Isn’t diet a confusing thing? Add the fact that people who suffer from chronic anxiety and panic disorder have difficulty getting through a day filled with over worry and panic, and you’ve got a person stuck in constant confusion and frustration on how to deal with their anxiety. Many researchers have proven the positive connections between consuming the proper foods, and combating anxiety naturally. So let’s get to the top 10 anti anxiety foods on the planet you must add to your diet consistently to combat chronic anxiety:
10) Sushi – Don’t like fish? Well it’s time to turn that ship around starting today! Sushi is loaded with stress relieving properties such as magnesium and vitamin B2 just to name a few. Time to take your loved one out for a night of sushi!
9) Blueberries – These little blue guys are loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C, which are both incredible stress busters and will help with dealing with anxiety. Best advice I can give you is to throw some blueberries into your morning shake, sit back, and reap the benefits.
8) Greek Yogurt – Get some plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt if you want to lower your blood pressure and get a great big dose of vitamins B6 and B12. Greek yogurt also contains magnesium and calcium all great anxiety fighters. Opa!
7) Almonds – OK, you have no excuses when it comes to eating almonds. The best thing I did as I worked on ending my own 6-year struggle with panic and anxiety was to replace my bag a day potato chip eating habit, with a handful of almonds in my pocket everyday. Go raw over roasted almonds and avoid the salted versions as sodium contributes to high blood pressure, which escalates feelings of panic and anxiety quickly.
6) Peppermint Tea – I can add teas to the list of anxiety fighter’s right? Talking purely from experience here, I found peppermint tea to be better for anxiety then chamomile tea and helped me keep my focus for longer periods, as well as kept my performance up (in every way possible). The scent of it, the taste of it, everything that comes with peppermint tea is awesome. If you feel that caffeine in tea doesn’t work well for dealing with your anxiety, you can always get the caffeine-free version. Time for a cup-o-tea!
5) Oatmeal – Depleted Serotonin levels can increase anxiety levels and keep you agitated for long periods of time, that’s where oatmeal comes in. Eating foods rich in fiber (whole grain carbohydrates) will get a steady flow of serotonin working for you. Other rich in fiber carbs to keep in mind are quinoa, and whole wheat bread.
4) Turkey – Thanksgiving Day should be the best day for anyone suffering from panic and constant anxiety. Why you may ask? Turkey contains an essential amino acid known as tryptophan, which eases anxiety and calms the mind. Think back to those days when you felt ‘nappy’ after a big turkey dinner, that’s the tryptophan talking.
3) Beets – Time to get that old juicer out and start making some fresh beet juice! With the amazing anti-inflammatory properties that come with fresh beet juice, you can’t afford not to make this the #1 juicing vegetable for your mind and body, as you work towards stopping your anxiety naturally.
2) Ginger – Hate eating ginger by itself? Throw it in your blender with blueberries and some leafy greens! Ginger contains an antioxidant called Gingerol, which gets rid of those bad chemicals roaming around your body that usually leads to mental and physical stress and anxiety. Still don’t want to throw it in your blender to make juice out of it? Fine, there are many herbal teas that ginger is diffused in. Gingerize yourself to help stop anxiety naturally.
1) Broccoli – Time to re train those yucky memories of broccoli from when you were a kid. Broccoli is absolutely packed with vitamins that include stress and anxiety fighting essential B vitamins, and folic acid (a family member for B vitamins). If you’re looking to relieve anxiety and stress and even send away any of those depressive symptoms you may be having, it’s time to regularly add broccoli to your diet.
You may be thinking, how can I possibly add all these foods to my anti anxiety diet all of a sudden. That’s where planning and patience comes in. The great thing is you don’t need loads of each and every anti anxiety food to feel the benefits, small amounts of daily intake will make a huge difference in the short tern, and your mind and body will thank you for it.
