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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

A Healthy Diet to Beat Anxiety


Studies have shown that having a healthy diet may reduce signs and symptoms of anxiety. One can relieve tension and manage stress better by what a person does and does not eat. Let us focus on changing the diet plans of a person so he or she can live an anxiety-free life.
Everyone experiences anxiety. In fact, being unable to do so can be a sign of a serious psychological problem. In our hazardous world, anxiety is a strategy the body uses to help the mind recognize danger and keep well out of its way. As with most mental illnesses, it's not the presence of anxiety alone that creates problems, rather   more about how severe it is and how much it gets in one’s way of life or quality of living. Most people feel anxious at some time in their lives. However, only about five per cent of people experience severe anxiety and rarely seek professional help. Anxiety is a mixture of physical and mental symptoms, part of what psychologists call the “fight or flight” response. When the body is under threat it automatically prepares either to defend itself or run. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one deal with a tense situation in the office, study harder for an exam, or remain focused on an important speech. In general, it helps one cope with the tasks and demands of everyday life. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it can become a disabling disorder. Fortunately, effective treatments for anxiety disorders are available, and research is yielding new and improved therapies that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive and fulfilling lives.
Studies have shown that having a healthy diet may reduce signs and symptoms of anxiety. Although food can't cure an anxiety disorder, consider some diet changes and that would benefit a severely anxious person. It is expedient to know what to have and what to avoid in your diet.
Firstly, avoid or limit caffeine intake as much as possible. Caffeine is present in many soft drinks, not just in tea and coffee and it can set up its own vicious cycle. It can speed up heart rate and disrupt sleep and these later on become prevailing signs of anxiety.
Secondly one should avoid too much alcohol. Alcohol can worsen the symptoms of anxiety, and can also disrupt sleep. Many people reach for a drink to calm their nerves, but the consequences of overindulgence can outweigh the benefits of initial relaxation. For some, a hangover, insomnia, and dehydration make one feel worse than before one had a drink. In excessive amounts, alcohol can actually act as a depressant, making the drinker feel sluggish or more anxious.  Alcohol, like a simple sugar, is rapidly absorbed by the body. Like other sugars, alcohol increases hypoglycemia symptoms.
Eat complex carbohydrates like Potatoes, whole wheat bread, and pasta. These foods act as a mild tranquilizer by increasing the amount of serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter in the brain. They also take longer to digest than sugary simple carbohydrates like white bread and that way, one can stay fuller longer and blood sugar is likely to stay steady, eliminating stress and anxiety.
Be sure to drink eight or more glasses of water a day. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches and stress. One should be well-hydrated and drinking lots of water a day can decrease symptoms of anxiety.
Choose a daily supplement that supplies 100 per cent of the daily recommendation of all vitamins and minerals. Multivitamins and mineral supplements like B vitamins, whose role is to unlock the energy in food and Vitamin B-6 helps manufacture serotonin in the brain, are crucial.
Although tension and daily stresses are unavoidable, one can relieve tension and manage stress and anxiety better by watching out for what one eats and what one does not eat. Remember that a healthy body and a healthy mind are often one and the same thing.

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