How often do you have a chance to switch off?
I come across so many people in an extreme state of anxiety, a sense of complete madness.
It is understandable, the pace we are living and our exposure to stimuli ALL day is something that disconnects us from a sense of self.
We are too accessible – 24/7 – we live in a new era whereby we are exposed to billions of people’s lives through digital platforms. It is a plethora of constant information and news.
On top of that if you’re an A- ype personality, an over driven perfectionist, or someone who feels like they are not good enough, and always feel out of place in this world, perhaps you have experienced a traumatic event or you are in an constant state of stress you are more than likely experiencing an overtaxed central nervous system.
Gabor Mate says, we are having NORMAL responses to our ABNORMAL environment.
Your anxiety is very real and directly linked to our current environment. It is an extension of the outer chaos and turmoil.
Each day, we have activities that stress us (sympathetic) and activities that relax us (parasympathetic), this is normal, we just need to bring more balance to our lives through intentional practices.
Daily habits for intentional living
They are integral to setting you up for the day. When you wake up and check emails or social media, you switch on the Beta brain waves – the brain is aroused and intensely engaged in mental activities, and odds are, you stay there for most of the day.
It’s important to shift your brain and stressed states into more relaxed states like Alpha and Theta to balance the nervous system.
These are some of my basic recommended daily habits:
- Practice meditation – especially in the morning
- Go for nature walks
- Practice grounding or earthing daily
- Tap a nap
- Spend time with your pet
- Read a relaxing book before bed, screens
- Try relaxing breathwork 2-3 x per day
Food and nutrition for a sense of wellbeing
I believe food is the greatest environmental factor contributing to our state of dis-ease. It is the foundation that affects our mood, our sleep, our cognitive function, our gut, our sense of well-being and our ability to cope. Our cells are made up of what we consume.
We are constantly in a state of either starving or overeating, this is no way to nourish. Be aware of this pattern. If you are experiencing anxiety, use food to supercharge your body, it is not a time to restrict and punish yourself. Learn what nourishing means to you.
My main food and eating principles are:
- Nourish at each meal, stop dieting
- Focus on nutrient density and whole food
- Protein first thing don’t eat a sweet breakfast
- Have breakfast within 90 minutes of waking to normalize blood sugar, support healthy adrenals and set yourself up for success each day
- Stick to three meals and avoid adding more stress like fasting during times of anxiety
- Prioritise protein and good fats in each of your meals. This is key for satiety and mood stabilisation. Be strategic about carbohydrates.
- No snacking make sure your meals are satisfying enough that you shouldn’t need to snack – limit the amount of times your spike insulin in a day. Only snack if you need it and only after drinking water.
- Lightest meal in the evening to optimise sleep
- Give your body at least 12 hours to digest overnight and stop eating at least 3 hours before bed in order to fully process everything, this rest is crucial for your liver.
- Eating whole foods is key – nothing processed or refined
- Ditch stimulants – Coffee (especially on an empty stomach and after 12), alcohol, nicotine, cannabis. States of anxiety are associated with too much of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol and fuelled by stimulants like caffeine and blood sugar dips, which stimulate the release of adrenal hormones
- Have breakfast within 90 minutes of waking to normalize blood sugar, support healthy adrenals and set yourself up for success each day.
- Only snack if you need it and only after drinking water.
- Give your body at least 12 hours to digest overnight and stop eating at least 3 hours before bed in order to fully process everything, this rest is crucial for your liver.
- Focus on nutrient density and whole food
- Prioritise protein and good fats in each of your meals. This is key for satiety and mood stabilisation. Be strategic about carbohydrates.
Your nutrition ideally should make you feel less hungry, have high satiety foods, higher in protein and fibre, mostly whole foods, something you can be consistent with and enjoy. You don’t have to follow a certain dogma or ideology, just focus on the above consistently.
