Anxiety and diet, how this can help managing or preventing that, including panic attacks

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There are many factors connected to anxiety and the trigger for that, considering each person is different and has a variety of unique triggers, there are still ways to naturally prevent or reduce these including the diet and in this post I am going to explain why and how to use this on our advantage.



Why your diet is going to help?


The gut microbiota is responsible for the production of the majority of SEROTONIN and GABA

These two are linked to improve the mood and to stabilise it as well which is basically the opposite of anxiety and panic attacks

This means that if we manage through the diet to improve your gut microbiota health, the result will be a higher and better productions of the above two and this can regulate the mood in the long term and work as the best prevention and resistance from triggering anxiety.







The anti- anxiety diet:

In this approach were food is medicine the 2 main points are:


- Reducing inflammatory food 


When the inflammation is higher (for example due to stress) the production of the vitamins and messengers including serotonin are reduced, making it harder to break this circle

So the solution is to reduce certain kind of food to help you start the healing process


Food to keep an eye on and possibly reduce:

Sugar and processed food containing it 

Fried food (at least to reduce the frequency)

Alcohol

MSG (Monosodium glutamate)


On the other hand food that can help you are antioxidants for example:

Asparagus

Berries

Nuts

Turmeric

Ginger



- Improve your gut microbiome 


Reducing your carbohydrates intake helps increase the active production of GABA which is a mood stabiliser, at the same time to prevent comfort or stressful eating of sweets which is common in this case 


Increasing probiotic food will help you to achieve this targets, here some example:

Kefir

Yogurt 

Camomile 

Green tea  

Sauerkraut 

Drinkable probiotic you can find in any grocery (for example Yakult or Actimel)




More practical diet advice to help with this:


- Low amounts of magnesium can increase stress and anxiety so it's useful to not have these specific deficits, make sure to have often :

Green leaf vegetables

Legumes 

Nuts


- Zinc is another mineral that can help with this, food with a high content are:

Liver

Eggs

Cashews 

Pumpkin seeds



The 333 Rule:

This is not related to the diet but it's useful to know since it's a quick and easy strategy that can help to reduce the anxiety especially when feeling that is getting out of control

Although might not work for everyone, can be worth a try if you don't have any other immediate copying strategies already

The process consists in

3 things around you which you can see and focus your eyes on and then name them

3 sounds you can hear and think of what they are made from

3 objects you can touch and identify around you 


 Bibliography:


https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-well-to-help-manage-anxiety-your-questions-answered-2018031413460


https://nopanic.org.uk/diet-2/


https://www.health.com/condition/anxiety/anti-anxiety-diet


https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-strategies-to-ease-anxiety-201604139441


https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322652


https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/symptoms-causes/syc-20376021


https://www.intrepidmentalhealth.com/blog/5-common-foods-that-can-trigger-anxiety-symptoms


https://www.verywellmind.com/diet-and-panic-attacks-common-dietary-triggers-2584125



https://www.healthline.com/health/333-rule-anxiety



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