The Power of Foods To Ease Anxiety

Beating anxiety can be a challenging journey because it feels the anxious thoughts repeat themselves in an automated loop that’s hard to stop. Yet, it is utterly possible to control the anxiety level by choosing the right foods as part of your lifestyle.

Managing anxiety doesn’t come down to forcing yourself to relax when your amygdala is screaming ‘DANGER’! It’s about being super mindful of the things you consume on a daily basis that highly inflict anxiety escalation – like toxic chemicals, GMO crap items, and pesticides produce.

Research now shows that healthy food is one of the most essential sources for your physical and emotional fuels. Therefore, a conscious choice in what you eat can assist you tremendously with reducing stress and anxiety.

In this article, you will discover how certain types of foods can help you bolster your mental health. Check the ultimate anti-anxiety list that can contribute significantly to enhance your mood and vitality levels. You will also discover what foods and drinks you should stop buying in order to live a satisfying anxiety-free life.

How does food influence your anxiety and mood levels?

Many studies have been made about the correlation between certain types of malnutrition and mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, fatigue, and even OCD.

For example, an imbalance of blood sugar (i.e. Hypoglycemia) creates symptoms of depression, confusion, anxiety, and mood swings.

Usually, when the blood sugar level gets on the low side, you will be tempted to eat something sweet to fosters quick energy rise but that could cause negative repercussions in the long run.

You end up eating more junk food to compensate for the fatigue and anxiety you experience, which causes you to be more and more lethargic and panicky, as the days go by.

Also, certain foods trigger Histamine response that leads to excess inflammation (sometimes chronic inflammatory response) which makes you think you’re depressed, but your body is in fact – inflamed.

Histamine issues definitely skyrocket your anxiety and even mess up your hormones, so you’re becoming much more disproportionate reactive to random everyday events without knowing why you’re acting this way.

Sure thing, refined carbs give you the quick fix you need, but do they really serve you in the long run? Have they EVER helped you lower the anxiety, or the complete opposite – made it so much worse?

Here’s the thing – there are so many better options to diminish anxiety than binging on chocolate bars when the exhaustion kicks in.

Serotonin and anxiety

Your brain is nurtured by a mixture of carbohydrates, fatty acids (especially Omega 3), protein, vitamins, minerals, and water. The nerve system consists of neurotransmitters that one of them is called serotonin.

The serotonin helps regulate feelings of anxiety and sadness and therefore it has a major role in controlling anxiety and depression. The source material of the serotonin is the Amino Acid Tryptophan.

Many people do not consume enough elements that contain this Amino Acid, like, nuts, seeds, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and fish (especially wild-caught salmon).

This avoidance is preventing their brain from receiving the essential ingredients it needs for balanced functioning, including regulating anxiety and mood.

There are various options that are not only good for physical wellness, but also for neutralizing daily anxiety. Here is a detailed list of the most recommended foods that will help to get rid of anxiety:

Recommended Foods That Help With Anxiety And Stress

We mentioned earlier the Tryptophan, an important Amino Acid controls anxiety volume. Most of the examples on the list include this component and hence, do not settle just in one or two foods, but try to combine all of them together – vitamins, minerals, and proteins, because that what makes all the difference.

Seeds – Chia seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and more. Seeds contain large amounts of Iron and Omega 3, and they hold positive traits such as a prolonged feeling of satiety, contributes to increased energy, and helps the Thyroid function.

Besides, seeds contain the necessary fiber for metabolism. A healthy metabolism is a MUST for treating anxiety. Did you know that Serotonin is also present in your gut and not just in your brain? So make sure to go at least once a day to minimize anxiety.

Green vegetables – Broccoli, spinach, asparagus, cabbage, basil, sprouts, arugula, lettuce, and more. Green vegetables are rich in Vitamin B and Magnesium.

This group of vitamins is necessary for regulating the emotional system and alleviating anxiety levels. Magnesium is an essential mineral to calm the nerve and muscles system, ease anxiety, regulating blood sugar levels, and strengthening the immune system.

Wow! What a powerful mineral it is! Cacao powder also has this magical mineral, but you don’t have to buy sugary industrial chocolate. Just go to your local grocery store and look for Raw Cacao powder and add 1 tsp to your daily smoothie or chia pudding.

Fruits – Not surprisingly, fruits are also effective when it comes to decreasing anxiety and stress. Blueberries are an excellent choice since they are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants that boost the immune system. Papaya is also a great source of vitamin C, vitamin A and Folic Acid. According to research, folic acid helps to strengthen the nerve cells in the brain, so they can cope better with stress hormones that ring the anxiety bell.

Proteins – It is recommended to eat less meat and dairy products. Why? because dairy products are pretty much useless for adults. I’ve never seen in nature a mammal drinking another mammals’ dairy.

