Anxiety is a medical condition which manifest itself by nervousness, worrying, fear and affect the way you behave, react to certain situation as well as affect your everyday living. It seems as something remote to us, however the reality is different.
About 40 million Americans are affected by anxiety , which judging by the number is not as uncommon as we think it is and sadly the numbers are expected to rise in the future.
Regardless of the causes, everyone affected by the anxiety disorders can find their own way to keep the disease under control and manage to cope with it in the most possible way.
The most usual way of treating anxiety is by using medications, which are followed by many side-effects and possible discomforts. That’s why in those cases, people affected by the anxiety disorders tend to find out the cause behind the disease and leave the medications aside.
Food can also be a cure and in order to make the most of it, we need to use the following 12 amazing foods which address the underlying dysfunctions which lead to anxiety. Check out the list:
1. Food which balances your hormones in the gut
Full-fat kefir is the super-delicious dairy drink and it’s also referred as the most potent probiotic available on the market. We all know that kefir is fermented which also contributes to its increased nutritional value and the positive effect it has on the gut.
The gut is the place where your “happy” hormone, the serotonin is being produced and coping with anxiety starts from the well-being of the gut. Kefir is loaded with vitamins D, A and K2, crucial for the proper brain functioning and extremely important for the bacterial balance in the gut.
2. Food which promotes brain health
The amazing avocado is loaded with all the needed nutrients to keep anxiety disorders under control. Avocados are also known as your brain’s best friend, supplying it will all the necessary ingredients needed for best performance of the brain, including monounsaturated fats and the B vitamins.
Avocado can also come in handy for your blood pressure, helping you to naturally lower your blood pressure.
- Food which fights inflammation
Even though the word fatty meat doesn’t seem appealing at all, you may want to consider twice because fatty meat is loaded with omega-3 fats, which are known to be beneficial for your over-all health, including decreasing anxiety.
Alaskan salmon and grass-fed beef are rich in omega-3 fats and consuming them can help you lower the inflammation and keep the adrenaline and cortisol under control.
- Food which prevents neurotransmitter impairment
Neurotransmitter impairment is closely connected with the lack of folic acid and later on is linked to anxiety disorders. Asparagus is the super-veggie loaded in sulfur and folic acid.
Only 5.3 ounces of asparagus can provide you with 60% of the recommended daily dose of folic acid. Asparagus is also loaded with B vitamins, potassium and a daily consumption of this veggie can contribute to improved health and a healthier diet.
- Food which balances zinc to copper ratio
The imbalance of zinc to copper may disrupt the proper functioning of the neurotransmitter and lead to anxiety and stress. This means that increased copper and decreased zinc may be closely connected with anxiety.
The miraculous sea food, oysters are what the doctors ordered. Loaded with zinc, their consumption may improve the ratio of the minerals and improve their balance.
- Food which will Calm you Down
Instead of taking a “chill pill”, take a “chill meal”. It may seem funny because of the rhyming, however leafy greens not only can improve your diet, but they also help you calm down and decrease stress and anxiety symptoms.
Whether you choose spinach or Swiss chard, you won’t regret it. All the leafy greens are loaded with crucial nutrients, such as magnesium, iron and zinc as well as C vitamin and B vitamins.
- Food which is loaded in antioxidants
Turmeric is the super-spice which enjoys its great popularity for a really good and justified reason. The curcuminoids or the antioxidants in the turmeric can protect your brain health and they’re also beneficial for your mood.
So, when talking about this amazing mood-food, turmeric can decrease anxiety and fight off stress and depression.
- Food which has soothing properties
We all know that certain types of food or beverages can soothe us immediately, however there is one herb in particular, which is notoriously famous for its soothing properties- the chamomile. Chamomile tea acts as a natural anti-anxiety medication, due to the soothing properties.
You have probably read that chamomile tea is great after a tiring and stressful day, because it calms the nerves in the most natural way. The same applies for anxiety disorders, chamomile tea eases the symptoms and helps you control the disease.
- Food which makes you feel good
Turkey reminds us of family, tradition and most of all, it reminds us of our most favorite holiday Thanksgiving. Well, we can definitely be thankful for the turkey served on the table, because not only do we continue the tradition, but we are also eating healthily.
The tryptophan in the turkey is what make us feel calm and relaxed after Thanksgiving dinner. However, consuming turkey is also beneficial for anxiety disorder patients. It will make them feel calm and at peace, just like on Thanksgiving Day.
- Food which gives you health and pleasure
As soon as you hear the word pleasure, you immediately think of something sweet, delicious and probably prohibited. Well, this is not the case for the dark chocolate lovers! It seems that you are missing out on a lot of health benefits if you avoid consuming dark chocolate in your diet.
Dark chocolate will calm your nerves, release stress and help you greatly with those anxiety disorder symptoms. Treat yourself with a bar of dark chocolate and you’ll feel much better in no time.
- Food which is loaded in chlorine
Organ meat lovers will love this information, because it seems that organ meet can help you cope with anxiety.
This is due to the presence of so many powerful nutrients including chlorine, which is known to be beneficial for the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Organ meat is also known for the B vitamins it contains, especially the liver.
- Food which fights off stress
All the above mention foods contain some kind of soothing nutrients which calm us down, however there is one more beverage on the list which will be a pity to be left out.
Yes, we are talking about Rooibos tea or also known as the African red bush tea. A cup of Rooibos tea seems to get rid of the main stress hormone and has balancing effect. We can all use a good cup of Rooibos tea.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.