Anxiety & Diet

Anxiety and diet don’t sound like they have much in common, but are more closely linked than many of us realise.

The fact is that a healthy diet can have a massive positive impact on your anxiety levels.  Here’s the reasons why, and a simple path to improving your diet:

When we are anxious, stressed, or worried about things, many of us turn to “quick fix” solutions – things that instantly make us feel better.  We might choose to eat comfort food – i.e. a fatty or sugary snack or meal.  Some might indulge in a glass of wine or a beer.  Others may smoke cigarettes to calm themselves down.

Either way, we know that after indulging in these things, we do feel a bit better than before; we feel less anxious, stressed or worried.  And of course, the short-term symptoms of anxiety are indeed lessened by a comfort meal or a glass of wine.

But unfortunately, it causes a very real, longer-term problem.  Eating badly and/or turning to alcohol or cigarettes has the following effects:

1. it increases the likelihood of another period of anxiety occurring again soon, and

2. the anxiety or stress level will be even worse the next time around.

We explain this in more detail below, but let us make it very clear right now that a healthy diet, combined with exercise, can have a massive positive impact on your anxiety levels, not to mention on your life generally.

Be sure to read our specific food recommendations for anxiety sufferers.

We also have also included useful information regarding alcohol and anxiety.

Diet for Body and Mind

A healthier diet = a healthier body.  A healthy body is better able to process toxins, and better able to supply oxygen to your brain.  Your brain, of course, controls your anxiety levels, so it is vital to give it the best chance with a healthy diet.

Seven important ways that diet can lower anxiety:

• Tiredness can contribute substantially to our anxiety levels.  We tend to sleep much better when we are fitter and healthier, and diet plays a key part in this.  Maintaining a healthy diet will allow you to sleep better, which is one of the most natural ways to reduce your anxiety levels.
   
• The B vitamins (particularly Vitamin B12, Thiamin, and Niacin) help maintain and repair your nervous system.  A healthy nervous system is essential in order to lowering levels of anxiety and avoiding panic attacks.
   
• Complex carbohydrates help to calm the body and mind by increasing the amount of serotonin that is retained in your brain.
   
• Tryptophan is an essential amino acid which acts as a biochemical precursor for serotonin.  Seratonin has a calming effect on the body and is partially responsible for happiness levels.  Poultry, dairy foods such as milk and yoghurt, and many fruits, contain tryptophan. 
   
• Frequent, smaller portion meals will help to keep your blood-sugar levels even throughout the day, which will help keep your mood elevated.
   
• When you eat, make sure you eat slowly – and chew your food plenty of times before swallowing.
   
• It is also not recommended to try starvation or other “fad” diets, as this can actually heighten your anxiety levels.

The bottom line is:  Make sure you listen to your body when it comes to diet.  We make some suggestions as to what foods we believe to be beneficial below, but different things work for different people.  Try varying your diet from time to time, and see what works best for you.

We recommend you read our specific food recommendations for anxiety sufferers.

What to Drink

What you drink is just as important as what you eat.  Here are four guidelines for anxiety and panic attack sufferers:

• Caffeine is a stimulant that can easily increase anxiety levels.  Try to avoid caffeine wherever possible.  Herbal tea can be an enjoyable replacement in your routine – and some herbal teas contain natural relaxants (e.g. chamomile).

• Alcohol consumption should be kept to a minimum.  It dehydrates the body, making it more difficult for the body to deal with toxins, and can also lead to dependence.  Withdrawal from alcohol can lead to heightened anxiety levels.  Read more about the relationship between anxiety and alcohol.

• Sugary drinks are not recommended.  They create extreme highs and lows in blood sugar levels, which can bring about emotional imbalance and mood swings.  They can often be full of other unhealthy additives as well.

• Water is vital – the body’s hydration levels must be kept up, so that toxins can be transported out of the body, and so that cells can function and repair properly, including those in the brain.  Even slight dehydration can cause anxiety, so drink plenty of water.  Adding a few drops of lemon juice can make it a more interesting taste.

Further assistance

Of course, diet and exercise can only go so far.  There are important psychological elements too.

Anxiety disorders require proper treatment. 

If you want to stop anxiety and panic attacks for good, there is a drug-free solution that actually works, according to the consumer feedback we’ve seen:

Visit the Official ‘Panic Away’ Website to Stop Anxiety and Panic <<<

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