6 Ways to Relieve Anxiety Naturally (or in Conjunction with Your Meds)
Imagine this: you’re a super smart, capable person who’s successful and dynamic. You have a great family and work life, but many mornings you wake up terrified, with a pounding heart, anxious and fearful. Sometimes, out of the blue, your throat constricts and you feel helpless; other times you can barely make it through the day without the impending feelings of doom. You may worry excessively, feel overwhelmed, and have stiff, tense muscles. If you’re feeling me in this and you've been thinking you’re crazy, you aren’t alone.
Anxiety can happen for a number of reasons - it can be acute due to a panic attack of something that it immediately happening, it can be because of past trauma that’s still causing pain, it can come up in social situations, it can be specific phobias, or it can be due to lifestyle and biochemistry.
Many medical conditions can also mimic symptoms of anxiety: thyroid disorders and other hormonal imbalances, diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, and heart conditions. Medication side effects can also be a contributing factor.
So how do you relieve it? Keep reading for 6 easy tips to help relieve anxiety naturally.
1. Include nutrient-dense, good-quality, whole foods. Diet and lifestyle play a HUGE role in helping to calm anxiety. Eating plenty of healthy protein, fats, and veggies and WITHOUT SUGAR is super important for keeping blood sugar stable throughout the day. This is key because stable blood sugar leads to overall improved mood, energy, mental focus and sleep, and fewer cravings (continued in number 2).
Foods to include:
Good quality sources of animal protein like organ meat, lamb, beef, poultry, pork
Cold-water fish like salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies
Healthy fats like coconut, avocado and avocado oil, olives and olive oil, tallow, lard, duck fat, grass-fed butter and ghee (if tolerated)
Colorful fruits and veggies
Grains (if tolerated)
Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, kombucha, yogurt (if tolerated)
Bone broths, broccoli sprouts, apple cider vinegar, sea veggies
Foods to monitor:
Gluten-containing grains (if tolerated) - preferably soaked, sprouted or fermented
Dairy products (if tolerated) - preferably raw and organic
Gluten-free grains, legumes and starchy veggies
2. Stabilize your blood sugar levels. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels create a vicious cycle. If your levels fall, you’ll have increased sugar cravings, which may lead you to eat more sugary foods (candy at 3pm, anyone?). This sets you up for another spike and drop in blood sugar levels. Plus, the more sugar you eat, the more you become depleted in various nutrients, which also doesn’t help your body control its blood sugar levels. Anxiety and mood swings come next, and because swings in blood sugar place stress on the adrenal glands (the produce high levels of cortisol during these swings), the cycle continues (stressed adrenals means worse blood sugar control).
Control your blood sugar swings by:
Avoiding sugar, processed foods, and refined foods
Eat enough protein throughout the day
Always eat breakfast and eat protein and healthy fats at breakfast
Eat three meals and two snack a day so you never get HANGRY
3. Avoid sugar, caffeine, and alcohol as much as possible. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - everything in moderation! But, if you want to get a handle on your anxiety naturally, avoiding the following foods will likely help you see a difference in the way you feel.
Foods to avoid:
Bad fats - oxidized oils that have been sitting on the shelf like canola and other vegetable oils in clear, plastic containers
Processed foods - especially those with artificial additives, preservatives, colors, and flavorings
Coffee and other sources of caffeine - caffeine is a stimulant and it elevates heart rate, increases blood flow, raises body temperature and blood sugar
Sugar, artificial sweeteners, and soda
Foods containing genetically modified ingredients
Alcohol
4. Supplement with zinc, B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D3, and omega-3s.
Zinc is involved in over 300 cellular processes in the body. It is immune-boosting as well as a modulator in protein synthesis and hormone production. Low levels of zinc are frequently associated with social anxiety, a feeling of inner tension, and bouts of depression. The highest food sources of zinc include oysters, shellfish, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and soy.
B vitamins play an important role in regulating blood sugar, depression, heart health, serotonin synthesis, and stress. Good food sources include liver, meat, turkey, whole grains, potatoes, bananas, chiles, legumes, nutritional yeast, and molasses.
Magnesium is a calming mineral that nourishes the nervous system and helps prevent anxiety, fear, nervousness, restlessness, and irritability. Taking magnesium at bedtime can also help promote restful sleep. You can do this by eating a few walnuts, taking a powdered supplement, or taking an epsom salt bath. Best food sources include dark green leafy vegetable like spinach, kale, chard, and collards; whole, unrefined grains like oats, buckwheat, millet, and quinoa; legumes, beef, chicken, fish, nuts, seeds, bananas, watermelon, figs, potatoes, and green beans.
Vitamin D3 helps to improve seasonal anxiety and depression that worsen in the winter months when our bodies can’t synthesize it from the sun. You can get vitamin D3 through food, but not a ton. Fish (like sardines), grass-fed dairy and meat, oysters, pastured eggs, shrimp/shellfish, mushrooms, and tofu will be your best options. Note: Vitamin D is fat-soluble and can build up in the liver if taken in too high of a dose. It uses calcium and vitamin K2 as cofactors so if you aren’t getting enough of those, it will contribute to the build-up. Be sure to work with your doctor and have them test your vitamin D levels every 3 months to ensure they are within a healthy range.
Omega-3s are effective at alleviating depression, anxiety and anger. In particular, EPA and DHA are important in optimal brain function and mood stabilization. They are also involved with fighting inflammation, which helps shorten recovery time from intense training. Note: EPA + DHA are often confused with ALA, the third omega-3. The body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA but the conversion rate is so low, that even non-vegans would struggle to get the required daily dose. The best sources include salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, anchovies, cod, walnuts, flaxseed, avocado, and algae.
5. Work with a medical professional to address any underlying health issues, gut imbalances, thyroid issues, or hormonal imbalances. As I’ve discussed in depth before (read this article), the gut-brain axis plays a huge role in modulating anxiety and depression. All of the neurotransmitters found in your brain are also found in your gut! If you have a hard time digesting food, a sluggish thyroid, food sensitivities, or adrenal issues, it could be helpful to work with a holistic nutritionist (right here - me!) to help you balance your systems.
6. Find a professional to work with to process your feelings. Working with a therapist to talk about the issues is super helpful, and has helped me work through many of my traumatic issues (there’s always more work to do though). Cognitive behavioral therapy helps to overcome unworkable thinking patterns and habitual behaviors, while EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) can help relieve past traumas that bring pain. Group therapy can also be helpful here, if you prefer to be around people who can relate.
Most importantly, if you need to take medication to help with your symptoms, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU! Congratulations for getting the help you need. That’s responsible and commendable! Personally, I have found the combination of meds, diet, and lifestyle to be most helpful, and I can help you do the same.
Looking to reduce anxiety symptoms naturally (or in conjunction with medication)? I can help with that. Click here to schedule your FREE Learn to Thrive Discovery Session!
Sources:
Brighten, J. (2019). Beyond the Pill. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
Bauman, E. (2016). NC101: Eating for Health. In Foundations of Nutrition Textbook (pp. 50). Penngrove, CA: Bauman College.
Lipski, E. (2013). Food is Your Best Medicine. In Digestion Connection (pp. 140-141). Emmaus, PA: Rodale, Inc.
Scott, T. (2011). The Anti-Anxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood & End Cravings. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
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