How do you Cope with Natural Anxiety?
Anxiety usually refers to a perpetual state of worry or fear which can either be mild or severe. This fear can be intense, persistent and excessive most of the time, about everyday situations. The symptoms of the same include rapid breathing, escalated heartbeats, sweating and sometimes a feeling of exhaustion as well. Do you feel anxious prior to taking an exam or before giving a public speech? All these are pretty much normal and do not indicate an underlying disease. However, people whose anxiety tend to control and affect their lives on a regular basis can be hazardous. It leads to several conditions such as panic attacks and social anxiety disorders or social phobia. These are categorized under GAD, better known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
People with generalized anxiety disorder often struggle to remember the last time they had felt relaxed. It results in several psychological and physical symptoms such as trouble in sleeping or concentrating on work, constant heart palpitations followed by dizziness and a feeling of restlessness.
The Choice of a Perfect Diet: Natural Anxiety Coping
Even though medication is important in acute conditions, the best and most healthy way to cope with anxiety is naturally. The several strategies for natural anxiety coping are exercising, deep breathing and most importantly, following a good diet.
Given below are few science-backed foods and beverages which help alleviate the intensity of symptoms and provide anxiety relief:
Salmon - This nutritious fish contains all the nutrients required for promoting brain health. The nutrients include vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids regulate the dopamine and serotonin in our brain which has innate calming and relaxing properties. In addition, studies have proven that fatty acids bring down inflammation and also prevent brain cell dysfunctions which cause the development of mental disorders such as anxiety.
Chamomile - Are you a beverage person? If your answer is affirmative then you will be amazed to know that chamomile tea contains antioxidant properties and herbs which are known for reducing anxiety. These antioxidants alleviate inflammations in the brain, thereby decreasing the chances of anxiety disorders. It has been diagnosed that sufferers of GAD who consume chamomile extracts have experienced a significantly greater reduction in symptoms than people who have not.
Turmeric - Turmeric is one of those rarest spices known for treating several health issues and not only anxiety. Curcumin, a compound found in turmeric is known for promoting good brain health and getting rid of anxiety disorders. This is because curcumin boosts the omega-3 fatty acids in the brain by initiating your body to synthesize it with more efficiency. Apart from that, curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties which have been shown to get rid of several damages in the brain cells.
Dark chocolate - Dark chocolate consumption increases the antioxidant levels which tend to be quite low in individuals suffering from anxiety. This is because dark chocolate contains flavonols which improve overall brain health. They do this by improving the flow of blood to the brain and promoting its ability to acclimatize to stressful situations. In one such study, it has been shown that individuals who consume approximately 74% of dark chocolate twice regularly for two weeks had better levels of stress hormones usually associated with anxiety – cortisol and catecholamines.
Other products containing similar antioxidant properties can also help alleviate stress and anxiety; they are green tea, yogurt and chia seeds which are a great source of brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids too. Besides, meditation, regular exercises, and aromatherapy can heal stress, insomnia and GAD as well.
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