Foods to help anxiety

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Steve
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Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:35 pm
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by Steve on Thu Feb 06, 2020 2:09 pm

Foods to help anxiety

I often get stressed and then suffer with anxiety. Are there any foods that might help either lower my stress levels or help with the anxiety?
I try to eat a health diet but any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

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Lisa Irving
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Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2020 2:19 pm
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by Lisa Irving on Thu Feb 06, 2020 3:23 pm

Re: Foods to help anxiety

Hi Steve,

As you pointed out stress is a very powerful contributor, and anxiety can be exacerbated by mental/emotional triggers and unsupportive thoughts or behaviours. So working on reducing stress as much as possible would be very important measure for your long term health.

In the meantime a few things can be addressed through diet:
-- Try 100% gluten elimination for a few weeks and see if you feel any improvement. Anxiety is a very common symptom in people with gluten intolerance / sensitivity. Here is the study that has more details:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266949/
-- Check your Vit B12 levels (especially if your are following vegetarian / vegan diet). B12 deficiency can cause a number of neurological / psychiatric issues including anxiety.
More on that here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog ... itamin-b12
-- Keep your Magnesium levels optimum. Have lots of magnesium rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, whole grains. Magnesium has a calming effect on the nervous system.
-- Avoid caffeine and refined sugar / artificial sweeteners as much as possible while you are working on resolving your anxiety symptoms.
-- Aim to have regular meals in a calm and relaxed environment. Favour warm, minimally processed and freshly cooked food with good amount of healthy fats and some warming spices (e.g. ginger).
-- Make sure you are well hydrated throughout the day. Fresh peppermint tea or just hot water with some lemon is very calming.

I hope this helps!
All my best,
Lisa

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Monika Mateja
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Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2020 2:21 pm
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by Monika Mateja on Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:30 pm

Re: Foods to help anxiety

Hi Steve,

Loads of good advice by Lisa.
I would also look into gut health and fermented food and some probiotics.
We also talk about gut-brain connection and focus should be on anti-inflammatory diet. A lot of lovely plants, pulses, and whole grains and superfoods such as ginger and turmeric.

Add protein at each meal - tofu, beans, amaranth, pulses, lentils, quinoa, chickpeas;
Top Up on high fibre foods – it slows the absorption of sugar from food especially water-soluble fibre – legumes, oat bran, apples, pears and most vegetables
Don’t skip meals – aim for 4-6 hrs between meals; if you need to have a snack have nuts (walnuts are particularly good) and seeds with a piece of fruit;
Choose complex carbs - wild rice, brown pasta
Remove highly processed and sugary foods and food with added sugar.
Include Omega-3 – algae (supplements) or oily fish, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds , flaxseeds
Cut out caffeine – caffeine disrupts blood sugar balance, try alternatives herbal teas or chicory coffee
Avoid or considerably reduce alcohol

Hope this helps
Monika
Monika Mateja
Health Coach and Nutritional Chef

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... mateja.php

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