Food That Can Help Your Anxiety Most people know they can get prescription medication to treat anxiety, but few realize that food can be a valid form of anxiety treatment. It's true! Food is a great way to relieve anxiety in mild to extreme conditions. Anxiety is not a problem as long as there is a valid reason to be stressing out. For instance, feeling anxious for no reason all the time would be a big problem while feeling anxious before stepping on stage in front of a crowd of 500 people to sing would be normal and understandable. If you find yourself getting anxious in situations that should be enjoyable or easy, such as grocery shopping, it may be time to seek some type of anxiety treatment. Food is an easy place to start. Most people indulge in ice cream and other sugary treats when they are stressed out, but these comfort foods are really horrible options if you are battling anxiety. While sugar may make you feel better with increased energy in the short term, the drop in blood sugar that follows quickly after will contribute to even more anxiety. This obviously is not the kind of anxiety treatment you are looking for. Coffee is also not a good option for those with anxiety. There are also foods that deprive your body of essential minerals, which drops your metabolism and further contributes to anxiety. Not good! For instance, you can short your body on magnesium if you eat too much calcium. This leads to more problems with anxiety. Now, consider food options with garlic, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. While these spices are considered anxiety-inducers because they kick your metabolism into overdrive, they are also believed to help fight off stress which could be helpful. It is a well known fact that anxiety goes hand in hand with nutritional deficiencies, such as a deficiency in thiamine, or vitamin B1. This messes with the metabolism and can interfere with the nervous system. Many B vitamins are essential for proper bodily functioning. B5 aids in breaking down carbs and fats into energy while B12 and folic acid are essential for brain and nerve operations. Other minerals that must be a central component of an anxiety treatment plan include calcium, potassium, and magnesium. These nutrients work directly with the nervous system. Some people find increasing their cholesterol levels to be an effective anxiety treatment as well. Cholesterol that is too high leads to heart attack and disease, but when cholesterol is too low it can contribute to anxiety. If you want to reduce anxiety, eat a well balanced diet rich in nutrients. Go for white and pinto beans for thiamin, which is known to overcome depression and reduce stress. Leafy green vegetables are essential for riboflavin and B vitamins. Of course, fresh fruits and vegetables should always be a mainstay. You can also use tomatoes to treat anxiety, since they work with the immune system and indirectly offer some protection to the nervous system. An anxiety treatment diet should also include apples, pomegranates and pineapple since they contain histamines that fight stress. You can also use food to help lift your mood so you feel better. Try bananas for their potassium and fish or lean meats for vitamin B3 to get these benefits. If you want to eliminate anxiety you have to eliminate processed, sugary foods from your diet. Go for fruit and vegetables with fish, poultry, and lean meat instead. Make sure to keep a food diary to track your results when using food as an anxiety treatment. If food turns out to be an ineffective way to treat anxiety, consider asking a doctor for further medical advice. |