Natural Cures Not Medicine: anxiety

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Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts

4 Easy Natural Ways to Beat Anxiety

Image: newportnaturalhealth.com

Elizabeth Renter | Natural Society

Given this fast-paced, stressful world, it seems that the anxiety epidemic grows larger everyday. It’s the on-edge, queasy feeling that makes your heart race and your palms sweat. And for many people, anxiety is a daily struggle, negatively impacting quality of life and relationships. Many people turn to prescription drugs to manage their anxiety, but that simply isn’t necessary – there are many natural solutions for anxiety anyone can easily utilize.

The first choice for anxiety solutions should be natural remedies. Turning to a bottle of pills doesn’t allow you to work through what may be causing the problem. Instead, it only masks the symptoms and gives you a laundry list of side effects. While learning how to cope with the issue and working through it mentally is optimal (albeit difficult), treating anxiety with herbs and lifestyle changes can help you cope with anxiety the natural way when it’s hitting you with full force.

While there are several different approaches to natural anxiety relief and numerous herbs for anxiety, here are 4 effective solutions:

1. Omega 3 Fats - Research has found the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids to offer a myriad of benefits. But scientists with Ohio State University stumbled upon evidence that consuming these fats could help ward off depression and anxiety by reducing cytokines which cause inflammation and these mental responses to it. Omega-3 fats can be added to your diet in the form of fatty fish, walnuts, flax seeds, and even algae.

2. Chamomile - Known as the perfect bedtime tea, chamomile is able to calm our nerves and help us relax. One study indicates 57% of participants receiving chamomile over a period of eight weeks were able to reduce their anxiety scores by 50%. This indicates chamomile tea or capsules could alleviate your anxiety or make it far more bearable.

3. Lavender Oil - Aromatherapy is another method of natural anxiety treatment. Lavender oil in particular is useful in reducing feelings of nervousness and unease. It promotes calmness and can reduce other symptoms associated with stress like migraine headaches as well.

4. Yoga - Any daily exercise will help you reduce anxiety and a whole host of other negative symptoms, but yoga in particular is able to combine exercise with meditation, both shown to reduce anxiety and depression. Several studies have linked regular yoga practice with lower anxiety scores and calmer moods.
Anxiety can be extremely difficult to cope with. Changing your eating and lifestyle habits can help. When you add natural treatments like chamomile, lavender oil, and yoga or meditation, you can skip the prescription medications and feel better naturally.

Source: naturalsociety.com

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What Anxiety Does to Your Brain And How You Can Beat it Naturally

Dr. Joseph MercolaMercola.com

Image: www.dealanxietyattacks.com
Anxiety is a natural, normal response to potential threats, which puts your body into a heightened state of awareness.

When felt appropriately, anxiety is beneficial and can keep you out of harm’s way… the anxiety you may feel while hiking near a steep drop-off, for instance, will cause you to be more careful and purposeful in your movements.

For an estimated 40 million US adults, however, anxiety may occur even when there’s no real threat, causing unnecessary stress and emotional pain. While many believe anxiety and stress to be the same, persistent anxiety actually evokes quite a different experience in your brain.

Anxiety in Your Brain: What Happens When Anxiety Attacks?

Anxiety does evoke the same “fight or flight” response that stress does, which means, like stress, anxiety will trigger a flood of stress hormones like cortisol designed to enhance your speed, reflexes, heart rate, and circulation. However, stress can occur with feelings of anger, sadness, or even happiness and excitement.

Anxiety, on the other hand, virtually always involves a sense of fear, dread, or apprehension. And while stress may occur due to an external source (like an argument with your spouse), anxiety tends to be a more internal response.

Further, brief anxiety may coincide with a stressful event (such as speaking in public), but an anxiety disorder will persist for months even when there’s no clear reason to be anxious. While the exact causes for anxiety disorders are unknown, your brain is actively involved.

