable of diagnosing vitamin deficiencies and who can recommend a good diet and vitamin supplement program. Some find that eating too much makes them drowsy and they perform under stress slightly better if they are somewhat, though not excessively, hungry.

Summary

To summarize what you can do physically:

1. Find out how much rest you need naturally.
2. Routinize your sleeping patterns.
3. Be wary of outside demands – real or imaginary – that seem to be suddenly infringing on your sleep time.
4. Consider sleeping aids if nothing else works.
5. Begin immediately to establish a routine of physical exertion.
6. Make certain your diet is balanced.


This concludes today's excerpt from The Customs Broker Examination.