Food and anxiety:
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- May 2, 2019
- 2 min read
Here are the Foods that Help (and Hurt) Anxiety
Unfortunately, drugs dont always relief anxiety and may result in unpleasant side effects.
Because of the mind-gut connection, the foods we consume can actually affect our mental wellness on a very basic level. So you can improve anxiety by changing your eating habits.
ANXIETY: FOODS TO AVOID
Food you need to avoid are processed foods, refined sugar, white carbs, alcohol, and especially stimulants, like caffeine.
Moreover, gluten or dairy you are sensitive to them. You don’t want to consume anything that will increase stress hormones, inflammation or blood sugar.
The way you eat matters, too. Don’t skip meals, as that can just further stress out your body.
Get plenty of sleep and take a bioavailable multivitamin to give your body all the tools it needs to recenter. Be extra nice to yourself.
FOODS THAT HELP ANXIETY
If you’re looking for a few extra powerful, science-backed foods to add into your diet, try these natural anxiety-fighters.
Raw Cacao
You can thank magnesium, which raw cacao is loaded with.
Magnesium is a crucial mineral for relaxation, but stress depletes the body’s stores rather quickly. Two tablespoons of raw cacao powder is packed with around 25 percent of your recommended daily allowance. Add this into your smoothies for a delicious and superfood treat!
Other sources are legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Turmeric
Not only do turmeric’s powerful phytochemicals do a stellar job of counteracting inflammation, but turmeric can help balance the chronically activated stress response that is associated with anxiety.
Supplements of curcumin extract will be the most therapeutic source, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to enjoy a golden latte once in a while, either.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha regulates cortisol production over time, which makes you less prone to overwhelming stress and anxiety in the future.
Enjoy this powdered root in smoothies, tonics, or superfood coffees/hot chocolates.
Reishi Mushroom
Reishi acts as a rejuvenating tonic for adrenals. Healthy, unstressed adrenals are crucial, as they play a major role in the development of anxiety.
Reishi also supports healthy blood sugar by regulating the enzyme responsible for breaking starches down into sugars, which further de-stresses the body.
Four Sigmatic makes some great mushroom coffees and elixirs that you can add to your daily relaxation ritual.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 is brain-fat fueling. You can enjoy spinach, walnuts and flax oil or taking a quality omega-3 supplement. These foods go a long way towards promoting a balanced noggin.
Anxiety has been linked to low level of antioxidants so make sure to increase your intake of berries and greens.
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