Additions to your diet for reduced anxiety
Mental health has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 epidemic. In India, there were 197.3 million people with mental illnesses, including 44.9 million with anxiety disorders. In a poll done in India in May 2022, 50% of participants aged 24 to 34 said they had experienced an increase in stress or anxiety during the previous 12 months. In the same study, 28% of participants in the 16 to 24 age range said their stress and anxiety levels were the same as before.
To reduce their negative effects on health and their connection to other disorders, it’s critical to combat stress and anxiety in daily life.
In addition to lifestyle adjustments and other techniques like yoga and meditation, food can also play a significant influence. Anxiety and stress have been linked to elevated cortisol levels. Such people benefit from eating foods that lower cortisol levels. A diet full of fruits, vegetables, and other healthful foods can help people control their symptoms of anxiety.
Let us have a look at some of the food items you can include in your daily diet for the same.
Fatty Fish
Omega-3s are abundant in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, and herring. Fatty acids of the omega-3 variety have a significant impact on mental and cognitive functioning.
Vitamin D Rich Food
Vitamin D insufficiency is being linked more and more by researchers to anxiety and other mood problems.
Though further research is required, research has connected depression and anxiety features to low levels of vitamin D in the blood. Instead of just eating fatty fish, those with vitamin D deficiencies should think about taking high-dose supplements.
Eggs
They include all the key amino acids the body needs for growth and development since they are complete proteins.
Tryptophan, another amino acid found in eggs, aids in the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical neurotransmitter that helps control mood, sleep, memory, and behaviour. It is found in the brain, gut, and blood platelets.
Serotonin is believed to enhance brain function and reduce anxiety. Foods and medications containing serotonin do not directly give serotonin to the brain since they cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, but they can cause chemical reactions that increase serotonin levels in the brain.
Dark Chocolate
Long-held theories among experts suggest that dark chocolate may lessen anxiety and tension.
According to certain studies, cocoa or dark chocolate may elevate mood by influencing the gut-brain axis. Tryptophan, a substance abundant in chocolate, is converted by the body into serotonin and other mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain.
Turmeric
Curcumin, the active component in turmeric, may assist people with anxiety by lowering inflammation and oxidative stress, two factors that frequently rise in people with mood disorders like anxiety and depression. It’s simple to include turmeric in dishes. It has minimal flavour, so it goes nicely in smoothies, curries, and casserole meals.
Chamomile
Because of its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and sedative characteristics, chamomile tea is a popular herbal treatment all over the world.
Some individuals think that the flavonoids found in chamomile are what give it its calming and anti-anxiety effects. Using chamomile tea to reduce anxiety may be beneficial. It is widely accessible and secure when used in large dosages.
Yoghurt
The beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium can be found in yoghurt. New research reveals that these bacteria and fermented foods benefit brain health. Reliable Source.
Multiple studiesTrusted Source has shown that consuming healthy bacteria can boost happiness in some people, and one from 2015 indicated that fermented foods lowered social anxiety in some young adults.
Yoghurt and other fermented foods can help the body’s natural gut flora and may even lower anxiety and stress.
Conclusion
Effective management of anxiety, a complex mental health problem, necessitates a variety of strategies.
Your diet may assist your mental health, lessen anxiety symptoms, and support greater brain health in addition to medication and therapy. Particularly, whole, barely processed foods that are rich in antioxidants seem advantageous.
However, there isn’t enough evidence to back up using food as a first-line treatment for anxiety, therefore it shouldn’t take the place of any treatments or prescriptions prescribed by a medical practitioner.
However, including these foods in your diet is a fantastic strategy to enhance general well-being and brain function.
