Nutrition

Anxiety and seven diet and lifestyle strategies to feel calm and in control.

Seven diet and lifestyle strategies to ease anxiety and find calm.

Anxiety is a natural response to stress, keeping us safe and alert. However, when it is out of control it can impact the quality of our lives. Implementing these seven lifestyle strategies can help support healthy levels of anxiety, so you’ll feel calmer and more in control.

1. Breathe

I know, you already are… But many of us are stuck in a stressed breathing pattern. By changing the way we breathe we are able to tap into our nervous system and tell our bodies that we are safe, which helps reduce anxiety. Focus on breathing into your stomach (diaphragmatic breathing), inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four and repeat.

2. Mindfulness

Mindfulness is being aware of the experience that you are currently having. Meditation is a tool that can increase mindfulness. Research shows that both can be useful for those suffering from anxiety. Apps such as Insight Timer can assist with finding a practice that feels good to you.

3. Make friends with decaf

Your morning coffee could be contributing to your anxiety. In one study looking at caffeine consumption in persons diagnosed with various anxiety disorders; the researchers found they could induce a panic attack in a large percentage of the participants just by giving them the equivalent of two and a half coffees. Caffeine artificially raises our main stress hormone, cortisol. And if anxiety is a natural response to stress, more caffeine equals more stress equals more anxiety. Swap out the regular coffee for decaf coffee or turmeric lattes.

4. Relax

Often drinking alcohol will reduce anxiety… Until tomorrow, when it rebounds higher. We can then get into a cycle of self-medicating with alcohol as a strategy to reduce anxiety. Relaxing is important so finding ways to relax without alcohol can be beneficial.

5. Look after your gut!

There is much research on the impact of gut health on physical and mental health. The research on gut health and anxiety is focused on specific species of beneficial bacteria that mainly reside within our large intestine. Look for a probiotic that contains Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus rhamnosus to support anxiety via your gut.

6. Support your body with micronutrients

There’s a number of key micronutrients such as magnesium, zinc and vitamin C, which research shows to be supportive of anxiety. And when it comes to mental health in general, micronutrients taken in a high-strength multi form is significantly beneficial. So while taking individual nutrients is beneficial, I’d recommend making sure you get everything you need by taking the highestquality multivitamin you can find.

7. Use herbs to feel calm and in control

Kava is fast becoming one of the most researched herbs for anxiety. Most research shows that specific kava extracts standardised to 70 per cent kavalactones are superior to placebo for relieving symptoms of non-psychotic anxiety so look for those amounts in a product. Another well-researched herb is passion flower.