What you eat has a direct effect on your body’s chemistry. It’s been known for decades that food affects mood. Certain foods and substances you ingest can create stress and anxiety, while others calm you down. You may not recognize how what you eat affects you, but there is a simple way to tune into these interactions.
Henny, a forty-year-old nurse, experienced high anxiety and panic attacks when she had to go above the second floor in a building. She also complained of insomnia and heart palpitations. When we examined her eating habits, I pointed out that drinking coffee and eating sugary foods was probably contributing to her anxiety. When she changed her eating patterns, her anxiety lessened.
Keep a Food/Mood Diary for several weeks and you’ll begin to identify the connection between what you eat and how you feel. Here is a sample of Henny’s food/mood diary:
|
Date/Time |
Food/Drink |
Mental State |
Physical State |
Unusual Behaviors |
|
Tues. 1:00 P.M. |
cup of coffee & doughnut |
drowsy |
fatigued |
|
|
2:00 P.M. |
cup of coffee |
jittery, anxious |
|
|
|
4:00 P.M. |
candy bar & Coke |
|
|
|
|
4:20 P.M. |
|
panic attack |
|
|
Substances That Aggravate Anxiety
Caffeine
Several of my clients could directly trace their sleeping problems and sometimes their first panic attack to caffeine. Coffee is the most obvious, but there are many other sources of caffeine, including tea, cocoa, Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, Tab, Pepsi, chocolate, and even decaffeinated coffee! Many over-the-counter drugs also contain caffeine, among them Anacin, Caffedrine, Empirin, Excedrin, Pre-mens Forte, Vanquish, Vivarin, and No-Doz.
Caffeine stimulates several different parts of your body. It releases adrenaline into your body just as if you’re undergoing stress. It also pours norepinephrine into your brain, causing you to feel more awake and alert. By keeping you in a constant state of arousal, your adrenal glands and other portions of your body are kept in a state of emergency. This can be very stressful. This kind of overarousal makes you more vulnerable to anxiety and panic. Add to that stress the fact that caffeine acts as a diuretic that pushes calming minerals and antistress B vitamins out in your urine. Caffeine is not something you want to subject your body to.
Wean yourself off caffeine, but do it slowly. Gradually mix in a half cup of decaffeinated with half a cup of coffee. Slowly increase the decaffeinated coffee over a week or so until you are drinking decaffeinated coffee only. Better yet, do the same with caffeinated tea and herbal tea. Do the same with cocoa and carob and chocolate candy and carob candy. Also, start drinking noncaffeinated sodas or mixing them as suggested above.
Salt
Salt, especially table salt, stresses your body and can deplete it of potassium (an important mineral that keeps your nervous system healthy) and raise blood pressure, putting an extra strain on your heart. In one study, students with higher levels of anxiety reported higher salt consumption and lower levels of exercise. Avoid salting your food and use a natural salt substitute such as tamari, or use herbs such as basil and oregano or lemon to spice your food. Avoid buying canned or frozen foods that list salt as an ingredient.
Saturated Fats
Foods high in saturated fats such as fried foods, hamburgers, and french fries, lead to sluggishness and fatigue. Fats inhibit the synthesis of neurotransmitters and cause blood cells to become sticky and clump together, resulting in poor brain circulation.
Sugar
Americans, on average, eat sixty-five pounds of sugar a year, way too much of the simple sugars that can create anxiety and panic. What your brain needs is naturally occurring sugar (glucose) to function by burning it for fuel. Much of this form of sugar is derived from carbohydrate foods such as cereal, bread, potatoes, vegetables, fruits (especially grapefruit and apples), pasta, and brown rice. Simple sugars from cakes, pies, candy, and other sweets are problematic for your body because they tend to break down too quickly, stressing your body by causing an oversecretion of insulin from your pancreas, and resulting in an imbalance in sugar metabolism. At this point your blood sugar level sinks so low you feel twitchy, light-headed, and anxious. Once blood sugar is so low, your adrenal glands kick in and “help” with an injection of cortisol, which can make you feel panicky, ready to “fight or flee.”