Targeted nutrients
- B vitamin complex essential
- Ashwagandha
- Berberine
- L-Theanine
- Magnesium – low levels are commonly found in anxious people and supplementation can often help
- Omega 3
- Inositol
- Vitamin D3
- Glycine
The power of vitamin D
Some people, especially women, are prone to low levels of serotonin, a hormone found naturally in the brain and digestive tract. It is referred to as the ‘happy hormone’ as it influences mood. Vitamin D helps encourage serotonin production and release. This vital mood-boosting nutrient is made in the skin in the presence of sunlight, and so the lack of sunlight we experience in winter also depletes reserves of vitamin D. For people with the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) usually recur regularly each winter and may include sleep problems, lethargy, overeating, social withdrawal, anxiety, loss of libido and mood changes.
Exercise to boost your mood
Movement is the probably the cheapest but most powerful natural mood optimisers and anxiety releasers. There is no pill that does what exercise can do.
- Exercise improves blood flow to the brain increases delivering more oxygen and nutrients
- Endorphins are released
- BDNF is released to promote mental clarity, regulate mood and neurogenesis
- Serotonin is released improving your mood
- Dopamine is released improving motivation
- Norepinephrine is released which improves attention and motivation
Walk, dance, lift weight, hike, rebound, do a class – just move!
Seek support and advice
There are experts who provide insights and relatable solutions, through podcasts, mediation app’s, webinars, books etc. Our world is so much more expansive and inclusive, that this is a benefit to us. Get the tools, learn, expand. These are some of my recommendations and experts that are my got-to:
- The Game of Life and how to Play it (Florence Scovel Shinn) – this is phenomenal.
- All books by Louise Hay
- Bruce Lipton (The biology of belief) this is amazing.
- Joe Dispenza work
- Man’s Search for Meaning (V. Frankl)
- Gabor Mate
- Kayla Barnes
- Inka Land
Lifestyle and other tips
- Be gentle on yourself
- Listen to your body and navigate your days like that
- Invest in your sleep – no blue light before bed (cell phone, ipad , TV etc…)
- Reconnect to the beautiful gifts of nature and all its innate wisdom
- Find emotions or stress release/ stress management, do what resonates with you. Walking, meditations and a walk barefoot in nature is a game changer for me
- Control blood sugar levels and keep insulin low
- Keep inflammation under control
- Balance hormones – get them checked
What to do when you feel overwhelmed
While the causes for high levels of anxiety are often psychological, by balancing blood sugar, nourishing your body, reducing stimulants, ensuring optimum nutrition and key natural anxiety herbs and nutraceuticals you will be less reactive.
These are some tips:
- Take a day off for relaxation
- Get a massage
- Bodywork like Reiki, Craniosacral Therapy
- Acupuncture
- Work on traumas
- Learn to reframe unhelpful thoughts
- Avoid judging yourself and other
- See a chiro – being well aligned takes stress off your nervous system
- Strengthen your vagus nerve
- Learn to ask for support and health.
- Listen to an empowering podcast
- Check yourself out for food allergies, the most common biochemical imbalances can lead to panic attacks
- Glycine can help calm a panic attack. The best way to get it in fast is to break open four capsules (usually 500mg) putting 2 grams under your tongue where it can absorb sublingually more quickly than orally
- If you experience a panic attack, dip your face into a basin of very cold water for 30 seconds (hold your breath) or press your face onto a plastic bag filled with ice. It can instigate what’s called the Dive Reflex – a fast calming effect. This is because cold water stimulates your vagus nerve, which is a key part of your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). This, not for people with a slow heart rate or low blood pressure.
Something for women to consider…
Many women don’t realise that the essential hormone progesterone, one of the main female sex hormones, is anti-adrenalin. When levels drop, commonly in the peri and postmenopausal phases, women often become more anxious and prone to panic attacks.
Simply rubbing natural (bio-identical) progesterone cream on the inner arms, where it absorbs well, can literally stop panic attacks in under five minutes. Dr Michael Platt has written a book about this, called Adrenalin Dominance.
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Not every day will be easy and blissful, it isn’t meant to be, there will be challenges, hard times and obstacles. Bad days are to be expected.
You need to do the work, focus on the good. Our brains naturally fixate on the negative so we need to reframe or change our perceptions.
As humans we feel our best when we are making progress, when we have a purpose, when we get out of our own way and be of service.
When we keep our word to ourselves we will be more fulfilled. Choose your people wisely. This is as important as your food.
With love
Vanessa xx
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