Anxiety is a nasty ol’ fellar.
Seriously, just the word alone makes me anxious.
Sadly many kids and adults suffer silently from what the Anxiety and Depression Association of American calls the most common mental illness in the US, with over 40 million Americans being affected.
That’s an astounding number.
Though not everyone can use food to eliminate their anxiety (though many can – especially kids!), food can definitely help you manage it, period.
That’s why I want to give you 5 ways you can manage your anxiety using food!
5 Ways to Use Food to Manage Anxiety
| Balance your diet |
In case you didn’t know – calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium are all depleted in the body during times of stress. Eating a balanced diet can help make sure you are getting the nutrients you need, but increasing those 4 nutrients to replenish what is lost can have a noticeable impact on your anxiety levels.
Include these foods in your diet:
- apricots
- yogurt
- blackstrap molasses
- asparagus
- garlic
- salmon
- avocados
- raw nuts and seeds
- brown rice
- green leafy vegetables
- bananas
- legumes
- figs
- broccoli
- dried fruits
- salmon
| Oh hello, carbohydrates |
I’m a fan of complex carbs on any given day (nope, not a low-carb fan here!), especially if you are looking to manage anxiety, because they are a good source of serotonin which has a calming effect on the brain.
If you are on a low-carbohydrate diet and dealing with anxiety, now’s the time to change that and make sure you’re getting a good dose of complex carbohydrates at every meal.
Here are some good sources of complex carbohydrates:
- oatmeal
- butternut squash
- lentils
- parsnips
- quinoa
- split peas
- spelt
- whole grain’s
- sweet potatoes
- brown rice
| Look into supplements |
No, I don’t think you should be taking a multivitamin, nor do I think you should rush to your nearest health food store to find supplements to ease your anxiety.
With that being said, calcium and magnesium can be two very helpful supplements for managing anxiety because calcium is a natural tranquilizer (yippee!) and magnesium has a very calming and relaxing affect on the body.
If you think you may be deficient in one or both then consider getting your levels checked.
| See ya later alcohol and caffeine! |
Sadly during times of stress and anxiety, we tend to reach for that morning cup of coffee to calm the nerves or that evening glass of wine to relax and let go – but they have the very opposite affect!
First of all, even mild dehydration can change your mood and both alcohol and caffeine can cause dehydration … so drink your water.
Plus, they both aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks because they stimulate the nervous system.
Put them down, like now.
| Kick it to the curb |
With the onset of anxiety or during a panic attack, consider consuming fennel tea if your anxiety causes any sort of gastrointestinal upset (like gas or abdominal pain).
Otherwise, including Holy Basil tea throughout the day is helpful because it is an adaptogen – helping the body adapt to the inner stressors.
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