Nutritional and Herbal approach to Anxiety

 Nutrition, Alternative and Herbal Approaches to Anxiety disorders

  Anxiety is a multi-faceted problem and needs a very comprehensive approach.   Anxiety can be the result of past experiences, stress in life, lack of sleep, food allergies, nutritional deficiencies and a host of other situations so it is important to take all these factors into account when seeking treatment options for anxiety.

Let's explore the connection between food allergies and anxiety related issues.

Most people may be unaware that depression and anxiety are listed as symptoms of food allergies.  This may seem to be a very simplistic explanation for such pronounced symptoms of anxiety but food allergies should be considered when exploring anxiety and its causes.

Common symptoms of Food Allergy include:

Irritable bowel syndrome
Joint problems
Migraines
Muscle and joint pain
Depression and anxiety
Fatigue
Nausea and vomiting
Ulcers and hyperactivity in children

Most people are intolerant to more than one food. The commonest culprits are wheat, dairy products, yeast, eggs, beans, nuts, tea and coffee.
http://www.theallergysite.co.uk/dairy.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/328523/three_foods_shown_to_trigger_anxiety.html?cat=70

The causation of food allergies is a complex issue and will be examined on the post on food allergies but in the event of an anxiety disorder it is a good idea to go on a food rotation diet in order to identify if any of these food allergies may be causing some of the symptoms.

Eliminate wheat, dairy and eggs from the diet for two weeks and keep a journal of your anxiety and emotional state, then reintroduce these foods one at a time, one food the first week, the next food the second week and so on.... continue to monitor your symptoms to see if one of these foods may contribute to your anxiety.

Kundalini Yoga

There is a mind-body connection in every physical expression of illness and disease, this connection should be addressed especially in emotional problems.   It is not uncommon that stresses in life build up to a level that the individual can no longer cope with and they express themselves as depression, anxiety and other emotional expressions.

The most comprehensive explanation of the mind body connection in psychiatric disorders and explanation of techniques to deal with them are in:

Kundalini Yoga Meditation techniques specific for psychiatric disorders, couples therapy and personal growth by David S. Shannahoff-Khalsa

Supplements that May Help Anxiety Disorders

Full Spectrum Light Therapy-   This type of light therapy has been shown to help with depression and sleep, adequate sleep is critical for mental and emotional health and is often difficult for those with anxiety.

http://www.webmd.com/depression/tc/light-therapy-topic-overview

EPA and DHA supplement

Recent research has shed some light on the powerful effects of excessive consumption of omega 6 fatty acids and deficiency or low intake of omega 3 fatty acids.  Americans are aware that omega 3's benefit brain function, decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and are anti-inflammatory but studies have also shown omega 3's to help with anxiety and agressive behavior.

Omega 3's are important for all individuals seeking to improve their health.  It is important to ensure that you are not taking too much, as it can lead to easy bruising, thin the blood too much and other issues but a standard supplement dose many benefit individuals with anxiety.

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2008 Feb 15;32(2):568-75. Epub 2007 Nov 1

GABA [Gamma-aminobutyric acid]

An amino acid that has calming properties, it can help you relax and also aids with insomnia.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is often recommended for those with osteoporosis and other health problems but it has recently been recommended for those with depression and other mood disorders.  This important vitamin is actually a hormone, produced when the skin is in contact with sunlight.

In our culture slathered in sunscreen we are unable to produce the amount of vitamin D necessary for health, and for those in northern latittudes it is even more difficult so supplementation has become increasingly important.  Deficiency of  Vitamin D has been linked in research to polycystic ovarian syndrome, osteoporosis, cancer, and mood disorders among many other health problems.

Many individuals who suffer with anxiety also suffer depression, insomnia among other health issues and could greatly benefit from vitamin D supplementation.

Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Apr;26(4):551-4. Epub 2006 Jul 19

.http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/depression.shtml

Dietary Approach for Anxiety

It is crucial in any health condition to have optimal nutrition, the body cannot heal or even function properly without adequate nutrition.  Americans are overfed and undernourished and are suffering a myriad of health problems because of this.