Excessive sugar intake can also result in withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms of these imbalances include anxiety, trembling, weakness or unsteadiness, light-headedness, irritability, and palpitations. These are the exact symptoms of a panic attack. To eliminate these symptoms, modify your eating patterns by
Missing Nutrients That Can Lead to Anxiety
You can experience anxiety if your body is missing important nutrients. This section discusses the more important ones.
Minerals
Minerals work in concert and need to be available at the same time for best results. Calcium is a natural tranquilizer and magnesium helps to relieve anxiety, tension, nervousness, muscle spasms, and tics. When calcium is present in insufficient amounts in your body, you can experience heart palpitations, insomnia, muscle cramps, nervousness, numbness, delusions, and hyperactivity. When you don’t get enough magnesium, you can feel nervous and weak, have insomnia, be irritable, or have a rapid heartbeat. Twitching can also result, as can an imbalance in your acid-alkali balance. When experiencing anxiety, a daily dose of 2,000 mg of calcium and 1,000 mg of magnesium is probably optimum.
Potassium is necessary for a healthy nervous system. It calms the heart and relieves muscle pain. It also is essential for proper functioning of your adrenal glands, which get a good workout during anxiety and panic attacks. Signs of potassium deficiency include nervousness, fatigue, fluctuations in heartbeat, glucose intolerance, insomnia, respiratory distress, and nausea. The ability to transfer nutrients through cell membranes declines with age, which could explain why older people suffer circulatory damage, lethargy, and weakness from insufficient potassium. Taking extra potassium (99 mg a day) or eating potassium-rich foods (discussed below) could help.
It’s important to maintain a proper balance of magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. If one of these minerals is present in excessive or insufficient amounts, you can expect adverse effects in your body. Although deficiencies of phosphorus are rare, they can lead to anxiety, fatigue, irregular breathing, irritability, numbness, skin sensitivity, trembling, weakness, and weight changes.
Zinc exerts a calming effect on your central nervous system. Although getting your nutrients via food is best, if you need to take a supplement, 50–80 mg daily is a safe amount. Do not exceed l00 mg daily from all supplements.
The best way to obtain nutrients is by eating foods rich in the substance. The best foods to eat to increase your calcium intake are salmon with bones, sardines, almonds, asparagus, blackstrap molasses, brewer’s yeast (unless you are prone to yeast infections), broccoli, cabbage, carob, collards, dandelion greens, figs, filberts, kale, kelp, mustard greens, oats, prunes, sesame seeds, turnip greens, and watercress.
The best foods to eat to increase your magnesium intake are fish, including salmon, apples, green leafy vegetables, apricots, avocados, bananas, blackstrap molasses, brewer’s yeast (unless you are prone to yeast infections), brown rice, cantaloupe, dulse (a type of seaweed available in health food stores), figs, garlic, grapefruit, lima beans, millet (found in health food stores), nuts, peaches, black-eyed peas, sesame seeds, soybeans (and soy products such as soy nuts, tempeh, soy “cheese,” and soy “meats”), watercress, and whole-grain breads and cereals.
The best foods to eat to increase your phosphorus intake are asparagus, brewer’s yeast (unless you are prone to yeast infections), eggs, fish, including salmon, garlic, legumes (peanuts, dried beans, and dried peas), nuts, seeds (sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin), and whole-grain breads and cereals.
The best foods to eat to increase your potassium intake are fish, fruit, legumes, vegetables, and whole-grain breads and cereals.
Good food sources of zinc are brewer’s yeast (unless you’re prone to yeast infections), dulse, egg yolks, fish, including sardines, kelp, legumes, lima beans, mushrooms, pecans, pumpkin seeds, seafood, soy lecithin, soybeans, sunflower seeds, and whole grain breads and cereals.
Vitamins
The B complex vitamins are known as the antistress vitamins because they help maintain normal nervous system function, help reduce anxiety, and have a calming effect on the nerves. Good food sources of B vitamins include asparagus, avocados, blackstrap molasses, broccoli, brown rice, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, currants, dandelion greens, dates, dulse, eggs, seafood, kelp, kombu and nori (health food store items), legumes, lentils, mushrooms, molasses, nuts, peanuts, peas, potatoes, soybeans and soybean products, raisins, raw spinach, split peas, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, walnuts, watercress, wheat germ and whole-grain breads and cereals.