The National Institute of Mental Health explains:
“Several parts of the brain are key actors in the production of fear and anxiety… scientists have discovered that the amygdala and the hippocampus play significant roles in most anxiety disorders. 
The amygdala is an almond-shaped structure deep in the brain that is believed to be a communications hub between the parts of the brain that process incoming sensory signals and the parts that interpret these signals. It can alert the rest of the brain that a threat is present and trigger a fear or anxiety response. 
The emotional memories stored in the central part of the amygdala may play a role in anxiety disorders involving very distinct fears, such as fears of dogs, spiders, or flying. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that encodes threatening events into memories.”
Your Brain May Become Wired for Anxiety

It’s thought that anxiety disorders may result from a combination of nature (your genetics) and nurture (your environment). For instance, if you grow up in an environment with frequent yelling or abuse.

It might make you prone to looking out for potential threats, even when they’re no longer there. In a sense, your brain becomes “wired” for anxiety, such that any potentially undesirable event or emotion becomes cause for alarm.

Worse yet, some people are so used to feelings of anxiety that they don’t realize there’s a problem and simply suffer in silence. As anxious feelings intensify, it can lead to social isolation, physical symptoms, and related mental health problems, like depression.

Despite this, it’s estimated that only one-third of people with anxiety disorders receive treatment, which is highly recommended if you’re struggling with anxiety — but keep in mind “treatment” doesn’t necessarily mean drugs.

Unfortunately, most people who suffer with anxiety either do nothing or resort to pharmaceutical drugs – many of which are ineffective and capable of destroying your health and sanity further. Commonly prescribed drugs include benzodiazepine drugs like Ativan, Xanax, and Valium.

They exert a calming effect by boosting the action of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the same way as opioids (heroin) and cannabinoids (cannabis) do. This in turn activates the gratification hormone, dopamine, in your brain.

Since the identical brain “reward pathways” are used by both types of drugs, they can be equally addictive and also may cause side effects like memory loss, hip fractures, impaired thinking, and dizziness.

Ironically, the symptoms of withdrawal from many of these anxiety medications include extreme states of anxiety – some of which are far worse than the original symptoms that justified treatment in the first place.

If You’re Wired for Anxiety, Try EFT

Energy psychology techniques, such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), can be very effective by helping you to actually reprogram your body’s reactions to the unavoidable stressors of everyday life.

This includes both real and imagined stressors, which can be significant sources of anxiety. EFT was developed in the 1990s by Gary Craig, a Stanford engineer specializing in healing and self-improvement. It’s akin to acupuncture, which is based on the concept that a vital energy flows through your body along invisible pathways known as meridians. EFT stimulates different energy meridian points in your body by tapping them with your fingertips, while simultaneously using custom-made verbal affirmations.

This can be done by yourself or under the supervision of a qualified therapist, either in person or via online video services, like Skype, FaceTime, or Google Hangouts. By doing so, you help your body eliminate emotional “scarring” and reprogram the way your body responds to emotional stressors.

Since these stressors are usually connected to physical problems, many people’s diseases and other symptoms can improve or disappear as well. If you have a severe problem, it is typically best to consult directly with an EFT professional, otherwise you might not get the relief you need.

In the following video, EFT therapist Julie Schiffman discusses EFT for stress and anxiety relief. Please keep in mind that while anyone can learn to do EFT at home, self-treatment for serious issues like persistent anxiety is dangerous and NOT recommended.

It is dangerous because it will allow you to falsely conclude that EFT does not work when nothing could be further from the truth. For serious or complex issue you need someone to guide you through the process, as it typically takes years of training to develop the skill to tap on and relieve deep-seated, significant issues.


The Major Contributor to Anxiety That Hardly Anyone Knows

Increasingly, scientific evidence shows that nourishing your gut flora with the friendly bacteria known as probiotics is extremely important for proper brain function, and that includes psychological well-being and mood control. It may sound odd that bacteria in your gut could impact emotions such as anxiety, but that is exactly what the research bears testimony to. The probiotic known as Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001, for instance, has been shown to normalize anxiety-like behavior in mice with infectious colitis.

In a very real sense, you have two brains, one inside your skull and one in your gut (the so-called “enteric nervous system”), and each needs its own vital nourishment. Your gut and brain actually work in tandem, each influencing the other. This is why your intestinal health can have such a profound influence on your mental health, and vice versa; as well as the reason why your diet is so closely linked to your mental health.

