Most people refer to simple
If you aren't refueling (eating) regularly, blood sugar can drop, causing anxiety-like symptoms and aggravating existing anxiety symptoms. Many anxious people notice their anxiety symptoms increase as the body runs low on fuel.
Poor nutrition can also cause psychological symptoms, including apathy, depression, and — unfortunately — increased anxiety. On a positive note, this suggests that restoring healthy eating habits might help assist you in recovering from anxiety.
Make these foods a part of your anti-anxiety diet
Examples include leafy greens, such as spinach and Swiss chard. Other sources include legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Foods rich in zinc such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks have been linked to lowered anxiety.
Carbohydrates are thought to increase the amount of serotonin in your brain, which has a calming effect. Eat foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains — for example, oatmeal, quinoa, whole-grain breads and whole-grain cereals.
There are also some theories that stress causes the body to digest food poorly, which in turn causes more indigestion. That may be why those that have stopped their anxiety do not experience anxiety after eating anymore.
Skipping meals releases stress hormones like cortisol to increase energy, which causes stress on the body and increases anxiety, as well as depression, diabetes and high blood pressure.
When Anxiety is a Sign of Hunger. Most people think of hunger (and fullness) as solely being felt in their stomach, but there are other ways one might experience hunger, like difficulty concentrating, fatigue, thoughts of food - and of course how could one forget hanger.
Triggers for panic attacks can include overbreathing, long periods of stress, activities that lead to intense physical reactions (for example exercise, excessive coffee drinking) and physical changes occurring after illness or a sudden change of environment.
Panic attacks can happen in other types of anxiety disorders, too. Generally, if you have 4 or more panic attacks and if you always worry about having another, you have panic disorder. Symptoms of a panic attack may include: Pounding heart.
Vitamins B9 and B12 are both thought to treat symptoms of anxiety. Folic acid has many uses in the body, and B9 deficiency has been linked to higher levels of anxiety and depression.
Magnesium reduces stress hormones in the brain to lessen anxiety, restlessness, mood swings, memory loss, depression, insomnia, and a host of other mental health issues. Magnesium limits the release of cortisol, which is the primary stress hormone, and prevents it from reaching the brain.
The best stress-relieving drinks include ginger, chamomile tea, valerian, black tea, coconut water, milk, green tea, coffee, lemon balm tea, water, and vegetable and fruit juice. Aromatherapy is another self-soothing practice shown to have benefits for mental health. You can read more about it here.
Another large study found people who drink five cups or more of water per day were at lower risk of depression and anxiety. In comparison, drinking less than two cups per day doubles the risk. This link was less noticeable for anxiety alone (although feelings of depression and anxiety often influence each other).