How Your Diet Affects Anxiety
Is that your fourth cup of coffee for the day? Then that explains your run-away anxieties over small matters that others take on as normal life events – moving house, having a baby, credit card bills, and the eternal battle with the bulge. Anxiety can be triggered by poor eating habits and excessive coffee and alcohol intake. If you are guilty of the two bad habits, it is time now to change your lifestyle.
There are many different things which can cause anxiety and trigger attacks, but your diet and other lifestyle factors make a big difference. By limiting your intake of alcohol and caffeine, you can keep your anxiety levels lower and reduce anxiety attacks. Since caffeine is a stimulant, consuming excessive amounts of caffeine can worsen anxiety problems.
Too much coffee or alcohol causes a biochemical imbalance in the body. Too many cups of coffee and alcohol jolt the nervous system into a tizzy. You become over alert and when the effect of the drug-like effect of methylxanthines (a stimulant) wears down, you are plunged into a nervous state, which sometimes can bring on panic attacks. Try going through the day without coffee, you will be less tired and emotionally calm.
Alcohol on the other hand depresses the nervous system. Initially you get a high but later on fatigue and nervousness sets in. Alcohol should be avoided if you want to lessen or get rid of your anxiety attacks. An occasional drink is not harmful but then if your anxiety is getting the better of you, this should also be eliminated. Drink plenty of water and avoid the risk of dehydration, which affects your mood that might trigger a panic attack.
Your blood sugar level affects your mood and your anxiety level. By eating smaller meals, you can keep this and your anxiety level stable. Don’t skip breakfast – it sets the tone for your metabolic rate all day. Eat a healthy diet with whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables; these increase the levels of serotonin in your brain naturally. Serotonin makes you feel calmer and more at ease.
Foods that contain tryptophan should be included in your daily diet. Tryptophan is an amino acid essential to serotonin and melatonin production, the vital components that induce sleep and a good mood. Milk is a rich source of tryptophan; other tyrptophan rich foods are bananas, nuts, sesame seeds, oat, poultry, cheese, and soy.
Fiber is also an important part of a healthy diet which helps to fight anxiety. Getting plenty of fiber in your diet keeps your blood sugar levels properly regulated. Women going through menopause should make sure to get plenty of calcium to alleviate fatigue, depression and irritability. You may want to avoid foods which seem to trigger mood swings in many people, including eggs, dairy products, shellfish, wheat, nuts and corn.
Limit salt intake because the body already produces sodium and potassium and eating salty foods increases the sodium levels in the body. Too much salt causes water retention and impacts on high blood pressure; worse, it makes one moody; so avoid junk foods; these have high sodium content. If you are into artificial sugars, avoid then. Some of these aggravate panic attack symptoms.
Diet is an important factor when treating anxiety attacks but it is best to seek medical advice especially if you are experiencing severe panic attacks.