Snack away anxiety!

It’s no secret that our lives are busier and more hectic than ever before —a fact that’s doubling our risk of chronic stress and even full-blown anxiety! The good news: Researchers have uncovered some effortless (even fun!) new ways to restore your inner

1 Feel rosier with red-skinned peanuts

Eating 1/2 cup of red-skinned peanuts daily can help ease worries and increase relaxation in as little as four days, says researcher Dalia Saleh, PH.D. Redskinned peanuts are rich in resveratrol, the antiaging, disease-fighting antioxidant that also acts like a gentle natural antidepressant to enhance your mood when it is absorbed by brain cells. Other top sources of resveratrol include red wine and red and purple grapes.

2 KO anxiety with coconut

Taking six slow, deep sniffs of coconut essential oil can soothe edginess and anxiety in as little as one minute, studies show. Turns out that compounds in coconut’s distinctive tropical aroma relax the anxiety center of the brain!

3 Shut down stress with jiaogulan

This Ayurvedic herb is such a powerful anti-anxiety agent, just 250 mg. to 500 mg. daily helps 89% of women stay calm even on hectic days—plus it can cut your risk of stresstriggered insomnia 67%! ■ Bonus: Jiaogulan relaxes artery walls, lowering high blood pressure for 82% of people studied. ■ Important: Always check with your doctor before starting a new supplement.

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Jettison the jitters with salad

Including at least one cup of spinach, romaine or other leafy greens in your daily diet could cut your risk of anxiety 45%, reveals a study in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Greens are loaded with folate, a B vitamin that is a key building block of the mood- steadying hormone serotonin, says study coauthor Johan Eriksson, M.D.