We live in the era of speed, when everything changes in the blink of an eye. We can meet the love of our life through an app, we can have food delivered at our door at 11PM, we can do our grocery shopping online and we count the calories we eat through another app. Although science has evolved so much (and we like to believe it’s in our favour), our emotional intelligence levels are still adapting to the times we’re living. We can often find ourselves overwhelmed with live, with our jobs, with our daily responsibilities. What do we do when it’s too much?
Anxiety and depression are two of the most widespread conditions of our time, and they are affecting millions of people all over the world. The symptoms are different from one person to another, for some they are temporary, but other people might find themselves in a lifelong battle with anxiety and/or depression. Medically speaking, a person who experiences symptoms for 6 months or longer may be diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Few of the symptoms include:
– tension
– excessive worry
– heart palpitations
– shortness of breath
– muscle tension
– fear
– elevated heart rate
– chest tightness
– gut problems
There are a lot of ways to approach this problem in order to find a fix. There are a sum of various therapies (such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Art Therapy, Psychoanalytic Therapy) and there are also various medications that only a specialist can prescribe, after a long investigation of the patient’s symptoms.
However, research has found that making small changes in your diet can help improve symptoms.
Here is a list of foods you can eat to help reduce anxiety.
Chamomile
Well-known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, chamomile is used by many people since ages as a herbal remedy.
Its soothing properties can help reduce anxiety. Chamomile tea is safe to be used in high doses, so you cannot feel worse if you drink too much of it.
Green tea
Green tea contains teanine, an amino acid which was proven to have visible effects against mood disorders. Teanine has calming effects and promotes the production of serotonin and dopamine which are on low levels for people suffering from anxiety and/or depression. Green tea is an excellent replacement for coffee of sodas and it’s a much healthier option.
Brazil nuts
Containing selenium, brazil nuts are a very good choice for a healthy diet. Well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties, selenium helps improve your mood. It is also anti-carcinogenic, helping prevent cancer from developing. Please note that it’s only safe to consume three to four brazil nuts per day, as the consumption of too much selenium can cause side effects.
Fish
Some fish such as salmon, sardines, trout or mackerel contain Omega 3, a fatty acid which is extremely beneficial for the cognitive function. Specialists recommend eating at least two servings of fish per week. It also contains vitamin D, which is an essential vitamin for your overall well-being.
Eggs
Apart from being an excellent source of protein, egg yolk contains vitamin D and tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that promotes serotonin creation. Serotonin is responsible with mood, behaviour, sleep and memory, and not producing enough serotonin can lead to generalised anxiety.
Dark Chocolate
There are studies that show that dark chocolate might help reduce anxiety and depression. A serving of 40 grams of dark chocolate per day was proven to reduce stress. High in tryptophan, chocolate is a great mood regulator. Chocolate also contains magnesium which is essential for your brain. One thing to be careful with: always choose an over 70% cocoa chocolate bar. The more, the better.
Studies have shown that having a diet based on highly processed foods can increase anxiety. On the other hand, having a healthy diet should help you get all the nutrients needed for healthy brain function.
Cutting on sugar, coffee and alcohol is also recommended in order to manage your anxiety. If you find it hard to replace your morning coffee with anything else, you should know there are healthy options on the market that can help you get an energy boost in order to start your day. We have found Green Elixir from ALLKME to be one of the best and healthiest choices. Made only from natural ingredients, this blend of 30 ingredients will give you the much-needed energy kick in the morning. It tastes great, even better than coffee, so no need to worry, it’s not going to be a pain to drink it.
You should also know that if your symptoms are too much to handle, we encourage you to reach out for help. A therapist can recommend what could be the steps for your recovery.