Prior research has also shown that the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus had a marked effect on GABA (an inhibitory neurotransmitter that is significantly involved in regulating many physiological and psychological processes) levels in certain brain regions and lowered the stress-induced hormone corticosterone, resulting in reduced anxiety- and depression-related behavior.

So optimizing your gut flora with beneficial bacteria is a highly useful strategy. This is done by eliminating sugars and processed foods and eating plenty of non-starchy vegetables, avoiding processed vegetable oils, and using healthful fats. Additionally, using plenty of fermented vegetables or a high-potency probiotic would be useful to reestablish a healthy gut flora.

Your Diet Plays an Important Role in Your Mental Health

If you suffer from anxiety, it would be wise to look into nourishing your gut flora, and the best way to do this is to regularly consume traditionally fermented foods, which are naturally rich in beneficial bacteria. Pasteurized versions will NOT have the same benefits, as the pasteurization process destroys many, if not all of the naturally-occurring probiotics. So you will need to seek out traditionally fermented, unpasteurized foods like fermented vegetables, or make them yourself.

If you do not eat these types of foods regularly, then a high-quality probiotic supplement can help fill in the gap and give your gut the healthy bacteria it needs. This is the first part of the equation. The second part of the equation to optimizing your gut flora lies in avoiding the many factors that can throw your bacteria equilibrium way off balance, such as eating sugar, refined grains and other processed foods or taking antibiotics.

Additionally, your diet should include a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fats, like krill oil. The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA play an important role in your emotional well-being, and research has shown a dramatic 20 percent reduction in anxiety among med students taking omega-3s.

Exercise Is Frequently Helpful if You Have Anxiety

Some psychologists swear by exercise as a primary form of treatment for depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. Research has shown again and again that patients who follow regular exercise regimens see improvement in their mood — improvements comparable to that of those treated with medication.

The results really are impressive when you consider that exercise is virtually free and can provide you with numerous other health benefits, too. The benefits to your mood occur whether the exercise is voluntary or forced, so even if you feel you have to exercise, say for health reasons, there’s a good chance you’ll still benefit.

In addition to the creation of new neurons, including those that release the calming neurotransmitter GABA, exercise boosts levels of potent brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which may help buffer some of the effects of stress. Many avid exercisers also feel a sense of euphoria after a workout, sometimes known as the “runner’s high.” It can be quite addictive, in a good way, once you experience just how good it feels to get your heart rate up and your body moving.

If you struggle with anxiety, you really can’t go wrong with starting a comprehensive exercise program – virtually any physical activity is likely to have positive effects, especially if it’s challenging enough. That said, Duke University researchers recently published a review of more than 100 studies that found yoga appears to be particularly beneficial for mental health,7 although I also recommend high-intensity interval training like Peak Fitness and resistance training as well, in addition to flexibility and core-building exercises like yoga or Foundation Training.

Anxiety Can Be Crippling but You Can Still Take Control of Your Health

Anxiety disorders can be debilitating and in some cases require professional guidance, counseling and treatment. Two conventional treatments of anxiety disorders that have proven to be effective for many are psychotherapy and behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy is defined as targeting the issue through breathing exercises and small increments of exposure to what is causing your anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy on the other hand, is designed to help you deal more effectively with situations that fill you with anxiety.


By using the above-mentioned strategies, however, including exercise, EFT and dietary changes, you can often teach your body how to maintain an alert yet relaxed state, which will help strengthen your inherent coping mechanisms when faced with stressful situations that trigger your anxiety symptoms. Please do seek professional help if you need it, but also don’t underestimate your own ability to make positive, oftentimes life-changing, decisions to help you take back control of your health.

Sources: mercola.com

nimh.nih.gov

Naturally Reduce Anxiety 4 Ways

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1. What to eat. 2. Herbs that help. 3. Supplementation. 4. How to relax. FOODS THAT REDUCE ANXIETY: Water. Staying hydrated is an important way to reduce anxiety symptoms. Vegetables. Filled with fiber and vitamins, these can help regulate your body. Fruits. Get your carbs and sugar from fresh fruit, not refined sugars. Foods rich in tryptophan. This natural relaxation component can do wonders for your anxiety. Look at poultry, oats, soy and sesame seeds to get a good dose. Foods rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Fish, flax seed and winter squash might help with anxiety and depression. Foods rich in magnesium. A crucial vitamin that most of the population lacks, this can be found in tofu and black beans.

