Scientists are discovering new psychological connections between the diet of a person and their behavior. For example, it was discovered that anorexia patients don’t just throw up the food because of their self esteem but also because the food they eat releases a certain chemical which makes them feel uncomfortable.
Similarly, anxiety disorder sufferers may also experience some of the same connections between the foods they eat and how they feel.
It is highly recommended that you eat a well balanced and healthy diet as it does help greatly in reducing your anxiety levels and makes you feel a lot better.
Anxiety sufferers often resort to eating sugary food in hopes that it will keep them active and prevent them from getting exhausted. But they should know that sugary food does not help you keep active but in fact, does exactly the opposite. If you eat sugary food your blood sugar levels rise suddenly and then plummet. So after a while, you will start feeling exhausted and tired which may lead to anxiety or even a panic attack.
It is recommended that you eat complex carbohydrates which release the sugar in your blood slowly and steadily through a long period of time. This will keep you active and make sure that your blood sugar level is at a normal and healthy level.
Examples of complex carbohydrate food are whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, yams etc. Simple carbohydrates which you should avoid are white rice, white bread, sugar etc.
One of the nutrients which are very important for the proper functioning of the body and which also helps immensely in reducing general anxiety is Omega-3 acid. It has been proven that it helps the nervous system work properly and keep the anxiety level low. Japan has a depression rate much less than that of the western world because their diet consists of sea food which is rich in Omega-3 acid.
Therefore, it is highly recommended that you start eating fish, tuna or any other type of sea food you prefer. Some of the vegetarian sources of Omega-3 acids are walnuts and flake seeds. If you don’t have easy access to food rich in Omega-3 acids, then you can take supplements.
Your diet should be a balanced diet that contains all three important nutrients namely carbohydrate, protein and fat. You should eat only healthy fat such fish oil, olive oil, walnuts, almonds etc. Include some rich source of protein such as fish, chicken, lean red meat, whey protein etc. And only eat complex carbohydrates that release the energy slowly as mentioned before.
Apart from the above two nutrients, it is imperative that you get ample vitamins and minerals. Fruits and green vegetables are rich in Vitamins and Minerals and that is why you should always include some green leafy vegetables with your meal.
You can eat fruits as a snack during any time of the day or as a desert after your meal. There are no restrictions with fruit. Eat as much as you like and whatever fruit you like.
It is recommended that you have a proper meal every 2-3 hours which includes all essential nutrients in right proportion. This will keep your body functioning properly and keep your anxiety in check.
During anxiety you may develop some kind of bad association with some type of food that you may have had bad experience with. If you think you are allergic to that food item, then get a doctor check it up for you. If you realize that you don’t have any allergies to the particular food item then you should try and start eating the food again. If the food is healthy, then not only will you will be able to gain it’s healthy benefit, you will also gain the confidence of getting over another obstacle that anxiety laid in front of you.