Foods to Avoid:

• Processed grains-  Cereals, white bread, white rice, crackers, any processed grain in a package or a box.
• Sugar-  Sugar stimulates the brain in much the same way as cocaine and is extremely addicting, it also causes blood sugar spikes and falls which can exacerbate any mood disorder and can mimic anxiety disorder symptoms.  This includes, white sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup or any other processed sweetener.
• Food additives and preservatives- a variety of chemicals and toxins that are in our food supply have an untold affect on human health and should be avoided.  Recent dietary programs for ADHD and other similar problems have had success by removing these chemicals from the diet of children who suffer from attention disorders.  These may include:  BHT, nitrates, MSG, EDTA,  FD&C colors which are coal tar derivitives. Basically if you don't know what it is.....don't eat it!
• Caffeine- This should be a no brainer for anxiety sufferers, caffeine can cause heart palpitations, shakiness and other symptoms attributed to anxiety and withdrawal from the drug can also mimic anxiety related symptoms so as you remove caffeine from your diet if you experience a worsening of symptoms realize that this is withdrawal and should decrease over about 72 hours.

Critical Foods for Mood Stabilization and Optimal Health

• Fresh Fruit-   Fruit is full of fiber, cancer fighting antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that are critical to optimal health.
• Vegetables- Vegetables are low in calories but very high in fiber, folate, vitamins, minerals and do not cause major fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
• Whole Grains- Whole grains provide stable energy throughout the day as the fiber and protein contained in intact grains are slowly absorbed into the bloodstream and provide stable blood sugar levels and prevent mood fluctuations related to these rises and falls in blood sugar levels.
• Legumes- High in protein, low in saturated fat, high in fiber legumes are a superfood for optimal health.

These four groups should make up the majority of your diet, this allows for optimal nutrition, health and disease prevention.

Helpful Additional Foods for Health

• Ground Flax- high in lignans and omega 3's
• Chia seeds- high in omega 3's and minerals
• Sea vegetables- high in minerals and protein



Herbs for Anxiety

Many individuals claim that herbs have not been studied and are therefore useless.  This is actually a false statement, the chemical constituents of herbs have been well studied and in fact, synthetic versions of the chemical constituents in herbs are found in many pharmaceutical drugs.  The constituents of herbs are well understood and their actions in the human body are also well understood.  Here is a short list of herbs that can be effective for anxiety. 

Each herb has unique actions and so you may need to find the one that will work best for you and your particular situation.

Valerian. This herb is a nervine and a relaxant, it has been used for insomnia and for calming the nerves.  It has recently been studied for its efficacy in anxiety, a double-blund study in 2006 used a valerian and lemon balm combination compared with a placebo and it was found that a 600mg dose of the herb combination reduced anxiety in study participants.  (Kennedy DO et al 2006).

Another study compared valerian with diazepam and placebo and valerian was shown to reduce the psychic symptoms of anxiety based on teh Hamilton anxiety scale.   (Andreatini R et al 2002).

**Do not take valerian with other sedatives or barbiturates or alcohol, it can enhance the sedative affects of these medications and can be dangerous.

Skullcap- skullcap functions as a tranquilizer for the body and the mind. Skullcap can relax the muscles and soothes the nervous system, it is these actions that make it excellent in cases of anxiety and stress.

Ashwandaga-  An adaptogenic herb that supports the adrenal glands which can be stressed and weakened by constant anxiety.  It is an important herb for balancing the body and helping cope with stress and anxiety.

Kava Kava-  A team of researchers, compared the efficacy of over 100 alternative and complementary treatmetns for anxiety found that kava kava was the most effective for general anxiety (Jorm AF et al 2004) 

**Do not take kava kava if you are on xanax or with levodopa-based medication, alcohol, barbiturates, or other mood-altering drugs

Emotional Therapies

Most individuals suffering from anxiety need some form of emotional therapy in order to identify mental and emotional triggers that are causing their anxiety. 

• Emotional Freedom Technique [EFT]-  Highly effective for a myriad of emotional and mental problems, to find a practitioner in your area visit:  http://www.eftuniverse.com/
• Healing the Inner Self-  I have experienced Dr. Fishs' work first hand and it is truly life changing.  You can attend a seminar, find a practitioner or purchase his books for yourself at: http://www.drmfish.com/

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