Anxiety is a very tiring, frustrating and debilitating psychological disorder as it can reach to a point that can badly affect the whole-being of the patient if the disorder is not manage properly and not treated immediately. Anxiety is a chronic disorder that worsens overtime. There are several major types of anxiety disorders which include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), phobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. People with anxiety disorders usually feel cold feet, muscle tensions, chest tightness, heart palpitations, hyperventilation, shallow and short of breath, irregular heartbeats, skin rashes, nausea, lightheadedness, dizziness, vomiting, lump in the throat, dry mouth, diarrhea, constipation, insomnia, inability to concentrate, sweating, shaking, restlessness, tiredness, being jumpy and clumsy, urinating frequently, excessive worrying, extreme fear of going crazy, feeling of going to die, irritability and panic.
Some anxiety patients may feel that curing their disorders is a dead end because after going through different methods of anxiety treatments for such a long periods of time and still, they are suffering from it. Well, maybe, they are just missing one important thing to do and that is focusing on how to treat the problem itself and not the symptoms. Anti-anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants and beta-blockers are just reducing the anxiety symptoms and not the causes of the anxiety. In addition, these prescription drugs do have addictive substances and for this reason, these are not recommended for longer period usage.
There are several natural ways you can do to prevent and treat anxiety without medication but this article will focus mainly in the healthy diet that can help reduce and relieve anxiety. Listed below are the nutrients and vitamins that can be beneficial for anxiety patients:
- Eat foods that are rich in protein during breakfast. Protein keeps sugar levels in the human body stable. In addition, protein is made from amino acids which keep the nervous system healthy and stable.
- Eat vegetables especially green one and fruits are low in calories and also raises your guard against any diseases. Most especially, these can help you fight dehydration which also triggers anxiety.
- Drink lots of water that is at least 8 glasses of water a day. Dehydration can cause confusion and fatigue. For this reason, reduce or avoid drinking soda as this can leave your body thirsty.
- Foods that are rich in omega-3, fish oil, can help fight off tension, stress and anxiety.
Anxiety can also be triggered by deficiency in nutrients. We cannot get all the nutrients that out bodies need from the food we eat every day. Taking vitamins and mineral supplements can be an alternative for this. These nutrients include magnesium, selenium, B vitamins (B1, B3, B6 and B12), vitamin C, zinc, iron, inosistol and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA).
As we all have different chemical makeup, we may respond to similar treatments differently. To know what nutrients and other methods that are best for you, don’t hesitate to consult to your doctor. And always remember to never self-medicate to avoid complications.
