Diet and exercise should be two of the cornerstones of any comprehensive treatment plan for coping with anxiety. The right diet and fitness program can completely eliminate troublesome anxiety symptoms in mild cases and actually change the amount and/or type of medication required in more severe cases. On the other hand the wrong diet combined with a less than acceptable amount of exercise can and likely will have the opposite effect.
There is solid evidence that anxiety can in fact be produced by certain foods and beverages. The most noteworthy biochemical disturbance recognized in individuals with anxiety is an elevation in blood lactic acid levels of which nutrition seems to play a prominent role.
There are at least six nutritional factors that may be responsible for the abnormally high lactic acid levels:
*Caffeine consumption
*Sugar consumption
*Alcohol consumption
*Deficiency of the B vitamins niacin, pyridoxine, and thiamin
*Deficiency in calcium and magnesium
*Food allergens
Many of the culprits listed above can be identified from personal experience. It is like picking a culprit out photo lineup that has been stealing your happiness; you may not realize it was him/her till you see them. Let's look at an example. Our routines are filled with food products that have the potential to induce anxiety. For example that sugar laden high carbohydrate birthday cake that your friends and family insisted you have along with that fresh brewed cup of coffee.
By avoiding caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and food allergens, people struggling with anxiety can dramatically improve their chances of managing and possibly overcoming anxiety. It is just human nature to assume that a complicated biological problem such as anxiety which is rooted deep in the neurotransmitter function of your brain might be eliminated or managed by taking a few simple steps that only require some planning and willpower.
Additionally, many people are choosing to combine diet modification for anxiety with natural herbal remedies. Herbal remedies for anxiety have proven to be a safe, affordable treatment option worth considering. If you have been searching for a natural way to address anxiety without prescription medications herbal remedies combined with diet modification is a good place to start.
Anxiety and Diet
Anxiety Disorder Symptom
Anxiety disorders are chronic feelings of long lasting and oftentimes debilitating anxiety or fear. One of it's strongest manifestations is a panic attack. Often described to be one of the most terrifying, uncomfortable and unsettling experiences there is. Although not deadly, anxiety disorders are a very serious and can be a big burden to the quality of someone's life. This articles aims to give insight on anxiety disorder symptom, its triggers and treatment options.
What Causes Anxiety Disorders and Panic Attacks
Panic and anxiety are natural "fight-or-flight" responses to perceived dangerous situations. However, constant fear and high-levels of anxiety without valid basis is what differentiates anxiety and panic disorders. Causes and triggers of said disorders are:
• Phobias - phobic objects or situations can trigger Panic disorders. Examples include Claustrophobia or fear of enclosed spaces and social phobia.
• Situational Associations - Those who have had a panic attack under certain situations might associate panic attacks under that condition. Exposure to the same or similar situation could very well escalate into another panic disorder.
• Psychological / Emotional Causes - Major life transitions, significant personal loss, tragic experiences, and other major life changes may also lead to anxiety and panic disorders.
• Substance and Medication - Drugs, certain stimulants like caffeine or nicotine, and certain types of medication can also trigger panic attacks.
Identifying Anxiety Disorders and Panic Attacks
The intense sudden rush of excessive, uncontrollable and often baseless worry or fear characterizes panic attacks, a big anxiety disorder symptom. Symptoms usually peak within a matter of minutes. Listed below are its common symptoms:
• Sweating, Palpitation and accelerated or pounding heart rate.
• Shortness of breath, tension, trembling/shaking, or sensation of choking.
• Abdominal distress, nausea, feeling dizzy, unsteady, being lightheaded or close the point of fainting.
• Surge of overwhelming fear and panic, dread, helplessness, of losing control, of dying or of going crazy.
Anxiety Disorder and Panic Attack Treatments
Untreated, panic attack and other anxiety disorder symptom can continue for many years. Effective treatment can only come from accurately identifying the triggers and anxiety disorder symptom being experienced. Lifestyle and behavioral changes, as well as intensive psychotherapy have proved quite effective in curing panic attacks. Medication is also recommended. Having a strong support group and a positive attitude will definitely go a long way in curing anxiety disorders as well.
