Anti-anxiety candy turns off worrying!
Nearly 86% of people in a new survey describe themselves as chronic worriers. Thankfully, our experts share the easy ways to silence your inner worrywart!
1 Cue soothing nutrients! Enjoy calming caramels!
Walnut-maca Caramels from Ali Miller, R. D., contain “two potent players: walnuts with omega-3s that help alleviate anxiety, and maca, a root vegetable that helps regulate the stress response.” To make: In food processor, combine 1 1/2 cups walnuts, halved and 1 tsp. sea salt. Blend into a fine meal, and a thin line of nut butter forms on the side of the container. Scrape sides of food processor; add 2 Tbs. maca powder and 1 Tbs. vanilla extract. Blend 15– 20 seconds, scrape sides again. Add 3 pitted chopped dates. Blend 20- 30 seconds. Taste and adjust, adding more dates and/or sea salt, if needed. Roll into tablespoon-sized balls. Coat with shredded coconut, if desired; refrigerate.
Sip anti-anxie-tea!
“L-theanine, an amino acid in matcha, powdered green tea, helps balance the brain’s neurotransmitters, increasing relaxing alpha brain waves and decreasing anxiety,” explains Miller. Interestingly, l-theanine also enhances focus, sharpening concentration without ratcheting up anxiety. Tip: Warm tea helps stop worrying better than iced tea by dampening the spikes in cortisol that feed anxious thoughts!
Take inositol!
“Inositol, sometimes referred to as B-8, plays a key role in cell membrane function, calming nerves,” says Miller. “It also slows down racing thoughts and elevates your mood.” One option: Now Foods, Inositol Capsules, 500 mg., $5.98, iherb.com.
2 Zap anxiety! Watch yourself worry!
Make an appointment with yourself for a specific time of day to worry for, say, 10 minutes, then worry out loud while looking in a mirror! “Hearing and seeing yourself worry engages more of your senses,” explains psychologist Dave Carbonell, PH.D. This type of “sensory fretting” helps you see the broader picture, which, in turn, helps you problem-solve and put worries into perspective. Another benefit: “The more you practice this, the better your ability to put off worrying the rest of the day will be, so anxious thoughts no longer intrude on your daily activities,” he explains.
Play Candy Crush!
“Our brains can’t concentrate on worrying while immersed in a video game because it requires us to completely focus,” notes Carbonell. Playing Candy Crush, in fact, is so diverting, it triggers a mental state of “flow” that KO’S anxiety! Don’t love video games? Anything that demands focus, such as knitting or playing solitaire, will work. Carbonell even has his patients write haikus to activate the creative side of their brain to push away worries!
Call a friend!
One of the best remedies for worrying is simply talking to a friend, says psychiatrist Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. “I have a credo I live by and urge all my patients to embrace: Never worry alone. Talking to someone you trust helps you feel more connected and less vulnerable— and one of the best ways to tame worries is by taking control.”
Make a plan!
“The passive person is the worried person,” declares Dr. Hallowell. In other words, make a plan. “It doesn’t even matter if the plan works—the act alone of taking one small step has been shown to reduce anxiety dramatically.”