10 Foods That Help With Anxiety

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a condition that affects people of all nationalities, genders, and ages around the world. While sometimes anxiety is situational, such as before a public speaking event or prior to taking a test, other times it is more prevalent in a person’s life. When anxiety symptoms are present for longer than just an occasional worry, it is often generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Someone with GAD spends a lot more time worrying about things than someone who is just dealing with situational concerns or worries. “Whereas a healthy person may worry up to an hour a day, it is usually 3 to 10 hours per day for a person with GAD.”²

Common physical and psychological anxiety symptoms include:

• Being more sensitive to criticism
• Feeling uncomfortable or self conscious
• General worry or fear
• Difficulty concentrating
• Poor memory
• Hypervigilance
• Irrational thinking
• Stomach aches
• Physical aches and pains
• Restlessness
• Increased heart rate
• Heart palpitations
• Feeling like the walls are closing in
• A sudden urge to flee a situation
• Irritability
• Stuttering
• Perspiration

10 Foods That Help With Anxiety

Drinking water throughout the day is helpful for most people with anxiety. Staying properly hydrated helps maintain health, and helps us feel better overall. In addition to drinking plenty of water, certain foods can help ease symptoms of anxiety because they “spur the release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.”¹

Here are 10 foods that may help reduce anxiety:

1. Fatty Fish

Because of its high concentrations of Omega 3 and vitamin D, fatty fish contains nutrients that may help reduce anxiety. In addition, there are potential mental health benefits such as improvement of memory and brain functioning that can come from consuming this food.

2. Eggs

Eggs are high in vitamin D, as well as tryptophan- an amino acid that helps serotonin, a mood and sleep regulating hormone.

3. Dark Chocolate

Good news, chocolate can be good for you! Although it can seem counterintuitive due to the caffeine in some chocolate, dark chocolate can actually help decrease symptoms of anxiety due to the antioxidants present in dark chocolate. However, be mindful that it is actually dark chocolate, and not milk chocolate- which is higher in sugar.

4. Chamomile

Chamomile has long been used for its calming properties. It can be drunk in tea before bed, or throughout the day to help create a sense of calm. It is also readily available in lotions, body washes, and other products.

5. Pumpkin Seeds

They are known for being rich in potassium and zinc, which help to regulate the nervous system, and may therefore help regulate symptoms of anxiety and stress.

6. Turmeric

The rich yellow colored spice commonly associated with Indian and Southeast Asian cooking is commonly used for its anti-anxiety properties. A 2015 study found that an increase in curcumin, the main ingredient in turmeric, was shown to decrease anxiety.³

7.Spinach and Swiss Chard

Due to their high levels of magnesium, a supplement for anxiety that helps to promote muscle relaxation, leafy greens such as spinach and swiss chard are great additions to meals to help decrease anxiety and promote relaxation.

8. Yogurt

Because many kinds of yogurt are filled with probiotics, they help to promote good health. Yogurt also has been known to contain mood boosting chemicals such as serotonin, which helps regulate mental health.

9. Green Tea

Green tea has been used for centuries for its health benefits, including antioxidants and ingredients that promote memory and other aspects of brain health.

10. Citrus Foods

Foods that are high in vitamin C, such as oranges and blueberries, are high in antioxidants, which have been shown to reduce inflammation and promote good health. Vitamin C has also been shown to help with the reduction of anxiety symptoms.⁴

How Is Anxiety Treated?

For many who struggle with anxiety disorders, natural remedies for anxiety such as diet and lifestyle changes can help. Along with these, therapy is the first line of treatment, and can be very effective. However, sometimes people find that they need other treatment methods for anxiety such as medications, especially if their anxiety symptoms become unmanageable.

Therapy for Anxiety Disorders

The first step to treating anxiety disorders is to try anxiety therapy. Because many people who have anxiety also have a history of trauma, processing the body and mind’s reactions to their experiences can help decrease anxious thoughts. There are many different types of therapy that can be used for anxiety disorders.

Common types of therapy used for anxiety include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy: The goal of CBT for anxiety is to help a person identify the thoughts and triggers for their anxiety, and work to develop ways to decrease them.
• Exposure therapy: Exposure therapy works best for someone who has a specific fear or phobia, such as insects, driving, or fears of advocating for self, etc.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT assumes that difficult feelings and experiences are an inevitable part of life, and that instead of trying to avoid them, we are better off preparing for them and learning how to cope with them.
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT):  DBT involves teaching skills to help decrease the intensity of emotions and feelings and develop emotional regulation.
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: EMDR is a type of therapy used to decrease the symptoms associated with PTSD, and traumatic experiences that have led to symptoms of anxiety.
• Interpersonal therapy: IPT is a solution focused, time limited therapy that focuses on the connection between symptoms experienced and the interpersonal stressors and conflicts taking place in the person’s life.
• Psychodynamic therapy: Psychodynamic therapy is a form of therapy that encourages personal insight and development of self awareness as a tool to decrease symptoms.
• Art and music therapy: Expressive therapies such as art and music therapy are great ways to decrease anxiety because they involve the creative and expressive parts of the mind.

Medication Options for Anxiety

While therapy is usually an effective way to start treatment, sometimes people find that they need other treatment methods for anxiety such as medications. For those who find that their anxiety is affecting their quality of life, medication for anxiety is sometimes recommended as part of the treatment plan, and is usually a short-term option as most people do not require lifelong prescription treatment.

Many people choose to have therapy at the same time as medication management. A prescriber will usually try a SSRI or SNRI first, but sometimes people require benzodiazepines or beta blockers, especially if they experience severe panic attacks, as these are fast and short acting.⁵ Common medications prescribed for anxiety include:

• Antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs, work by helping to regulate mood. Tricyclic antidepressants are another, older class of antidepressants. Due to their higher risks of side effects, they are usually a second line option behind SSRI and SNRI for people who struggle with anxiety and depression.⁶
• Beta blockers: Because they work by slowing down the heart rate, they are prescribed to help with the physical symptoms of anxiety such as sweating and shaking.⁷
• Benzodiazepines: Due to their calming effect on the nervous system, benzodiazepines (such as Xanax) are very effective in treating anxiety short term, such as panic attacks or anxiety that comes prior to surgeries or other stressful events. However, these meds should not be used long term due to their high risk of addiction and misuse.

When to See a Therapist for Anxiety

While some anxiety that fluctuates is normal, some people find that their anxiety affects their ability to live their life to the fullest. If you find that you are struggling to sleep, work, or maintain relationships, it might be time to seek therapy to combat the anxiety symptoms and make life more manageable.

Look for an online therapist directory or online therapy platform for a therapist who specializes in anxiety. In some cases, medication management might be needed in order to decrease symptoms of anxiety and tension. Online psychiatrist options are available for those who need it.

In My Experience

Many of my clients, myself included, find that what we eat can contribute to our mental health. Eating foods that are satisfying and good for our body can help with overall mental and physical health. “Despite the overwhelming prevalence of anxiety disorders in modern society, medications and psychotherapy often fail to achieve complete symptom resolution.”⁸

However, it is common for people who feel uncomfortable in their bodies to struggle with food options during meal time due to the shame and guilt that is embedded in us through our diet culture. Many therapists who specialize in trauma, and treating people with unhealthy relationships with food, recommend Mindful and Intuitive eating. Look for a practitioner who practices Health At Every Size, or HAES.