For those suffering from a chronic panic or anxiety disorder symptom or two, a solution is definitely available. Panic attacks need not prevent you from living life to the fullest. By understanding the causes, triggers and by applying an effective treatment method you can overcome anxiety and panic disorders successfully and permanently.
Do You Really Need Medication For Panic Attacks?
Anxiety is one of the worst conditions a person could ever have. It's more like being "stuck" in a world then a condition. People feel like they are trapped and can never leave. They are constantly nervous, worrying excessively about their kids, husbands, wives, driving to work, being stuck in traffic or just about anything. Anxiety can take it's toll on the body. One of the most common symptoms is a pounding heart. People suffering from panic attacks can be in a busy place and start to feel uneasy. They feel disconnected from the world and all they can think about is the anxiety they are feeling. The person's heart can start beating so fast to the point where it feels like a heart attack. Many people collapse as their panic attack reaches an uncontrollable level.
Millions of Americans suffer from anxiety despite the large number of pills and medications that are available. Is it possible that none of these traditional approaches work and it needs to be tackled mentally? There is a program by Joe Barry called "Panic Away" this program has been an internet sensation, being bought by over 34,000 people, all with great results. Panic Away claims the "One Move" technique will eliminate 100% of anxiety within minutes without the use of any medication. Joe Barry is a former anxiety sufferer. He developed this program himself to break the vicious cycle of panic attacks. He is a member of the International Society for Mental Health Online and the program comes with a 100% money back guarantee which is great since you won't be risking any money. Being free of anxiety will really give people the freedom they have always wanted: being able to attend social functions like family birthday parties, drive without getting nervous, feel more confident or excel in their careers.
Controlling Stress and Anxiety
There's no question that stress, and frequently anxiety, affects everyone regardless of age, sex, background, career, etc. And, oftentimes it's easy to blame stress on external factors such as the annoying coworker, work overload, the slow driver in front of you or anything else that will absolve you of responsibility. But, let's face it -- you play a significant role in the amount of stress and anxiety you experience on a regular basis.
The answer to what is causing the stress in your life can be found in examining your personality, likes, dislikes and interactions with others. This is the key to controlling stress and anxiety. For example, if you are a perfectionist, you probably experience stress when you or other people don't complete a task to your standards. Or, if you are a control-freak, you may get stressed when you have to delegate work to others. Perhaps you are the type of person who just can't say no. As a result you take on more projects than you can really handle and this stresses you out.
As you can see from the examples above, you actually have control over some of the activities that are stressing you out. If you take time to evaluate how you react in certain situations you will begin to notice patterns in your behavior that contribute to feelings of anxiety. Once you are able to identify what causes you to stress, it will be much easier to resolve the problem. Whether you are a people-pleaser or a perfectionist, one of the best things you can do when you feel yourself tensing up is take a few minutes and breathe deeply. This invokes a sense of relaxation through your body, signaling that everything is okay.
Here are some general guidelines that you can follow for controlling stress and anxiety:
1. Don't be afraid to ask for help. People may be afraid to ask for help for several reasons. They may not feel comfortable asking for help for fear of rejection, feeling stupid and incapable, or because they're pride gets in the way. Instead of worrying about these things, remember that we are human and need help sometimes.
2. Focus on your accomplishments, not your shortcomings. Instead of focusing on how many things you didn't accomplish today, think about all of the positive things that you did achieve. Appreciate even the simplest act like making someone smile.
3. Have more fun! It's easy for stress to overwhelm and aggravate you. If you set aside time to spend with family and friends, to relax and to enjoy other fun activities, you won't focus so much on stress and you'll be happier overall.
Remember, taking time to evaluate your current situation will help you identify what is causing the stress in your life. Once you are aware of the stress triggers, you will be able to regain control and eliminate the stress to which you are contributing.
Reduce Stress and Anxiety Symptoms With a Massage Chair
What is stress? Stress is our response from a stimulus in the environment. Your body uses stress as a way of preparing the body for action. When you react to stress your body kicks into a higher state of alert. Everybody reacts differently depending on the type of stimulus, but the symptoms of stress are fairly consistent across individuals. Most common are aches, stiffness and pain in the back and shoulder areas. Massage chairs provide various massage treatments to reduce the tightness, soreness and discomfort.