Dairy is highly inflammatory and if you’re dealing with anxiety, dairy is the last thing you need. Unfortunately, dairy supplements are full of unhealthy stuff. The best bet would be to look for a reliable oat milk brand without added sugar.

More and more studies prove, such as The China Study, that foods like beans, chickpeas, and lentils provide us with all the protein we need.

Whole grains – For those who love carbs, a reasonable dose of any whole foods, including pasta, bread, and oatmeal, in a reasonable dose, is recommended because whole foods are rich in fiber that causes slow digesting. Slow digesting, beyond its contribution to a sense of satiety, also prevents volatility in blood sugar levels, which enhances stress and anxiety. An additional advantage of whole grains is that the fiber and vitamin B inspire a feeling of relaxation.

I personally try to avoid gluten as much as possible, because, like dairy – it’s inflammatory and pretty much unnecessary. So my rule of thumb is that I don’t bring home any gluten items, but when I eat outside, I’d order a gluten dish, on occasion.

I notice that if I eat too much gluten, I get more anxious easily and my sleep is getting worse. In the end, for me, gluten is not really worth it. There are so many substitutes these days, so why not taking advantage of them?

Tea – Teas like Chamomile and Melisa nurture the central nervous system. Green tea also has advantages such as stimulating the immune system and removing toxins from the body, but it contains caffeine, so try to avoid drinking it at night.

Another awesome tea that influences anxiety is Holy Basil. I absolutely love drinking it! I’ve noticed an almost immediate shift in my mood when I sip it.

Seaweed – Seaweed has high Magnesium and vitamin B content but also has Pantothenic acid which assists in regulating Adrenal Gland function. This gland produces different hormones, including Adrenaline.

Adrenaline dictates how to deal with stress because it mainly produces anxiety states. Seaweed also contains protein, Omega 3, and Chlorophyll. They rejuvenate the hormonal system and control the metabolic rate. If you have HYPERthyroid conditions, avoid seaweed since it is loaded with Iodine.

Your Soul Matters

It is important to remember that nutrition is so much more than vitamins and minerals. Food also has a high impact on you because it is associated with pleasant memories that are related to events from the past.

There are many people who are very strict about their nutrition, including me in the past, but it seems the anxiety replaced passion and joy. Food should not be scary. There’s no reason to fear what we ingest. But we do need to take responsibility for our well-being.

I believe it’s important to dedicate a small portion, about 10%, of the things we eat to our soul.

These kinds of stuff might not nurture your brain and body with vital ingredients, but they will definitely stimulate feelings of joy and positive emotions. Avoiding crappy foods at all costs actually intensifies anxiety, when we get so worried about every little thing we put in our mouth.

Foods and drinks that increase the anxiety threshold

In the short run, industrial food might make you feel high and decrease your stress and anxiety, but when it withdraws, and it happens pretty fast, so will your vitality.

So what should you be careful about?
Caffeine, alcohol, fried food, and simple sugars like desserts and soda beverages.

If you are a coffee junkie and do not see yourself going through the day without it, try to get into a habit of drinking it twice or three times a week. Soon enough, you will notice that you feel more relaxed, less anxious, and tense. Or check out the Green Tea or Matcha options.

When I stopped drinking caffeine it felt like a nightmare the first week. I experience headaches that didn’t go away for days. Needless to say, my anxiety through the roof. But as the die-off symptoms ended, it felt like I was re-born!

Today, I don’t need an external substance to awake me. I do it myself using the necessary foods that feed my cells that are not causing any hormonal imbalances and anxiety turbulence.

The keyword here is dosage. Once you set boundaries without falling into the excuse traps such as “today is a special day”, you are on the right track.

Additional Recommendations

Besides eating the right things, there are other enjoyable ways to deal with stress during your daily routines such as massage, meditation, hot baths, and saunas, lying down, and leaning your legs on the wall for an improved bloodstream.
A little-known way, that is starting to gain momentum, is listening to Brainwave Entrainment (also known as sound therapy).

It is scientifically proven that listening to Binaural Beats and Isochronic Tones have been found greatly effective for anxiety. These special tones can balance your emotional state because they contain healing frequencies that release endorphins that calm your mind.

It is recommended to listen to brainwave entrainment up to an hour each day before sleep.

Another Solution

Food is only a partial answer to deal with stress and anxiety, but there are other effective ways to improve your life. Find out here how to overcome anxiety with my special subconscious mind programming formula.

Make Responsible Choices

Anxiety is an emotional state that you have the ability to lessen if you choose to. In addition to medication, you have the option to move past anxiety and modify habitual changes by choosing the appropriate foods as part of your routine.

Remember, every change requires practice and persistence, so if you do it enough times, it becomes an integral part of you. You can build new, empowering, neural pathway default. Even if you apply only a small portion of the things mentioned above to reduce anxiety, you will begin to feel more satisfied, healthy, and balanced.