It is common to get bouts of anxiety attacks in today's stressful Society. Over eating or grabbing junk food may be your natural instinctive way to try to deal with the stress.
It is neither healthy nor does it work. In fact, you may also feel guilty after indulging in this habit. You don't have to do that anymore. There are some superfoods that can help you to get rid of your anxiety and reduce stress.
Some foods can drain you and the others may boost your energy. Some foods may increase your anxiety and the others may lower your stress.
But let us begin with the first thing first. You must eat your breakfast. Starving increases anxiety and stress. So never skip your breakfast and always eat healthy breakfast.
There are a number of deficiencies of vitamins and other nutrients that cause depression. With these super foods rich in magnesium, Vitamin B, antioxidants and other brain stimulating nutrients , you can remove those deficiencies as well as your anxiety and stress.
21 Foods to Lower Anxiety and Stress
Go for the following 21 superfoods to calm your nerves and reduce anxiety and stress.
1. Asparagus
Low level of folic acid content in the body is linked to anxiety and depression. Therefore, all food items vet hi Fallout content good to ease anxiety.
Asparagus is rich in folic acid and this will make your move better. You can steam asparagus and eat them crisp. You can eat as much as you want.
You can grill them, add them to salad or add to any meal. The only disadvantage of asparagus is that you get smelly urine.
2. Avocados
Avocados contain potassium and certain vitamin B that helps to lower blood pressure and improve fat supplies to neurotransmitters for better functioning.
Avocados contain many nutrients such as glutathione to protect oxidative damage from free radicals. It is also rich in lutein, beta-carotene, vitamin E and folate.
It contains a good amount of Vitamin B for healthy nerves and brain cells. By removing Vitamin B deficiency from the body it improves the mood.
Eat avocados as dips, add them to sandwiches or eat it any other way you prefer to relieve stress and anxiety.
3. Beans
All beans are rich in magnesium. Research has shown that magnesium supplements have helped improve functioning of neurotransmitters to reduce mood swings in people with bipolar condition.
Beans are also rich in vitamin B which helps mood. improvements
Add beans to your daily diet and ease your anxiety. You can eat green fresh beans in various forms and can also eat the dried beans in different recipes.
4. Beef
Grass-fed beef is far better than grain-fed beef. However it is very difficult to get or differentiate between the grass fed beef and that and the grain fed beef because the seller doesn't know the difference in most cases.
The grass fed beef is rich in vitamin B, C and E. If the beef is not fortified with added hormones, antibiotics and other drugs then it has high omega3 content.
All these things help to improve mood.
However if you are not sure of the quality of beef, then it may not give desired stress relief to you.
5. Berries
The antioxidant named anthocyanin in blueberries is linked to sharp cognition and other brain health benefits.
Eat them alone, add them to yogurt or salad to relieve stress and improve overall health.
Other berries such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries also have shown similar stress relieving properties.
You can eat them in turns. You can eat berries in seasons as well as frozen during off season.
All berries are generally tasty.
6. Dark Chocolate
Who doesn't like chocolates? Chocolates are the most used comfort foods. Switch to dark chocolates instead of milk chocolates for better controls on your emotions and moods.
Like berries dark chocolates also manage your stress hormones well.
Eat pure dark Chocolate without added sugar or milk. Chocolate reduces the stress causing hormone cortisol. Dark chocolate is a double action war against anxiety and stress. It reduces blood pressure to calm you down at the same time antioxidants flavonols and polyphenols soothes your nerves.
7. Fishes
Omega3 fatty acids are considered heart healthy fats. New research has found that food based Omega3 fatty acids also improves moods and reduce stress and anxiety.
Following fishes are some of the best sources of omega3:
- halibut
- herring
- mackerel
- salmon
- sardinestunatrout
If you don't like fish, then plant based omega3 from walnuts, pumpkin seeds and flax-seeds can give you the same effect. Add these items in your daily diet.
You can add these nuts and seeds in your daily breakfast and fishes in your lunch or dinners to not only improve your moods, get rid of anxiety and stress but also improve cardiovascular health.
8. Garlic
Garlic us packed with nutrients including a very powerful antioxidant called allicin which fights free radicals to improve your Immunity.
A weaker immune system causes stress and anxiety. Regular use of garlic in the food does work to improve your Immunity and heart health. It protects against certain cancers, cough and cold and scores of other health conditions related to low immunity.
You can also eat raw garlic cloves but your mouth may smell bad which lingers on for long time. Garlic capsules are good options.
Eating garlic will certainly improve your overall health as well as reduce anxiety and stress.
9. Kefir and Yogurt
Whenever we talk about “ gut feelings” we are reminded of the second brain in our body that is the gut.
It is true if your gut is not healthy you will feel depressed and stressed.
Serotonin, which is a hormone that feels good factor lives in the guts, so keeping the gut healthy is important for reducing anxiety and stress.