One of the challenges of modern times is our brains can run away with situations causing our bodies to alter physically to deal with the stress. The stress is these situations is held in the body and no release is given to the stored up energy. We may waffle over situations and not find immediate solutions to working these out. Meanwhile the body is getting tied up in knots.
One major area causing stress and anxiety stems from our relationships. The trials and tribulations of getting along with others sets off many physiological issues. Sometimes we put ourselves into bad situations and sometimes others put us in them. Either way we perceive these situations as difficult which causes an increase in stress and anxiety.
How do our bodies react physically to stress? Our body goes into self-protect mode and releases hormones like adrenalin and glucocorticoids. The effects of these hormones is increasing heart rate, blood flow and energy. When the body releases these hormones it is assuming the fight or flight reaction. In these situations, your body needs increased energy to fight or run. Modern day stress is less about fighting or running as it is about our mind ruminating over a current issue.
There are also psychological effects produced by stress and anxiety. Some psychological effects are immune system suppression. With your immune system suppressed, you become more susceptible to getting sick or becoming infected. It has also been linked to erectile dysfunction or ED in men and can also disrupt the menstrual cycle in women. In situations where stress is chronic, this can impact the brain and impair normal learning, memory and judgment. It is obvious, certain functions of the body do not work well under stress.
Physically you may feel the effects of stress and anxiety with tight muscles and other aches and pains. Stress points tend to concentrate in the back, neck and shoulders. These areas become very tight as the muscles are held in a stressed position. As the muscles are flexed over long periods of time they become tight and fatigued.
Massage chairs are very effective to help relieve the symptoms of stress and anxiety. A massage chair is equipped with many massage techniques that perform different modes of massage. Some are designed for deeper tissue relief, where others are for invigoration and others are for soothing. The back, neck and shoulders can be targeted for focused relief at the touch of a button.
The flexibility of your muscles need to be restored when you are under stress or suffering from anxiety. The muscles are tight from the stress. They need to be soothed and stretched. The stretching can sometimes become painful, if the muscles have been taut for a long time. As flexibility is restored, then the discomfort goes away and the fatigue ends.
When you feel that you are coming under stress, take a seat in a massage chair and let it relax your body and mind. You need to have a place where you can relax and let go of your troubles. We are faced with unprecedented changes in the economy. We need a convenient method of relieving stress and anxiety and massage chairs provide us that option.
Stress and anxiety seem to be with us in the modern age. Our challenge is to find a consistent means to release the effects of stress and anxiety. Massage chairs provide the most convenient method of relief as it builds up. Periodic relief from massage chairs help to balance out the incoming source of stress with an outlet for the stress.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Treatment (GAD)
Most of us occasionally look at the glass as half empty but for those with generalized anxiety disorder it is something more. These individuals constantly feel worried or upset and find it difficult if not impossible to rein in these thoughts for extended periods of time. The severity, frequency, and duration of the worries is out of proportion to the situation.
Jill has generalized anxiety disorder and has been planning a picnic for the family for over 6 months. This coming Sunday is the big day. Let's look at how she may view this event.
To some Jill seemed well adjusted but to others she seems like a bit of a worry wart. She has been worried for 6 months now that her summer picnic plans won't come off as she hoped due to bad weather. The day before there isn't a cloud in the sky and the weather forecast is for clear skies with no chance of rain on Sunday. Nevertheless, she can hardly sleep due to the thought that rain could ruin her picnic. Jill packs six umbrellas just in case. Her husband notices the umbrellas but he has learned not to rock the boat and maybe they are some type of super secret mosquito repellent umbrellas anyway. Jill is a nervous wreck by the time of the event, so much so that she is too exhausted to enjoy the company of her family; after all she has been a nervous wreck for 6 months now. The good news is it didn't rain but Jill wonders about the possibility of a thunderstorm on the way home. END
While the above example may seem a little bit extreme for some with generalized anxiety disorder it is a normal occurrence. The question for those individuals is how to best treat the condition.
Most experts agree that the best approach to treating GAD is a combination of counseling (cognitive behavioral counseling) and/or drug therapy.
Anxiety drugs such as benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed. While they are effective in treating the condition they can lead to drug dependence and if discontinued, it must be done slowly rather than stopped abruptly.
Another anxiety drug often prescribed is Buspirone. The good news is that this medication does not lead to dependence the bad news is it takes at least 2 weeks to start working.
