Anxiety is a common feeling that we all experience from time to time. Maybe you are waiting for your doctor to call with test results. Or you have been waiting for that special person to text you back.
A little anxiety is common and even expected in life. But what is anxiety? What causes it? Does changing your diet help manage anxiety?
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness, fear, or worry about everyday situations.
Some common anxiety smyptoms include sweating, a fast heart rate, or feeling tired.
What Causes Anxiety?
It is not clear what causes anxiety to occur. It is thought that past experiences that were traumatic may play a big role.
Another common cause of anxiety is certain medical conditions. Conditions such as thyroid disorders, alcohol withdrawal, heart disease, or diabetes can contribute to a person feeling anxious.
Anxiety may also be caused by medication side effects.
Does Changing Your Diet Help Manage Anxiety?
The short answer is yes. A balanced diet can help manage your anxiety.
The first thing to change is when you eat. It’s important to eat first thing in the morning. Next, you are going to want to not go more than 4 hours without eating. This is how we eat to balance our blood sugar. Balanced blood sugar is an important part of managing your anxiety.
You are also going to want to start eating balanced meals to help your anxiety symptoms.
What does eating in a balanced way mean?
It means combining your foods in a way that will help balance your blood sugar. A balanced plate looks like ½ your plate is filled with non-starchy vegetables, ¼ of your plate is filled with a source of protein, and ¼ of your plate is filled with slow-digesting carbohydrates.
Check out the plate below for an example of a balanced meal.
The plate above is filled with ½ non-starchy vegetables, ¼ protein, and ¼ carbohydrates.
The non-starchy vegetables include lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. The protein source is chicken breast. The source of carbohydrates is the hummus shown at the center of the plate.
Balanced blood sugar is at the heart of a lot of the work here at The Modern Nutritionist. I hope you found this article helpful!
If you found this article helpful, share it with a friend who is struggling with anxiety.