Anti-Anxiety Diet
What to eat to help beat feelings of anxiety. The anti-anxiety food solution with simple starting points.
The body and the brain are closely connected. You have probably heard of the gut being our "second brain". It's true that there is a meaningful connection here. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome and eating a diet that promotes low inflammation and stable blood sugar while being rich in essential nutrients for our nervous system can have a huge impact on lowering feelings of anxiety. Supportive diet for anxiety -A healthy gut microbiome plays a role in stress reactivity – good bacteria in the gut will provide decreased anxiety like symptoms
-Low inflammation in the gut is associated with low anxiety like behavior
-Poor liver function causes toxic build up and poor metabolism of fats that are essential to brain health
-Unstable blood sugar levels promote “fight or slight” response leading to anxiety
-Eating whole grains in place of refined will help curve the craving for sugar and promote stable blood sugar levels Nutrition and diet recommendations What to eat:
> Meats and foods high in tryptophan to promote relaxation – Chicken, turkey, sesame, pumpkin seed, edamame
>Beef liver- High in vitamin B6 essential for nerve function
>Whole grains- Quinoa, brown rice, oats, millet and whole grain breads are more nutrient dense
>Fresh fruit – oranges, apples, pomegranates, berries, peaches high in antioxidants to help with oxidative stress and nerve damage
>Vegetables – Broccoli, asparagus, spinach, okra, green peas, shiitake mushrooms are especially good at helping with anxiety
>Eggs- Contain all nutrients for brain and nerve health
>Essential fatty acids (EFA’s) - Wild caught salmon, tuna, trout, chia seed, flax seed for maintenance of good brain health
>Health fats- Olive oil, coconut oil, olives, walnuts, avocado, butter or ghee, nut butters (avoid peanut) What to Avoid: >Fried foods- Contributes to poor gut/brain health, bad bacteria in the gut, inflammation, and fatty liver
>Processed/conventional meats and foods- cold cuts, hot dogs, instant meals, cereals, fast food, margarine
>Alcohol- contributes to fatty liver and poor liver function, dehydration, poor hormone regulation and anxiety attacks
>Refined foods and sugar- less nutrient dense and cause blood sugar levels to become unstable leading to “fight or flight” activation. White rice, white bread, pastries, chips, desserts, cookies, candy, soda should not be eaten Supporting supplements
Zinc – Lack of zinc may have an effect on addictive and emotional behavior
Magnesium bisglycinate – Activating B vitamins, nerve transmission and muscle activity
GABA – Neurotransmission regulation helps improve mood and anxiety B Complex- B Vitamins are essential to the bodies stress response Disclaimer: This guide was intended to give general nutrition guidelines written from my studies and personal experience. (Natasha Pataki, CNP). what is right for one person may not be right for all. please request a consult for further information on any of the above nutrition advice provided. all medical questions be diverted to your health care provider. Connect with me here: Natasha@onewithplants.ca