Any imbalance of bacteria in the guts can have a direct impact on your brain chemistry. The fermented products such as kefir and Yogurt helps to balance the bacteria in the guts. They also help stimulate the production of the brain chemicals norepinephrine and dopamine, which, like serotonin, are neurotransmitters.
Eat 250g of Yogurt daily to keep your gut healthy and reduce stress and anxiety.
10. Leafy Greens
Leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard are rich in iron and magnesium. A cup of spinach meets 40% of your daily need of magnesium. So eat as much spinach as you can daily.
Magnesium helps to regulate stress causing hormone cortisol.
All leafy green vegetables are full of nutrients. So add them to your daily salads and meals to lower your stresses and anxiety.
12. Maca Roots
Maca Roots are very rich in magnesium and iron. Though these roots are not very popular, they contain one of the highest amounts of these nutrients.
The maca root powder can be added to any drink or sprinkled on food to consume it.
This is a stress buster, if lucky you can get it at your nearest grocery store otherwise you will have to search in other stores
13. Milk
Milk is high in antioxidants, vitamins B2 and B12, protein and calcium. The protein lactium and potassium helps to lower blood pressure. At the same time potassium in milk can help relieve muscle spasm.
The combined effect is calmness. That is why drinking a cold glass of milk at night helps cure insomnia. So if you are feeling tense or experience anxiety then drink a glass of cold milk.
13. Nuts - Almonds and Cashews
Deficiency of zinc is a mood spoiler. It becomes even more relevant as our body does not store zinc. Therefore it is important to consume food items with zinc on a daily basis to maintain a good mood and stay away from anxiety and stress.
Tree nuts such as almond and cashew nuts are rich in zinc. These nuts are a healthy combination of proteins and fats but they are high calorie food items. They are crunchy and tasty pinion munch a handful of nice tree nuts daily to maintain good levels of zinc and lower anxiety if any.
14. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrates fiber rich food item. It helps the brain to produce serotonin which is a feel-good hormone. Oatmeal takes a long time to digest therefore the impact of Serotonin space for a longer period.
Eat oatmeal for breakfast, snack with oatmeal cookies or prepare oatmeal food to consume oatmeal daily . Go for thick cut oats that require cooking instead of instant oatmeal for better impact on reducing anxiety and stress.
15. Oranges
Oranges are rich in fiber and vitamin C. It is found that vitamin C helps to reduce blood pressure to calm you down . Vitamin C is an immune booster and also reduces chronic fatigue to make you feel better.
In addition to all the above benefits of vitamin C oranges also have fresh flavors and Aromas. Peeling off an orange itself gives you a good feeling and slows you down. Drink orange juice and eat oranges daily.
Whenever you decide to drink orange juice, make the juice yourself and make it manually in an orange juice extractor. The process of peeling and making the juice will keep you busy in an activity which provides soothing aroma. Overall impact will be calming of nerves and feel energized.
16. Seaweed
Seaweeds are as nutrient as whole grains and they have high magnesium content.
Seaweeds also contain tryptophan - an essential amino acid which provides natural calming effect and induces sleep.
With magnesium which helps produce feel good hormones and tryptophan inducing calmness and sleep, seaweeds are one of the best superfoods to stay away from anxiety and stress.
17. Tea ( Chamomile and Green Tea)
Some teas help you calm down. Chamomile tea is on the top of the list that helps dropping anxiety symptoms. That is why it is recommended and many people take it bedtime for better sleep.
Green Tea is another such soothing tea.
Since these teas have a calming impact on stomach it reduces anxiety and insomnia.
So go for Chamomile tea or green tea before bed time daily and reduce your stress.
18. Turkey
Turkey is a rich source of amino acid tryptophan. All food items containing tryptophan such as turkey, chicken and cheese provide a calming effect by releasing serotonin which is a neurotransmitter and feel good hormone.
So eat turkey during dinner time on the days when you are a bit depressed or feel anxious. It will help you to sleep well.
19. Turmeric
Turmeric contains antioxidant curcumin which is a stress buster.
Add turmeric to your food. You can also consume turmeric by adding ½ teaspoon to a glass of warm water or milk before going to bed.
20. Water
Dehydration causes stress and anxiety and in today's modern lifestyle most of us are dehydrated all the time.
Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily to stay properly hydrated. Within a couple of days of proper hydration you will begin to feel your stress and anxiety reducing.
21. Whole Grains
Carbohydrates mood improving food items. The increased production of serotonin in the brain which explains improved mood.
Whole grains such as wheat bread and brown rice are rich in magnesium which helps to make you feel good. Magnesium deficiency causes stress and anxiety
Whole grains also contain tryptophan which promotes serotonin production to calm you down.
Now you have got a large number of options to lower your anxiety and stress with food. Go for what suits you to calm your nerves.