Can What You Eat Reduce Anxiety?

Can What You Eat Reduce Anxiety?
Can What You Eat Reduce Anxiety?
There are various foods that you should eat to reduce anxiety. Have you ever felt anxious and upset stomach? Well, that’s because there is a clear connection between your gut and your brain. It actually comes down to your gut microbiome that influences symptoms of anxiety. The amygdala in the brain is a key part of the circuit that goes awry when you’re anxious. There is a clear connection between your gut and the amygdala.

There is also a strong correlation between anxiety and dowel disorders. About sixty percent of patients with anxiety have irritable bowel syndrome.

 

So what should you eat to reduce anxiety?

To begin with, there are foods that increase anxiety. Those are alcohol, gluten, and artificial sweeteners. The foods that you want to increase are dietary fiber, omega-3s, fermented foods, tryptophan (chickpeas are a great source), Vitamin D. Magnesium, passionflower liquid extract, selenium (Brazil nuts). chamomile, lavender oil, and hydration.

 

Food to Embrace

Beans, berries, apples, pears, bananas, broccoli, carrots, Brussels sprouts, walnuts, almonds, oats
Yogurt, kombucha, miso, tempeh, and pickled veggies

If you need help with nutritional supplements, please email me and I can help you.

 

Aromatherapy

Ancient traditions around the world have used scent to better their lives for centuries. That’s because the concept of using aromas to induce feelings is straightforward. And the benefits of aromatherapy are easily explained and experienced. They include:

  • Promoting calm feelings
  • Providing a sense of well-being
  • Prompting soothing feelings of escape and peace
  • Creating an uplifting environment
  • Helping establish a sense of harmony between mind and body
  • Sparking an energized feeling (for some specific scents)
  • Promoting a grounded feeling

Learning what certain smells can do for you is the first step. But now it might help to understand the science of aromatherapy.

 

Simplifying the Science of Aromatherapy

Scents signal portions of your central nervous system that deal with emotions, memories, and more instinctual actions. So exploring the science of aromatherapy starts with the interface between your nose and brain—the olfactory nerve.

Your nasal cavity is full of olfactory receptors that gather information from what you inhale. That information is sent up to the olfactory bulb—housed in your forebrain—for processing.

Important parts of your brain connect directly to the olfactory bulb, but for the purposes of aromatherapy, the hippocampus and amygdala are the most interesting. That’s because these two areas are tied to memories and emotions, respectively.

That’s only the physiology side of the science of aromatherapy. Other research has focused on how these neural connections manifest in links between aroma, memory, and emotions. Studies have consistently yielded data supporting the ability of aromas to trigger memories and an array of feelings—calm, energy, and well-being.

Many aromatic compounds were studied chemically, as well. There are plenty to pick from because fragrant plants contain hundreds of different chemical compounds. Some of the most notable include Limonene (from lemon), linalool (found in lavender), the sesquiterpenes/terpenes in pine, and peppermint’s menthol.

 

Need help with aromatherapy? USANA has a new collection of great scents. I’m happy to help, if you need.

If you have any questions or need help, I’m here to support you.

Have a great week. Donna

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