HERBS THAT HELP: Here is a short list:
Chamomile. A natural sedative, chamomile can be added to teas for a calming effect.
Fennel. Though this might not help with anxiety itself, it can help alleviate the symptoms.
Kava. This is proven effective for moderate to severe anxiety.
Catnip. Just as it relieves stress and promotes relaxation for cats, this works for humans, too!
Motherwort. This relieves anxiety, and is safe for pregnant women.
Hops. This can help fight off stress, insomnia and headaches.
St. John’s Wort. Known for fighting depression, this one might also help with anxiety, as the two can go hand-in-hand.
Skullcap. This is a natural sedative used to treat anxiety, restless leg syndrome and even epilepsy.
Passionflower. Much like kava, and good for mild to moderate anxiety.
Valerian Root. A very effective sedative that soothes tension and stress.

SUPPLEMENTS THAT HELP:
B Vitamins. B complex vitamins, especially B12 in hydroxocobalamin or methylcobalamin form, can help regulate the body’s response to stress. Foods high in B Vitamins include meats, fish, vegetables (especially leafy greens), whole grains and bran, beans and legumes, and certain nuts, including cashews and hazelnuts.
Magnesium. This mineral helps balance the neurotransmitters in the brain and keeps the nervous system working properly. You can take this as a supplement to get your recommended daily dose, and you can also get it from foods like bran, dried herbs, cocoa powder, seeds of the squash, pumpkin or watermelon, sunflower seeds and even molasses.

HOW TO RELAX:
The more relaxed you are, the better your body will be able to deal with anxiety. Here are a few ways to calm things down.

Massage and Acupuncture. Touch has been proven to help relieve stress and anxiety. Massage and acupuncture can help move energy through the body, as well as simply relax the muscles.
Breathing Exercises. Rapid breathing is a sign of an impending panic attack. Avoid this by practicing deep breathing techniques. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, breathing deeply enough that your diaphragm moves up and down as you breathe. Practice this until it becomes second nature.
Meditation and Yoga. Studies – and thousands of people – have proven that yoga and meditation can reduce stress, relieve anxiety, lower heart rates, lower blood pressure and give you a general sense of well-being. You can do this with a class, or in the privacy of your own home.
Warm or Hot Baths. A warm bath can help relax the muscles, ease aches and pains and give you quiet time to think, all of which can reduce anxiety. To make it even more advantageous, add Epsom salts – your body can absorb magnesium while you soak.
If the anxiety continues or worsens even with these natural remedies, there might be an underlying cause. In that case, speak with your naturepath or physician.

Bread Alert: Gluten could be deadly!


Know if you have gluten intolerance




All to often is gluten intolerance misdiagnosed.  Symptoms are mistaken for a different condition while the patient continues down the path that led to health problems in the first place.  Although some people are highly allergic to gluten and cannot have any in their diet at all, there are also varying degrees of sensitivity and many don't know that gluten is a problem for their health.  Aside from the fact that gluten can cause a great deal of inflammation, it also blocks the body from absorbing nutrients and has been also linked to excessive weight gain also known as "wheat belly."  There are several food and even non food products that contain gluten but it is worth the effort to eliminate it from your diet as much as possible.  There is a growing number of gluten free products and many gluten free breads taste even better than regular wheat or bleached flour breads.  Pastas, pancake mixes, and cereals are sold in major supermarkets that are gluten free and can soften the blow of removing wheat and other gluten containing foodstuff from your meal plan permanently.  Take action now!  Here are some symptoms of gluten intolerance.



-Dizziness and feeling off balance

-Gas and bloating 

-Feeling run down after eating a meal containing gluten

-Depression and anxiety

-Migraines

-Diagnosis of several different types of autoimmune disorders

-Hormone imbalances or infertility

-ADD

-Constipation

-Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia



Photo credit: 3268zauber


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Naturally restore your magnesium levels

Many people are magnesium deficient.  Are you among them?

