In the past few years or so, the conversation around mental health has opened up. While stigmas are still attached to mental illness, mental health is slowly but surely being recognized for being just as important as physical health. After all, your brain is a muscle, and you need to keep it healthy to stay in shape! A huge number of people around the globe find themselves suffering from anxiety on a daily basis, or just every so often, and it seems as though your diet may be affecting this. The likes of coffee, refined sugar, and processed sugar can all make anxiety worse, but these are the foods that will help you overcome it.
Tryptophan Will Be Your New Friend
Although the research behind anxiety and diet is still a little up in the air, many researchers have found a direct correlation between improved stress and those who eat more foods that contain Tryptophan. This amino acid can be found in foods such as turkey, milk, nuts, bananas, oats, chicken, and more. It’s believed that Tryptophan has this effect because it helps your brain produce serotonin. This neurotransmitter is what boosts your mood and makes you feel more in control of the situations around you. This can be hugely beneficial for those who struggle with anxiety.
Vitamin B Will Be Your Buddy
It’s always important to eat foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, and this is especially true for Vitamin B. Scientists have found that a lack of B vitamins can actually trigger depression and anxiety. Because of this, eating more foods that are rich in vitamin B can help to keep this at bay. While you can take supplements, it’s always better to get vitamins from the source. This means upping the number of legumes, leafy greens, pork, eggs, chicken, citrus fruits, and nuts that you have in your diet.
Complex Carbs Aren’t So Complex
Our body is not used to processing complex carbs, which means they can often give us an initial “rush” as they enter our body, before quickly making us feel lethargic and sluggish. So, it’s always better to try and add more complex carbs into your diet. These carbs can be found in the likes of whole grains and whole-wheat products such as brown rice and whole-wheat bread. Because these complex carbs take longer to be broken down by your body, they release a steady stream of sugar, which will help to boost your mood and keep anxiety at bay.
Omega-3 Isn’t So Fishy
It’s long been known that foods rich in omega-3 are beneficial for the brain. The likes of fatty fish and oils have been known to enhance concentration and brain power, but it seems as though they can also help anxiety. During one study, patients who took omega- fatty acids alongside their prescribed antidepressants improved much more than those who took their medicine alone.
Do you struggle with anxiety? Well, changing your diet may have a positive effect on you.
COMMENTS