Diet Changes for Calming Effects: Fight Anxiety With Food
It’s true: eating the right diet can have calming effects on your body, helping you cope with stress and cope with anxiety. However, it’s not as simple as “eating more vegetables.” To get the full benefits, certain foods have been proven to fight anxiety symptoms.
In this article, we’ll talk about the best foods to include in your diet to help reduce feelings of anxiety—and how they work. You'll also learn how to create a balanced diet plan to maximize its calming effects. Let's get started!
An Overview of Anxiety and Diet
Anxiety is a mental disorder that manifests itself in the form of excessive worrying, intrusive and irrational thoughts, and physical symptoms like muscle tension and headaches. But did you know that making certain dietary changes can help manage anxiety symptoms? Eating the right foods can be an effective way to help reduce your levels of stress and calm your mind.
Eating a balanced diet that provides your body with all the essential nutrients it needs is key to supporting your overall health—including mental health. Studies have found that food choices can affect how we feel emotionally and physiologically. To support your battle against anxiety, try adding some of these foods to your diet:
Complex carbohydrates like whole-grain bread, brown rice, oats, legumes, sweet potatoes, and quinoa. Not only do they provide sustained energy levels but they also contribute to a healthy serotonin level—the hormone related to better moods.
Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like salmon, sardines, and anchovies as well as walnuts are good for reducing inflammation caused by stress hormones.
Probiotics from fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi are good for improving immunity and digestion, which have both been found to be linked to better mood regulation.
Leafy greens like kale and spinach are high in Vitamin B6 which helps produce feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin.
Herbal teas provide calming effects thanks to compounds like L-theanine which can help reduce tension in the body.
Foods That Can Help Reduce Stress
Certain foods can have a calming effect on your body and mind. Eating the right foods can help boost your mood, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. Here are some of the best anxiety-fighting foods to add to your diet:
*Omega-3 fatty acids: Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, sardines, flaxseed oil, and chia seeds may help improve mood and reduce anxiety symptoms.
*Fermented foods: Consuming probiotic-rich fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut can help support gut health and improve overall physical health.
*Fruits & vegetables: Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables that are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber can help keep you feeling healthy and energized.
*Herbal teas: Incorporating calming herbal teas like chamomile or lavender into your day can help reduce stress levels and promote a sense of relaxation.
Making dietary changes is an important step in helping to manage anxiety. So start experimenting with these anxiety-fighting foods to see what works best for you!
Anti-Anxiety Superfoods to Include in Your Diet
Did you know certain superfoods help fight anxiety? Let's take a look at the best anti-anxiety superfoods you can add to your diet to help fight your anxiety.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for good health, and for helping reduce anxiety. You can find omega-3s in fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines, as well as vegetable oils, walnuts, chia and flax seeds, and soybeans. If you don't eat fish or plant sources of omega-3s regularly, consider supplementing with a vegan or fish oil product.
Probiotics
Studies have found that probiotics—the “healthy” bacteria found in fermented foods like yogurt and kombucha—may reduce stress and anxiety levels. Probiotics can also be found in other food sources such as tempeh, sauerkraut, and some types of pickles. Try adding these items to your diet if you’re looking to lower your anxiety levels naturally!
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential mineral that has many anti-anxiety benefits: it helps lower cortisol levels in the body (which can trigger anxious feelings), relaxes muscles, and helps alleviate insomnia. You can find magnesium in leafy green vegetables like spinach, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and almonds. Consider adding magnesium supplements if you don’t get enough in your daily diet.
Adding these food items to your diet could help greatly with reducing anxiety symptoms. Be sure to always speak with your healthcare provider before starting any supplements or making major dietary changes!
Foods That May Increase Anxiety Symptoms
Certain foods can have negative effects that might make your anxiety worse. A few of the worst offenders? Alcohol, caffeine, sugar, processed foods, and junk food.
When it comes to alcohol and caffeine, we all know they can give us a temporary boost. But while they're not as bad as junk food in terms of nutrition, both have been linked to increased anxiety symptoms over time.
The same goes for sugar: While a morning coffee with cream and sugar may seem like a good pick-me-up for the morning—it can actually cause your energy levels to drop suddenly just hours later.
Also, watch out for processed foods—especially those containing additives like MSG and other flavor enhancers. These ingredients can increase anxiety symptoms in some people.
So what can you do? Avoid the worst offenders, but also try to replace them with healthier alternatives like whole grain bread and pasta, fats from nuts and avocados, fruits and vegetables, legumes like beans and lentils, and nuts and seeds. They might not sound as fun as candy bars or chips—but they'll help you feel better in the long run!
Eating Right to Keep Anxiety Under Control
Did you know that certain foods can help reduce anxiety symptoms? In fact, following a healthy diet may be one of the best ways to help keep anxiety under control. Eating nutrient-rich food can help balance hormones, optimize neurotransmitter functioning, and soothe the nervous system for a calmer mind-body experience.
So what are some of the best anxiety-fighting foods to add to your diet? Here are a few good ones to get you started:
Complex Carbohydrates
Certain nutrients like complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains) produce serotonin which helps calm the brain. Incorporating foods like sweet potatoes and oatmeal is some of the best ways to help regulate moods.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids help lower inflammation levels in the body. To get your omega 3s in your diet, try adding nuts, seeds, and salmon into your meals throughout the week.
Probiotics
Probiotics can also play a positive role in mental health and mood regulation. By eating fermented foods such as Greek yogurt with live cultures or sauerkraut, you can increase your chances of having balanced gut bacteria which is important for reducing anxiety symptoms.
Adding these types of foods to your diet can help support your well-being while keeping anxiety at bay—so go ahead and give them a try!
Recipes to Combat Stress and Anxiety
If stress and anxiety are getting the best of you, then it might be time to switch up your diet. Eating the right foods can make a big difference when it comes to managing your stress and calming your worries, so let's take a look at some awesome recipes that could help.
Complex Carbs
Have you heard of the term "comfort food"? Well, that's because complex carbohydrates like oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat bread help to release serotonin in your body. Serotonin is associated with calmness and relaxation, so having these types of carbohydrates in your diet can be soothing.
Lean Protein
Lean proteins like fish, chicken breast, and turkey have been known to decrease levels of cortisol, which is a hormone released during times of stress. Having salmon for dinner or adding some extra lean turkey to your salad are quick and easy ways to get more lean protein into your diet.
And don't forget about fruits & vegetables!
Fruits and vegetables like spinach and blueberries are packed with micronutrients that can help reduce anxiety symptoms. Stocking up on a variety of these can help make sure you meet the recommended daily amount for healthy eating habits — plus they make for tasty snacks!
Some recipes that combine these anxiety-fighting foods include:
Avocado toast with grilled salmon
Brown rice stir-fry with chicken breast & spinach
Oatmeal topped with blueberries & yogurt
If you're struggling with anxiety or stress-related issues, then try adding one (or all!) of these recipes to your weekly meal plan — you'll definitely see some calming effects!
Conclusion
Overall, it’s clear that diet and nutrition play a big role in how we feel and can have a noticeable effect on our moods. With that in mind, it might be time to take a look at your diet and see if there's anything you can add or subtract to better manage your anxiety.
By exploring different sources of food and being mindful of your diet and mental health, you can make lasting changes that will not only make a difference in your physical health but also your mental well-being. Good nutrition can help you feel better and may even have a lasting, calming effect on your mental state. So, take the time to stock your kitchen with these anxiety-fighting foods and see if there's a difference in your mood.