In the U.S., 75% of people do not have enough magnesium in their diets.  Here are a few symptoms of magnesium deficiency. 

-Headaches

-Insomnia

-Fatigue

-Excess body odor

-Muscle cramps

-Constipation

-Impaired memory function

-Aggression 

-Anxiety


Magnesium deficiency can seriously diminish your quality of life.  Here are some natural sources of magnesium and tips that you can begin to work into your diet so that you can reach your daily value and prevent discomfort.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol:  Alcoholic beverages and those containing caffeine are appetite suppressants and deplete the body's supply of magnesium.

Eat organic green veggies:  The Chlorophyll in green leafy vegetables contains magnesium but be sure to choose organic as these types of vegetables tend to be the most contaminated with chemical residues from pesticides.

Take probiotics:  Fermented beverages and foods along with probiotics help maintain the proper balance of beneficial bacteria withing the stomach, allowing the body to better absorb magnesium.

Absorb sunlight:  Sunlight tends to be the primary source of vitamin D intake for the body and vitamin D is essential for the body to absorb magnesium.

Avoid sugar:  Sugar leeches nutrients out of the body and should be cut out of the diet to help rebound magnesium content in the blood.  It takes 54 magnesium molecules to process just 1 sugar molecule.






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5 ways vanilla heals


No, it is not just an ingredient in your favorite flan or french toast recipe.  Vanilla can heal and ease discomfort!

File:VanillaExtract.png

Here are a few positive effects on your health that you can expect from vanilla extract.


Regulates menstruation:  Adding vanilla extract to your diet could help if you have irregular menstruation cycles.

Reduces stress and anxiety:  Adding vanilla extract to a glass of water or milk can help calm you and reduce stress.  Since stress causes other health problems, reducing stress is getting at the cause.  Vanilla has even been used as a treatment for depression.

Helps with nausea:  One of the more popular applications for vanilla is as a natural stomach settler.  Again, put a few drops of vanilla extract in a glass of water and slowly drink it down when your stomach is upset.  It is also believed that vanilla extract can be used to treat fevers.

Helps with losing weight:  Some studies point to even just smelling vanilla extract as possibly helpful with losing excess weight, though nutrition is the foundation to weight loss.




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Health benefits of lavender


Most likely known for its use in lotions, perfumes, and soaps, lavender is known for its wonderful smell and brilliant purple blooms.  However, there are some other uses for this special herb that could surprise you.

File:Lavanda.jpg

-Lavender relieves tension and anxiety naturally.  Crush the leaves in your hands or rub lavender essential oil on your temples for some stress reducing aromatherapy.

-Adding lavender essential oils to your bath will help to soothe and relax tired muscles.

-If you have a burn, inflammation, or irritation, you can use lavender oil topically to soothe.

-Lavender can provide a natural alternative to chemical laden perfumes and colognes.

-Lavender helps you sleep better.  Add some lavender essential oil to a spray bottle and lightly mist your bedspread and pillows before calling it a night.

-A natural antiseptic, lavender oil can be applied to skin abrasions to guard against infections.

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Nutrition is nature's health insurance.

How sunlight benefits our health.

Besides warming up or getting a tan, just why should we be inclined to get under the sun sometimes?
File:Actual Sunset.jpg
Here are a few benefits of sun exposure.

  • Strengthens the cardiovascular system
  • Improves digestion
  • Aids in weight loss
  • Balances blood pressure 
  • Regulates blood sugar
  • Prevents anxiety and depression 
  • Helps kidneys function properly
  • Increases the metabolism
  • Aids in liver function

File:The Sun by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly of NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory - 20100819.jpg

Sunlight helps prevent several ailments such as depression, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, seasonal affective disorder, and several cancers including, breast, prostate, stomach, bladder, and colon cancer.  Ergosterol in the skin is converted into vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.  Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and also aids in moving calcium through cell walls.  Including vitamin D in your diet helps to lesson the risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis.



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Before trying anything you find on the internet you should fully investigate your options and get further advice from professionals.

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