Vitamin C is necessary for the proper functioning of your stress-control adrenal glands and brain chemistry. This vitamin can decrease anxiety and is vital for dealing with stress. Good food sources of this vitamin are asparagus, avocados, beet greens, black currants, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, collards, dandelion greens, dulse, kale, mangoes, mustard greens, onions, papaya, green peas, sweet peppers, persimmons, pineapple, radishes, spinach (raw), strawberries, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip greens, and watercress.
Iron
Iron deficiency can increase the risk of panic attacks. One of the best ways to make sure you get enough iron is to cook with iron pots and pans. Good food sources of iron include eggs, fish, green leafy vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, almonds, avocados, beets, blackstrap molasses, brewer’s yeast (unless you’re prone to yeast infections), dates, dulse, kelp, kidney and lima beans, lentils, millet, peaches, pears, pumpkin, raisins, sesame seeds, soybeans and soybean products, and watercress.
Many individuals do not absorb the iron in iron supplements, but there is a product called Floradix Iron + Herbs (from Salus Haus) that allows you to assimilate the iron you need. You can find it (or order it) in health food stores.
Foods Associated with Less Stress
A study of stress and dietary practices revealed that greater stress was associated with more fatty food intake, less fruit and vegetable intake, more snacking, and reduced likelihood of daily breakfast consumption. These findings suggest that to reduce your anxiety, eat more fruits and vegetables and don’t skip breakfast.
Another study found that omega-3 fatty acids reduced stress and anxiety. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish such as salmon (arctic, free-range) and tuna (chunk light), fish oil capsules, flaxseed, canola oil, and walnuts. Two servings of fish a week will not only reduce anxiety but is recommended by the American Heart Association to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. In an interesting study, populations from seven different world regions were studied for twenty-five years. Research teams found that eating fish, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, and a moderate intake of wine (all part of the Mediterranean diet) were associated with low rates of heart and blood vessel diseases. The same effects were found among those eating a diet rich in soy, cereals, and fish (the Asian diet).
Findings from another study suggest that selenium may affect your mood as well as your health. Individuals with low dietary intakes of selenium report feeling more anxious, depressed, and tired. Be sure to eat plenty of fish, shellfish, whole-grain breads and cereals, mushrooms, and Brazil nuts. You can also take an additional 150 to 200 micrograms (mcg) daily of selenium in the form of selenomethionine or selenium yeast.
Green tea has the ability to stimulate your brain in the same way deep meditation does. Besides calming you, it can also help you focus. This substance stimulates production of alpha waves in your brain, similar to what happens during deep meditation. It has the unique ability to make you feel calm but focused, so that your learning ability is enhanced. An amino acid (precursor to protein) found in the leaves of green tea and certain mushrooms called L-theanine compares favorably to Ativan, a synthetic tranquilizer that interferes with your ability to drive, is addictive, and can end up worsening anxiety as well as causing abnormal liver function. L-theanine is taken in 100 to 200 mg capsules two to three times day, but should be avoided by pregnant and nursing mothers, as it has not been studied on these women. If you want to drink green tea instead, the equivalent is 2–8 cups. Start with 2 cups and evaluate the effect before increasing your intake.
Moving toward a vegetarian dietary regime can also lower your anxiety, according to the results of a study that investigated the different kinds of diet and the levels of anxiety and depression participants aged twenty-five to seventy years reported. More anxiety and depression were reported in the nonvegetarian groups than in the vegetarian groups. Diet analysis also found more stress-reducing antioxidants in the vegetarian group than in the nonvegetarian group. These findings suggest that a diet focused primarily on vegetables, fruits, and grains is associated with less anxiety than a diet focused on meat or other animal products.
