The other day, I realized something unsettling, and I had to admit to myself that situational anxiety occurring from time to time had turned into an ongoing tightness in my chest every morning. This was new, concerning, and uncomfortable. In my conversations with clients, colleagues, family, and friends, I realized that anxiety is trending for everyone in my orbit. 

I think we can all agree that no matter where you are on the social and political spectrum, we are all concerned to a varying degree about the state of the economy, job market, and the world in general. I am also someone that is never content to “sit and stew,” so I thought this would be a great topic for my March blog. So today, I will talk about my best recommendations for diet, lifestyle, and supplement strategies to calm your mind and body. Let’s dive in!

Let’s begin with dietary strategies which are always foundational and a wonderful place to start. It is not surprising that even my most motivated clients will fall off the healthy eating wagon when high stress events take over their lives. This is when individuals start reaching for ultra-processed foods (UPFs) as they are cheap, convenient, and hard to resist. A recent study in the Lancet Journal found consistent evidence linking high UPF consumption to negative health outcomes and metal health decline. So, what should you eat instead? Here are some guilt free meals and snack options:

• Start your day with protein! This could be a vegetable omelet cooked in avocado oil with fruit on the side or a protein smoothie. We know that protein breaks down into amino acids in our digestive tract, and amino acids are the building blocks for our neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and GABA (nature’s Xanax). If you google Whole 30 recipes you will find zillions of great meal recipes.
• Switch up your snacking. When we feel anxious, we often stress eat, craving different textures like creamy, crunchy, salty, or sweet. 
• Dying for a creamy texture? Try substituting sugary ice cream for full fat Greek yogurt with berries and a drizzle of honey or a spoonful of almond butter with a few chocolate chips on top. 
• Are you craving something crunchy? Instead of eating foods with artificial ingredients that will leave you feeling inflamed and bloated, try a handful of almonds, air popped popcorn with butter, or a bowl of snap peas.
• Salty foods calling your name? You can upgrade your Lay’s potato chips to Siete Cassava chips made with healthy avocado oil which pairs well with a guacamole dip. A bonus is this option covers creamy, crunchy, and salty all in one fell swoop.
• When that sweet craving hits, it often cannot be denied. I refuse to give up chocolate, and Choco Zero brand is my new sugar free favorite. It is sweetened with Monk fruit and tastes delicious. Also, half a frozen banana, blueberries, or roasted cashews provide the guilt free sweet treat you crave. 

• Focus on healthy fats and carbohydrates. I always tell my clients that the best way to beat a sugar addiction is to focus on healthy fats and carbohydrates. Think roasted root vegetables drizzled with olive oil, garlic stuffed olives, “big ass” salads with a delicious dressing containing healthy oils such as Braggs, Primal Kitchen, or Briannas brands.

To sum up this section, we know that eating whole foods results in balanced blood sugar avoiding that “hangry” anxious feeling, a healthy gut supported by fiber rich foods improves how your brain regulates stress and mood, and whole foods are uber nutrient dense and contain nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins, and omega 3 fatty acids that support your nervous system. 

Next let’s discuss lifestyle habits that can help manage anxiety. There are many options, so I will only touch on my favorites. 

We know that exercise burns off stress hormones, releases “feel-good” brain chemicals, regulates your nervous system, improves sleep, and builds mental resilience. If you do not know where to start, consider the following. 

• Low intensity exercise like walking or cycling is great for daily calm.
• Mind body exercises like yoga or Tai Chi work well for an overactive mind. 
• High intensity workouts like HIIT are best for acute stress relief. 
• Even 10-15 minutes can reduce anxiety short term. 
• And honestly, the best exercise is the one that you will do daily! If you can combine your exercise with outdoor time that is even better as being out in nature reduces our stress hormone cortisol. 

For those with general anxiety, it may be helpful to combine other techniques since we cannot be exercising all day long! And of course, if you are injured or recovering from surgery or illness, exercise may not be possible in the short term.

• Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or tapping is my new favorite. It combines light tapping on acupressure points with calming statements. Check out the free app, called The Tapping Solution, or check on YouTube for other free tapping options. It can interrupt anxious thought loops, reduce cortisol, and give your brain something physical and repetitive to focus on!
• Box breathing is amazing when your mind feels chaotic, and it is quite simple. Take a deep breath and inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and hold again for four seconds. Deep breathing signals safety to the body, and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms heart rate, breathing, and tension. 
• Meditation does not have to be a 30-minute situation. I believe that guided meditation is best for beginners, and apps like Calm and Headspace have many options. I also recommend Ayla Nova on Spotify and her guided Yoga Nidra which helps me fall asleep. 

Lastly, I would be amiss if I did not mention some of my favorite supplements. Sometimes if we are nutrient deficient, supplementing while working on diet is a reasonable strategy. Anxiety waits for no one, and sometimes we just need a quick fix. So here are my favorites!

• Minerals are calming overall, but Magnesium wins the prize. Statistics show that more than half of Americans are MG deficient so give it a shot. It blocks excitatory transmission in brain cells, modulates our stress response, and only 250-300 mg of Magnesium glycinate is needed as a daily “chill pill”. 
• A B-complex is foundational to overall health. B vitamins are involved in healthy neurotransmitter production and are needed for a healthy central nervous system and stress response. Try a full spectrum B complex with the right forms of B vitamins (no folic acid please) in their most easily absorbable form. I use Integrative Therapeutics Active B Complex which you can purchase on my website. 
• Other favorites:
• L-theanine found naturally in green tea, enhances alpha brain wave activity which induces feelings of calm while also increasing the synthesis of GABA, and the effects are felt within 30 minutes at doses between 50-200 mg. 
• Flower essences are infusions made from the flowering parts of plants and are used for their beneficial effects on mood and emotions. They work on a subtle energetic level with profound results. Look for a blend of impatiens, cherry plum, white chestnut, and beech flower essences. Just a few drops under the tongue and you are good to go!
• Passionflower has sedative properties and has been used worldwide for anxiety and insomnia. One study found just forty-five drops of a liquid extract was as effective as 30 mg of oxazepam, a prescription medication for anxiety.
• I would be remiss if I did not mention Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Research shows that subjects diagnosed with anxiety were deficient in EPA and DHA. Start with 1,000 to 2,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA for brain, mood and keeping  inflammation at bay. 

So, in sum, I do not have a magic wand to help us all stay calm in an anxious world, but hopefully, you now feel like you have an abundance of tools in your toolbox. Let me know what works for you, and feel free to book a free 20-minute discovery call if you want to chat more. Stay calm and carry on 😊.