If lately you feel a little more nervous than usual, you are not alone. With everyone trying to stay together in front of COVID-19, it seems like we’re all a little anxious these days.
The first thing you should do to control that anxiety may be to watch what you are eating. A balanced diet helps us stay firmer and more resilient by balancing hormones, neurotransmitters, and blood sugar, which contribute to an emotional state of well-being.
In fact, a healthy diet is linked to lower levels of anxiety, according to a January 2017 study in BMC Medicine. And it may even have the power to increase happiness, life satisfaction, and overall well-being , according to an August 2016 American Journal of Public Health study.
Below we will delve into what healthy eating means in this context and what to do and what not to do when you are trying to find your zen side.
6 tricks to reduce anxiety with food
Eat more fatty fish
The healthy diet described in the BMC Medicine study was based on the Mediterranean diet , and a staple of that eating pattern is fatty fish such as wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, and trout.
All of these are rich in zinc, which is a nutrient that some people with anxiety may lack. Furthermore, the Omega-3 fatty acids contained in these fish play a vital role in overall brain health.
A meta-analysis, published in the September 2018 JAMA Network Open, reviewed 19 clinical trials and found that Omega-3 fatty acid supplements, which are generally derived from fish oil, can help alleviate anxiety symptoms in people diagnosed with a variety of physical and mental factors health problems. (However, the authors noted that larger trials are still needed.)
Focus on pickles and sauerkraut
Fermented probiotic-rich foods, including pickles and sauerkraut, as well as yogurt and kefir, have been linked to lower levels of anxiety.
An August 2015 study, published in the journal Psychiatry Research, found a link between probiotic foods and less social anxiety, specifically, though the authors note that more research needs to be done to establish more than just the correlation.
Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables
Fresh produce tends to be a very good source of antioxidants, and anxiety is believed to correlate with a reduced total antioxidant state, research from March 2014 in Current Neuropharmacology revealed. Therefore, it is plausible that enjoying a large number of antioxidant-rich foods can help you feel calmer.
However, only one in 10 adults receives the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Try to eat 2 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables every day.
Limit alcohol and caffeine
The immediate effect of alcohol can be calming. But since alcohol is processed by your body, it can interfere with sleep, and a lack of quality sleep can perpetuate anxiety.
Caffeine affects everyone differently, but it can make some people nervous and nervous. It can also interfere with sleep.
Drink a lot of water
Even mild dehydration can affect your mood, according to an August 2018 analysis of 33 studies published in Physiological Reports.
How much water do you need One of the simplest tricks is to observe the color of your urine. If it is too dark, you need to drink much more water.
Don’t skip meals
Going too long without eating can lower your blood sugar, making you feel nervous and worsen underlying anxiety.
This is especially true if you are eating simpler carbohydrates and processed foods (think white bread and rice, sweets, and sodas), which can raise your blood sugar level. Complex carbohydrates , on the other hand, are metabolized more slowly, and therefore help maintain a more uniform blood sugar level, creating a sense of calm.
Examples of complex carbohydrates include the following:
- Oatmeal
- Integral rice
- Quinoa
- Potatoes
- Beans
- Peas
- Lentils
More and more studies are linking the foods we eat to our mental state, but there is still a lot of research to be done to fully understand the connection, especially when it comes to causation vs. correlation.
There is no downside to adopting a healthier diet, but there is no evidence that certain foods or dietary approaches can treat or cure mental illness. In other words, diet adaptations should not replace traditional mental health treatments. If your coronavirus anxiety is interfering with your daily life and you can’t seem to manage it on your own, check with your doctor or other healthcare professional for the help they need.
