FOODGASM: ANXIETY BE GONE
Spring Cleaning /noun/ - a thorough cleaning of a house or room, typically undertaken in spring.
But what about spring cleaning ourselves? Our minds, bodies and spirit? What about the food we put into our body that helps nourish our personal spring cleaning?
With spring finally coming around, we wanted to share with you some tricks on continuing to self love and self care. Continuing to build on our goals in the kitchen can help us get there, but we can't forget the little things we need to know to succeed on our quest for an internal better us. For example, what do we do with those mornings when we are tired ? Or on the days we are anxious? On those days, we especially need to know how to combat those feelings in a simple way. I want to help you protect your magic and continue to strive towards a higher version of you.
We all know that food plays a huge role in our diets. However, people forget that food really does have a BIG affect on our mental, emotional, and physical wellness. This month, myself and theGirlMob, would like to help you learn more about specific foods and the benefits of eating them. Still with me? Okay! So, let's talk ANXIETY!
Anxiety /noun/ - a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.
Many of us suffer from anxiety or the feeling of being anxious. When we do not meet our deadlines, when we forget our coffee or tea at home in the morning, even when our bank is running pretty low. Sometimes life comes at us way too fast to handle and we get this crippling feeling, pains in our chest and shortness of breath, it can be paralyzing, right? We usually don't know how to fix that in the immediate moment...
I'm about to change that for you!
Outside of yoga, even a good reiki healing (my form of therapy), you need to know that you can also turn to food to help ease those pains and your anxiety. And no, I'm not talking a tub of Ben & Jerry's -- though ice cream can be soothing too.
Without further ado, here are 5 FOODS that I use to help me fight my anxiety and the benefits of them. You got this MOB.
5 FOODS TO HELP FIGHT ANXIETY
Ashwagandha - I picked up this little plant in liquid form from Whole Foods about 2 months ago. I read up on the benefits of ashwagandha and what it does for your body. Not only is it a superfood, but it contains various minerals including, adaptogen, which is known to reduce stress without making you tired. Having dropped the liquid of this superfood in my water, teas, and smoothies, I have noticed that not only does it help with my anxiety, but it also gives me a nice boost of energy.
Dark Chocolate/Cocoa - Having cocoa in the rawest form is better than dark chocolate, but if you can get a 80% cocoa dark chocolate bar and up, you’ll notice it’s benefits. Cocoa contains high levels of magnesium and other minerals that help with our neurological function. With those minerals comes a natural mood-boosting compound that helps with mood imbalances like depression. Cocoa is a superfood that has high levels of various vitamin B’s that are important for neurological function. I will have a healthy cocoa almond butter cup recipe up soon that works perfect for this.
Chamomile Tea - I know, I know….this tea is usually used for people to ease their way into sleep. But, chamomile tea actually works wonders when you’re stressed and anxious. Chamomile tea is meant to soothe our nervous system with the hydroxylates found in it. It is a non-addictive tea and has very little to no caffeine in it depending on the brand. When you want to reduce your anxiety, ease insomnia, or calm an upset stomach, this herb is right for you!
Probiotics - What a lot of you don’t know is that our gut is considered the “second brain” because it’s home to 95% of our “feel good” hormone, serotonin. Learning more about the body and food, I was instructed to make sure that my gut health was at it’s best to manage my anxiety. When there are bacterial imbalances in our gut, it can alter our brain chemistry. Kefir is a powerful probiotic which you can drink and contains vitamins that are important for brain help. Don’t like the drink and rather take a probiotic pill? You’ll want to be sure that it’s a brand you can trust + it has a good amount of organisms that will be alive by the use-by date. Also, it is important that you go by the suggested instructions on that bottle. Other probiotics: kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles, miso and tempeh.
Avocados - Not one of the last ones, but one that I feel you can use in your day to day. Avocado consists of monounsaturated (healthy) fats and beneficial B vitamins that are needed for neurotransmitter and brain health. It also contains potassium, which can help naturally lower your blood pressure. Avocado is a superfruit that is great for brain health and anxiety. You can whip it up in a salad, or bake it in the oven with an egg (which is good in protein).
There are tons of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and even MEATS and FISH (grass-fed beef and wild caught Alaskan salmon) that help ease anxiety and boost the brain function and gut health in your body. It is important to know what you’re eating and putting in your body for optimal health and even just your day to day wellness.
This month try a week of clean eating (you.can.do.it) that includes some of the above. Nibble on some dark chocolate (St. John’s Wort’s is a great over-the-counter supplement for boosting your mood) or even drink a tea to end your day off. Let’s work together on becoming our best selves while we continue to do some internal spring clean. Your mind, body & spirit will thank you.
Ahlexandria is a TGM contributor out of Los Angeles.
follow her @ahlexandria
image post by jeremy park