There are many non prescription general anxiety disorder treatments which can prove beneficial for some. This list would include behavioral therapies, relaxation therapies, yoga, meditation, exercise, and biofeedback. While we would like to explore these options with you it would be impossible in such a short article format. We would like to encourage you to do a little extra research on your own in these potentially helpful areas.
Additionally, many of those searching an alternative natural solution have found herbal remedies for GAD to be an excellent alternative to harsh prescription drugs. Natural herbal remedies for anxiety are very safe and have shown to be effective both as a stand alone treatment and a complimentary addition to other non prescription alternatives. If you have been searching for a natural treatment for anxiety this is an option worth considering.
Anxiety Depression Cure
Some way or another you have found your way to this article so I am guessing you or someone you care about is suffering from anxiety and depression. Not to worry, you are not alone. Millions of people around the world are diagnosed with mental illnesses such as depression. With the state of affairs in the world today and the increased pressures you are bound to pay a heavy price and that price could very well be your health. A few short years ago your biggest worry might have been how to buy that new car or new house whereas now you could be faced with how to cope with life itself. The reassuring thing is there are many different type of treatment available for you and efforts are being made every day to find an anxiety depression cure.
Many people who suffer from anxiety and depression can't pinpoint exactly where the illness came from or when it first started to show its ugly head. They simply know they don't feel right inside their own bodies and often will suffer from panic attacks so severe they can be life threatening. Symptoms can run a wide spectrum and not every person will experience the exact same symptoms of anxiety and depression. One person may have physical symptoms such as chronic pain or fatigue while another may only suffer the mental symptoms such as feelings of worthlessness or suicidal thoughts.
If you often experience severe mood swings for no apparent reason you may be suffering from a more severe form of depression known as bipolar depression. This can be especially dangerous and often times this type of depression will require a prescription mood stabilizer. Most people have a built in mechanism to closely regulate their moods but those people suffering from bipolar depression can lose all control over their emotions running the gambit from overly happy to extreme depressions over the course of days or in extreme cases even hours. They may quickly develop suicidal thoughts only to have them disappear just as quickly. Regardless of what symptoms you are experiencing if you suspect you have bipolar depression you need to seek profession help immediately. You should never wait to see what happens as this particular type of depression can turn especially nasty without warning.
Traditional medicine will teach you that you need to be put on prescription medications to control the symptoms of your anxiety and depression. For some people this may very well be the case but for others you may be able to treat your anxiety and depression on your own with self help techniques or herbal medicines. Currently there is not an anxiety depression cure but with proper instruction you should be able to manage your anxiety and depression without much trouble therefore leading a perfectly normal life.
How to Relieve Anxiety Attacks
Learning how to relieve anxiety attacks is not a difficult thing but it appears to be so when you are experiencing them yourself. I used to be there and I feel for you. I felt like I was stuck and choking and could never get out of that experience except one day the pain was bad enough that I took some action and never looked back. Can you relate to that?
So here are some of my tops ways to learn how to relieve anxiety attacks.
- Bring Awareness In - Become aware that you are experiencing an anxiety attack. Just look at it within yourself and how it affects your body. What thoughts go through your head, what is your body doing or trying to urge you to do? By becoming aware and not judging with thoughts you distance yourself from the affects of it. Eventually you will become totally detached from the things that happen. They may still happen but you will not be affected by them at all.
- Its About Focus - When you are experiencing an anxiety attack, all you can focus on is fear. Switch your focus to something else and it will go away. How can you be affected by something that you are not even aware of? It is impossible. I know lots of people find deep breathing from the diaphragm (bottom of stomach area) useful as it helps them concentrate and collect their thoughts.
- Put Yourself In Situations - This is contrary to what lots of gurus in the field will say but I am giving my point of view here and it worked for me so why not for you? What I did is purposefully put myself into the situations where I felt uncomfortable in the past. Over time they did not affect me any more and I built on those successes and truly learned how to relieve anxiety attacks.
How differently would people look at you if you got over your anxiety attacks completely? Imagine feeling the eyes in the back of your head as they would see you walking down the street and think to themselves "What has changed about them? They seem so peaceful, I could do with what they have."
Having total peace of mind is a gift that anyone owes to themselves don't you agree?