How can a vegetarian diet reduce anxiety? Meat, poultry, dairy foods, sugar, and refined-flour products are all acid-forming foods that leave an acid residue in the body after being metabolized. So do many medications. When your body is more acid, transit time of food is speeded up which results in underabsorption of vitamins, especially the stress vitamins (B and C) and minerals that reduce stress and make you feel more sluggish and fatigued. Unfortunately, merely taking additional vitamins and minerals usually will not correct this condition unless you also change your eating and medicating patterns so you can better absorb nutrients.
To attain a proper acid-alkaline balance in your body, eat more vegetables and fruits (except plums and prunes), whole grains (especially brown rice, millet, and buckwheat), and bean sprouts. Aim to get 70 percent of your calories from these foods, except in winter, when you may wish to eat a slightly higher percentage of animal protein.
Also make soy and soy products the main source of your protein. Research has shown that soy protects your nervous system. Using soy from organically produced (not genetically altered) foods has the potential for protecting and balancing your emotions and will not tip your body into acid imbalance.
Increasing your intake of certain amino acids may enhance your mood and behavior. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. You can purchase amino acids individually in a health food store (as supplements), but this isn’t recommended since they are meant to complement each other and you can’t be sure how much to take to balance an imbalance. It’s better to eat foods high in glutamine to treat fatigue and enhance mental functioning (eat more raw spinach and raw parsley), histidine to increase pleasure (eat more rice, wheat, and rye), methionine to enhance muscle strength (eat more beans, eggs, fish, garlic, lentils, onions, soybeans, seeds, and yogurt), taurine to reduce heart palpitations (eat more eggs, fish, meat), tryptophan to combat depression and insomnia and stabilize mood (eat more cheese, turkey, brown rice, cottage cheese, and soy protein.)
To obtain a balanced amount of all amino acids, you can use Bragg Liquid Aminos (a health food store item). It’s made from soy and looks and tastes like soy sauce. You can use it in soups, stews, salad dressing, on vegetables, and in dips.
Supplements to Reduce Anxiety
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) may help reduce anxiety. It decreases stress reactivity and can help you stay calm. A vitamin and mineral supplement may also be helpful. One study examined the relative effectiveness of a vitamin and mineral supplement and a placebo (sugar pill). The researchers found that as compared to placebo, the supplement was associated with significant reductions in anxiety and perceived stress. Lysine is another supplement that has been shown to reduce chronic anxiety and lessen stress. Many people find some relief at 500 mg a day.
If you’re anxious, it could be because you have a B-vitamin and magnesium deficiency. B vitamins (as well as vitamin C) are rapidly depleted during stressful and anxiety-ridden situations. All these supplements are relatively safe, have few side effects, and are low in cost.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid (protein precursor) that acts as a neurotransmitter in your central nervous system and is formed in the body from another amino acid, glutamic acid. GABA inhibits nerve cells from overfiring. Together with niacinamide and inositol (two B vitamins) they prevent anxiety- and stress-related messages from reaching your brain.
GABA can be taken to calm you in much the same way as a tranquilizer, but without fear of addiction. Note that if you take too much it can increase anxiety and make you short of breath, numb around the mouth, and tingly in the extremities. A helpful level is 750 mg twice a day.
Chromium deficiency can produce anxiety symptoms. Daily take 200 mcg.
The amino acid L-glutamine has a mild tranquilizing effect. Take it on an empty stomach at a dose of 500 mg three times a day. Never take it with milk. Use water or juice, and for better absorption add 50 mg vitamin B6 and 100 mg of vitamin C.
Another amino acid, L-tyrosine, may also relieve anxiety and depression, but avoid this supplement if you are taking an MAO-inhibitor drug. The usual dose is 500 mg three times a day on an empty stomach. Consider taking it in concert with L-glycine (500 mg three times daily) on an empty stomach.
Stressless Eating
The way you eat can also increase your anxiety. It doesn’t matter what you eat if you don’t eat in a calm manner that aids digestion. To reduce your anxiety, slow down your eating process. Use the following guidelines:
Summary of Self-Care Actions
Take these steps to reduce your level of anxiety:
Avoid:
Focus On: