I get regular emails from readers asking how to deal with anxiety. Today, we have help in the form of 5 Easy Natural Remedies for Anxiety from Hannah Hepworth, a women with a lot to share on this subject.
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| Credit:wholenewmom.com |
I’ve struggled a lot off and on with anxiety since having my first child almost 9 years ago. It’s been a struggle but one that I’m grateful for as it has taught me so much. Over the years I’ve learned a myriad of techniques to combat anxiety and help ease it.
First off I want to say that I don’t think that the goal should be complete elimination of anxiety. That used to be my goal, until my wise husband brought it to my attention that anxiety is normal and natural. EVERYONE has it from time to time. The thing is, you need to learn how to keep it under control.
You’re probably thinking, oh yeah right, that sounds so simple, you may be past the point of feeling any control at all. I’ve been there. I feel for you. I’ve experienced days and weeks and months of pure anxiety, sometimes so strong that I could barely leave my house, which for a mother with young children, isn’t so convenient.
There are so many reasons why you might be feeling anxious. It could be from various nutritional deficiencies, it could be due to an extended amount of time dealing with a major stress in life, it could be your brain and they way you think and perceive certain situations. It could be many different things and it’s often more than just 1 cause.
I’m a firm believer in a holistic model of healing, you need to work with the body AND the mind.
Today I offer you just a few suggestions for simple tweaks you can start doing today to help tame your anxiety. These are simple and may even sound too simple to work. You may roll your eyes and thing, yep heard that before, but…have you tried it daily for a few weeks in a row?
Often we try something once, don’t see much improvement and then toss it to the wayside. I urge you please, no matter how simple you think these tips seem, please pledge to yourself that you willtry all of them daily for a month.
Nothing out there is a quick fix or a magic bullet. Even medication can take weeks to start kicking in, and then you often have to find the right one.
I also ask that in the comments please ask questions, tell me what you need and what you’d like to learn more about. What have you tried for your anxiety and how has it worked?
Now let’s get to the tips!
{Please note – some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on them and make a purchase, I might make a commission. Your support is much appreciated and helps keep this free resource up and running.}
5 Easy Way to Ease Anxiety
1. Breathe the Right Way
Take a moment right now to pay attention to how you are breathing.
Is it shallow?
What is expanding?
Is it your chest or your belly?
How often do you take a breath?
One thing that happens when you have anxiety is that you become very constricted. You close your body off and tense up and this directly affects your breathing. When you breathe with shallow chest breaths you only exacerbate your stress and anxiety.
Now take a moment and learn the art of deep belly breathing. Breathe in slowly through your nose while expanding your tummy for 5 counts. Now hold that breath for 5 counts and then slowly release that breath for 8 counts through your mouth. Repeat this as many times as you like as long as you don’t feel lightheaded. If you do it’s okay, this will pass with practice. Repeat this breath cycle 5-10 times upon waking in the morning and then in the evening before you go to bed.
You can also repeat it anytime through the day when you feel stress. Driving in rush hour traffic with hungry kids in the back seat? Do some deep belly breathing!
2. Magnesium
Maybe you’ve heard this remedy before but taking magnesium can be the single best supplement to take for anxiety sufferers. Magnesium is used up quickly when we are stressed. Magnesium has also been dubbed the “relaxation mineral” and rightly so. It really does work.
Virtually everyone who suffers from anxiety is lacking this mineral. It’s been said that 80% of our population is magnesium deficient. To help yourself relax begin taking this supplement. I highly recommend Natural Calm magnesium supplement. I like that you can mix it in drinks, as it is a powdered form. It’s a bit fizzy and easy to take and easily assimilated by the body. I like the plain and flavored varieties. I take 1 heaping teaspoon twice daily which works out to be about 400 mg a day. Dr. Mark Hyman (who is a favorite doctor of mine to follow on this subject) says that most can benefit from 400-1000 mg daily of magnesium.
If you’re more of a pill person then find a good quality supplement at your health food store that’s free of gluten, soy, and fillers. Find one that feels right for you and begin taking it DAILY! {Note from Adrienne – Magnesium glycinate does not result in loose bowels so it can be a good one to try if that’s a problem for you.}
3. Cut out Junk Foods
An article published this year in The Lancet, said this, “Evidence is steadily growing for the relation between dietary quality (and potential nutritional deficiencies) and mental health, and for the select use of nutrient-based supplements to address deficiencies, or as monotherapies or augmentation therapies.” The article talks about how the current “drug model” for treating mental health has only achieved modest benefits and that nutrition is extremely important in any mental health care plan. This is monumental. It’s exciting! It really can be so much more natural and easier that we think.
Nutrition, FOOD, is medicine. I urge you to begin cutting out junk foods. Start with sugar. I know, it’s a hard one but it really can exacerbate anxiety and even panic attacks. It sends our blood sugar all out of whack and is void of nutrients. Eating real whole foods can be one of the best things you can do for your health.
4. Pay Attention to Your Thoughts
I never actually realized just how many negative, gloomy, worrisome thoughts I had throughout the day until I actually started writing them down at the suggestion of a psychologist. At the time I thought I’m a positive person, I read books on being positive and all that good stuff and I felt I had that all figured out.
Well I was totally wrong!
I filled PAGES the FIRST DAY with negative thoughts, fears and worries. I began to realize, no wonder I feel so crappy with all of this stuff swirling around in my head! Did you know that you think approximately 60,000 thoughts every day? And about 95% of them are the same thoughts you thought the day before and the day before that? It is IMPERATIVE to take notice of what you are thinking and begin to catch it so you can stop it.
Keep a journal of your thoughts.
Write down the yucky stuff you’re thinking but once you write it down, flip it and write the positive version.
If you write down, “I’m so tired I’m not going to make it through this day,” then write something like, “I have enough strength to do all I need to do today.” You might not feel like it’s true but write it anyways! Fake it (if you have to) until you become it! Your thoughts can create stress in your body, they sap energy, put you in a bad mood and keep you on this hamster wheel of stress and anxiety. You need to get off the wheel and to do that you need to cut yourself off from negative thinking!
5. Educate Yourself
Learn all you can about anxiety. Open up your mind to methods of healing (within reason, of course). I found so much comfort in reading books like, “The Ultramind Solution,” by Dr. Mark Hyman, “The Mood Cure,” by Julia Ross and “The Chemistry Of Calm,” Henry Emmons. Read books about how the mind works, how to heal anxiety, how to think positively, and about nutrition.
When you start educating yourself you become powerful. You begin to take charge and take control of the problem instead of letting it rule you! It’s incredibly empowering. Only you can get the perfect answers to your healing path. As you read pay attention to what feels good. At first everything might sound good and you’ll try a bunch of different things to help yourself. As time goes you you’ll begin to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Keep learning and keep testing out new things. Keep at it. Don’t give up. Remember your body was made to heal, your body wants to return to a state of peace and calm and equilibrium. Learn all you can.
I hope this short list inspired you. Please comment below and tell me what you’ve tried, what you’d like to learn and what your goals are for taming your anxiety. Together we can heal!
{Please note – none of this is medical advice and none of the recommendations above are for curing or treating anxiety — merely for supporting your body as it deals with anxiety. Please consult with your physician or medical professional before making any changes to your supplements or exercise regimen.}
Credit:wholenewmom.com
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