Empowering and Healthy Ways of Reducing Anxiety
Our bodies provide powerful ways of managing stress, fear and anxiety.
For example, Exercise naturally addresses what all SSRIs and benzodiazepines attempt to do synthetically.
Here are several powerful tools to naturally promote your health while reducing stress, fear and anxiety.
Exercise - Exercising creates new GABA-producing neurons that help induce a natural state of calm. Exercise also boosts your levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The importance of movement simply cannot be overstated. Exercise addresses naturally what antidepressant drugs attempt to do synthetically, without the serious short-term and potential long-term side-effects or possible consequences. Stand up as much as possible, as compelling research now tells us that prolonged sitting has an extremely detrimental impact on your health and that intermittent movement may be even more important than a single exercise session, so make a goal of walking 7,000 to 10,000 steps daily.
The Brain / Gut-Brain Connection - The primary information highway between your gut and your brain is your vagus nerve, which connects the two organs. Your gut also communicates with your brain via the endocrine system, in the stress pathway (the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal axis) and by producing mood-boosting neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and GABA. This explains why your gut health has such a significant impact on our mental health.
As explained by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, toxicity in your gut can flow throughout your body and into your brain, where it can cause a variety of psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety and depression. Reducing gut inflammation is imperative when addressing mental health challenges, so optimizing your gut flora is critical. Your gut sends more signals to your brain than the brain sends to it. It also has more neurons and produces more neurotransmitters than the brain. So optimize your gut health by greatly reducing sugar, increasing fiber and beneficial bacteria to promote mental health.
Make sure to include plenty of naturally fermented vegetables in your diet to help balance your gut flora, and if that's not an option for you, consider a high-quality probiotic supplement.
Lowing sugar intake - Many studies have demonstrated the connection between a high-sugar diet and poor mental health. High sugar leads to excessive insulin release, which can result in falling blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia. In turn, hypoglycemia causes your brain to secrete glutamate in levels that can cause agitation, depression, anger, anxiety, and panic attacks. Additionally, sugar fans the flames of inflammation in your body as well as decreases your gut brain functions.
Avoiding food additives and genetically modified/engineered ingredients — A number of food additives and dyes are thought to negatively affect mental health, and many have been banned in Europe. Potential culprits to avoid include Blue #1 and #2 food coloring; Green #3; Orange B; Red #3 and #40; Yellow #5 and #6, MSG, artificial sweeteners including aspartame, chorine and fluoride in our water supply and preservatives such as sodium benzoate. Research also shows that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's herbicide Roundup, which is used in large quantities on genetically engineered and most non-organic crops, limits your body's ability to detoxify foreign chemical compounds. As a result, the damaging effects of those toxins are magnified, potentially resulting in a wide variety of diseases, including brain disorders that have both psychological and behavioral effects.
Eating an Anti-Inflammatory Diet – Numerous studies suggests that people who eat a high volume of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, healthy oils, and fish, have a reduced risk for inflammation-related mood disorders and diseases of many kinds. Substances found in certain foods, especially antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, also have anti-inflammatory effects.
Foods high in antioxidants include:
Apples
Artichokes
Avocado
Beans (such as red beans, pinto beans, and black beans)
Berries (such as blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
Broccoli
Cherries
Dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
Dark green leafy vegetables (such as kale, spinach, and collard greens)
Nuts (such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts)
Sweet potatoes
Whole grains
The omega-3 fats, EPA and DHA, play an important role in emotional health, and deficiencies have been linked to mood disorders. Your diet should include a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fats, like krill oil and oily fish (such as salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies)
There is also strong evidence that certain herbs and spices, such as ginger, turmeric, garlic and cinnamon, can help alleviate inflammation.
In 2018, a meta-analysis was conducted by Nootripics with a total of 101,950 participants and they found a direct association between a proinflammatory diet and risk of depression. People who ate a proinflammatory diet were 1.4 times more likely to suffer from depression. “Thus, adopting an anti-inflammatory diet is an effective tool in the intervention or preventative of reducing anxiety and depression risk and symptoms,” according to the study.
Vitamin B12 and Folate - Both vitamin B12 and folate are often described as antidepressant nutrients. Folate, found in dark leafy greens like spinach, avocados and other fresh vegetables, is involved in your body’s production of mood-regulating neurotransmitters. It’s widely known that people with a vitamin B12 deficiency are at an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Vitamin B12 also helps regulate homocysteine levels, and increased homocysteine is linked to B12 deficiency as well as depression. In one study in December of 2021 from NeuroScience.com, older adults with low levels of vitamin B12 had a 51% increased risk of developing depression.
Magnesium - Approximately 50% of American adults are not getting the estimated average requirement for magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is common and leads to numerous mental health issues including depression, confusion and agitation. Individuals with anxiety and depression are also known to have lower magnesium levels in the blood, brain and cerebral spinal fluid. Magnesium is required for the healthy function of most cells in your body and; therefore, a deficiency will impede your cellular metabolic function.
Only magnesium L-threonate, as opposed to magnesium chloride or magnesium gluconate, increases cerebrospinal fluid magnesium levels and improves cognition. This suggests that boosting magnesium levels, particularly with the use of whole food magnesium, which naturally includes Magnesium L-threonate, may have profound benefits on mood.
Several whole foods that provide magnesium are:
Dark chocolate - a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of dark chocolate provides 16% of the RDI for magnesium. It’s also beneficial for gut and heart health, and is loaded with antioxidants.
Avocados - a medium avocado provides 15% of the RDI for magnesium. Avocados fight inflammation, improve cholesterol levels, increase fullness, and are packed with several other nutrients.
Nuts - cashews, almonds and Brazil nuts are high in magnesium. A single serving of cashews provides 20% of the RDI.
Legumes are magnesium-rich foods. For example, a 1-cup (170-gram) serving of black beans contains 30% of the RDI.
Pumpkin seeds - a 1-ounce serving of pumpkin seeds contains an astounding 37% of the RDI.
Buckwheat - a 1-ounce serving of dry buckwheat provides 16% of the RDI for magnesium.
Salmon, mackerel, sardines and halibut - Many types of fatty fish are high in magnesium A 4 ounce filet of wild-caught salmon packs 53 mg of magnesium, which is 13% of the RDI. It also provides an impressive 39 grams of high-quality protein. In addition, fish is rich in potassium, selenium, B vitamins and various other nutrients.
Bananas - One large banana has 9% of the RDI for magnesium.
Spinach, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, swiss chard and mustard greens - Leafy greens are an excellent source of many nutrients, including magnesium, iron, manganese and vitamins A, C and K. They also contain many beneficial plant compounds, which help protect your cells from damage and may reduce cancer risk. A 1-cup serving of cooked spinach has 157 mg of magnesium, or 39% of the RDI.
Vitamin D - Having low amounts of magnesium has also been shown to significantly increase your supplemental vitamin D requirement. And Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption in your body. This plays a key role in maintaining bone strength and skeletal integrity. Natural foods that contain Vitamin D are Wild salmon, herring and sardines, cod liver oil, canned tuna and egg yokes.
Vitamin K2 - Your vitamin K2 intake can also affect your required vitamin D dosage. Data from nearly 3,000 individuals revealed 244% more oral vitamin D was required to get 50% of the population to achieve a sufficient vitamin D level if they weren't concurrently also taking magnesium and vitamin K2. So, a simple way to optimize your vitamin D absorption is to take it in conjunction with magnesium and K2.
Foods with the highest magnesium levels include spinach, swiss chard, turnip greens, beet greens, collard greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy and romaine lettuce.
If you're using a supplement, you may also consider a whole food magnesium which contains l-threonate, as it appears to be most efficient at penetrating cell membranes, including your mitochondria and blood-brain barrier. Standard Process offers such a supplement and as a practitioner, I am happy to make this product available to you.
You have been through challenges and experiences in life that have given you priceless tools of discernment, knowledge, insight, understandings and foresight. Many of the difficult aspects of your past have given you nothing less than superpowers!
May you choose to use your highly astute critical thinking, divine intuition and your unique superpowers as your safety and protection while you navigate life’s choices while optimizing your health.
Dr. Joan Housley, D.C. specializes in Neuro Emotional Technique Therapy (NET), functional blood analysis, chiropractic care and is a certified Standard Process practitioner licensed to provide Standard Process supplemental products. Please click here to contact her directly https://www.newbalancedlife.com/contact.
Her message to you is…
The human body is infinitely more than the physical attributes we perceive. Oftentimes, an individual may recognize that something is amiss with their body but is unable to pinpoint the issue. Walking into Life’s Balance, is the first step towards wholeness and healing! An overall sense of peace permeates each session conducted by Dr. Joan Housley, as she identifies areas of imbalance. She is able to locate and remove the imbalances, then creating physical, emotional and chemical wellbeing for each patient. Whether it is tapping into and unblocking a life experience that may have had a negative influence in a patient’s life, analyzing lab tests from a functional perspective, or freeing the body from a subluxation, Dr. Joan has the capability of releasing the restraints that have been a roadblock in the achievement of optimal, life-long health. Although physical, chemical and emotional breakthroughs are no doubt important, Dr. Housley offers so much more… A look of genuine concern, a voice of comfort and clarity, a vision and a plan as struggles are shared, and a new season of life unfolds. The delight of having a knowledgeable doctor asking your body what it needs is priceless.. no more trial and error, no more guessing! Healing the body from the inside out paves the way for an amazing and abundant life! Once you have experienced the comfort and fullness of, “A Balanced Life”, you are sure to return, and to guide your loved ones along this path as well… Together we grow, heal, love, encourage and celebrate!
Dr. Joan Housley, a 20-year veteran in chiropractic, specializes in natural healing. She has a passionate heart for witnessing the restoration and wholeness of her patients, helping them realize and live in their full potential. Joan provides a powerful and multifaceted approach to health through several portals of entry: physical, chemical, emotional, energetic, and spiritual.
After spending her high school years abroad in England, Dr. Joan pursued a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University, a Doctorate Degree from Life University, and has received thousands of graduate and postgraduate hours in emotional healing, whole food and herbal nutrition, as well as many physical modalities. Dr. Joan possesses the innate ability to uncover the root cause of issues; she then assists in their uprooting, and helps empower each individual to make choices that lead to the freedom and restoration of hearts, souls, and lives.
