If you suffer from stress and anxiety, you may not realize that your diet could be to blame. The types of food you eat can be doing you more harm than good. Here, we will explore the types of food and drink that could be the driving force behind your stress and anxiety, which will enable you to make changes for the better.
Alcohol
Whether you believe it or you don’t, the beverage that you’re drinking to help your social anxiety is actually making it much worse. While it may feel like it calms you down and gives you confidence, alcohol can have a negative impact on sleep and hydration, both of which can bring on anxiety symptoms when suppressed. When consuming alcohol, your levels of serotonin in the brain change, which makes your anxiety worse. Once the alcohol wears off, you may end up feeling more anxious than before. Make sure to drink in moderation or opt for alternatives such as mocktails or non-alcoholic beer.
Caffeine
Caffeine may be a big part of your everyday life, such as having a coffee in your morning routine. However, you might not know that the amount of caffeine you drink each day could be doing you more harm than good. High levels of caffeine can increase nervousness and anxiety, not to mention decreasing the feel-good chemical called serotonin in your body, which leaves you feeling depressed. However, caffeine is safe to consume in low doses. It’s best to take the time to analyze how much you drink every day, so you can make the necessary changes for the better.
Aged, Fermented, and Cultured Foods
While a glass of red wine accompanied with a meat-and-cheese plate may sound relaxing, according to science, however, it isn’t so much. Whole foods such as milk, grapes, and beef change when they are cured, fermented, and cultured. During this process, bacteria break down the food proteins into biogenic amines, with one of these being histamine (a neurotransmitter that aggravates hormones, digestion, and the nervous systems). It can trigger insomnia and anxiety in susceptible individuals, so making little changes and refraining from some whole foods the best option to take.
Added Sugar
While there is no way to avoid sugar 100% of the time, there are ways to avoid added sugar in your food. Added sugar causes your blood sugar to go on a ride of crashes and spikes, which sees your energy fluctuate. When your blood sugar crashes, your mood decreases, which brings on anxiety symptoms. Your body releases insulin, which helps absorb excess glucose and to stabilize blood sugar levels. When purchasing food, always make sure you read the label to see what ingredients go into the foods you’re consuming.
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Not only can changing the foods in your diet make a difference, but there are also certain products that may have several potential benefits such as CBD oil. Medical cannabis for anxiety may be able to reduce anxiety, lower inflammation, improve bone health, protect your brain, lower blood pressure, and reduce any pain you’re experiencing. However, it’s always best to speak to a medical professional first before you try out CBD oil. Getting advice from an expert can help you make up your mind on whether CBD oil is right for you.
Cutting down on alcohol and caffeine can make a great difference to your life and see your stress and anxiety reduce significantly. Making small but notable changes to your diet will help you lead a healthy and happy life. Having a positive outlook is enormously helpful, so ensure you take time to analyze what foods you are eating.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.
