Managing Anxiety Naturally.

Anxiety is among the most common mental conditions in America, with over 40 million adults with an anxiety disorder. Nearly 1 in 5 American adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year. 

We all experience a level of stress or worrying feelings when we feel the pressure that comes with life, work, having a family, studying or health issues. Normally these feelings subside as the stressor is removed. However what can happen with those who struggle with anxiety, the feelings remain and they can have a crippling effect on the person’s life. 

Professional help is always advised if you think that you’re struggling with contributing factors like nutrient deficiencies, unhealthy lifestyle choices, substance abuse and additions, traumas that have not been dealt with, grief or even feelings of low self worth. 

In conduction with professional treatment we suggest some tips below:

Avoid Substances like Drugs and Alcohol 

Parties are fun until they start to affect your everyday moods and life. Alcohol and recreational drugs contribute to an anxious state of mind, creating imbalances between the neurotransmitters and receptors in the brain 

Avoid Caffeine 

Caffeine is found in a number of products like soft drinks, tea, coffee, energy drinks and pre workout sport supplements. These are all stimulants to the body and can worsen the physical symptoms of anxiety. Caffeine increases the body’s stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, which contributes to increased heart rate and blood pressure, jittery feelings and high blood sugar levels. 

Look at Your Diet 

Nutrition really is fuel, and how you feel is affected greatly by what you consume. What you eat is the foundation of our health. There are certain nutrients, vitamins and minerals that the body needs to help maintain a healthy balance of the nervous system. Including Omega-3 fatty acids, Magnesium and B Vitamins will all help to improve symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

Anxiety can be triggered by an imbalance in different minerals, food allergies and sensitivities so doing some functional testing with a natural Dr can be a great place to start. 

Include More Exercise 

Making daily movement a priority is important, not only for your general health but it also helps with expending some of your nervous energy caused by adrenaline surges. 

Regular exercise does absolute wonders for those who struggle to fall asleep at night. Getting your heart rate up during the day helps to boost the body’s natural endorphins, which will also help you to feel better.

Find time and ways to relax and unwind 

Activities like Yoga, Meditation and Tai Chi offer great opportunities to move the body as well as relax. These activities help quiet down the monkey mind. When life gets busy or stressful it’s important to find time to create balance. We have an abundance of resources online now with free guided meditations to help you through the process if you struggle to do it on your own. Deep breathing is also a powerful natural technique to slow the mind and ease the anxiety levels when you start to feel overwhelmed. 

When you catch yourself worrying excessively, ask yourself some great questions – 

Is this actually true for me? 

What is the evidence I have to be thinking or believing this? 

How does worrying help me at this moment? Is there a better, more positive way that I can view this instead?

This can help to alleviate some of the anxious feelings you’re having and allow for more positive thoughts patterns.