I have a great job in my hospital–I’m a lactation consultant on the OB floor. I am privileged to care for new moms and their babies. However, as I obtain a medical history on each of my new mothers, I am dismayed to see how many of these young individuals have been diagnosed with anxiety. Some are on a medication, many are not. It is so common that I sometimes think that the MAJORITY of women I care for have this diagnosis!
Why? What is happening that so many have anxiety? I decided I needed to learn more about this pervasive problem in our society and how to help people deal with it effectively and naturally.
WHAT IS IT?
By definition, anxiety is a NORMAL emotion. It’s our response to stress, designed to alert us to potential danger. We all experience anxiety; it feels uncomfortable, and it’s not a desirable emotion. Rather than relying on medications to combat anxiety, there are several NATURAL methods that are proven to lessen anxiety, and that’s what I’ll be sharing with you today.
Please know that there is a huge difference between normal anxiety and and an Anxiety Disorder. Anytime anxiety becomes overwhelming, consuming one with fear and anxiety, you are moving to the Anxiety Disorder realm. While the following remedies may help, you will most likely need some counseling and medication to overcome this debilitating condition.
CAUSES
The number one cause of anxiety…STRESS. Stress from:
- work
- school
- personal relationships
- finances
- global occurrences or political issues
- emotional trauma
- serious medical illness
But wait, there are more reasons people get anxious. Anxiety can also erupt due to the following:
- side effect of medication
- from using street drugs (like cocaine or methamphetamine)
- another medical illness side effect (heat stroke, hypoglycemia)
- instances where there is a lack of oxygen (like high altitude sickness or emphysema)
Oh OK, I think I understand why anxiety is so prevalent in our society! So, when dealing with anxiety, you must first determine the cause. Addressing the ROOT CAUSE of any medical condition is always better than putting a Band-aid on the problem. For example, if you’re on a medication that can cause anxiety, perhaps you need to change medications. Good communication with your care provider is always helpful in trying to sort out the cause.
But….life happens. Stress, and potentially anxiety happen. After doing some research, I found several easy, natural remedies that can lessen anxiety!
NATURAL REMEDIES
GET OUTSIDE
Anything from gazing at a photo of a landscape to watering a houseplant, is proven to reduce anxiety and even spark pro-social behaviors like empathy, charitability and generosity.
John Zelenski, PHD, Happiness researcher
Getting outside for a walk, pulling a few weeds, or even something as simple as displaying a plant on your desk can dramatically lower stress. Connecting with even a tiny bit of nature takes your mind off of the anxiety-provoking thoughts that crop up during your daily grind, restoring feelings of peace.
Taking a “wabi-sabi” moment is another therapeutic strategy. Wabi-sabi is an ancient Japanese philosophy that means “appreciating the beauty in the imperfect”. Mental health expert Victoria Maxwell explains,
Taking a moment to meditate on the beauty of nature’s flaws helps us recognize that our own imperfections are also beautiful, alleviating the pressure we put on ourselves and boosting our confidence.
EAT CHERRIES
Australian scientists have found that the pigment that gives cherries their color are loaded with anthocyanins. They have been shown to soothe the central nervous system and lessen anxiety! Eating 20 dark red cherries daily can cut your risk of anxiety in half!
GET MORE SLEEP
Deep, restorative sleep is healing, and when we get into an anxiety cycle, this kind of sleep can elude us. It becomes a vicious cycle. Instead of turning to sleeping pills, here are 2 natural techniques that work to lower tension and stress, and ultimately, promote sleep.
- Blue noise. Instead of white noise, try blue noise–the sound of water such as rain or ocean waves. It has been shown to be more relaxing; also, it drowns out human voices more effectively because our vocal range overlaps with the sound of moving water. Listening to blue noise for as little as 2 minutes has been shown to lower anxiety and blood pressure!
- Touch the Earth. Sounds crazy, but the Earth’s electrical field pulses are at the same frequency of as our brain’s relaxing alpha brain waves, according to Laura Koniver MD, author of The Earth Prescription. She says,
Touching the Earth, or ‘grounding’, helps us sync up with that field and enter a healing state.
It’s been shown that touching the Earth for just 1 second lowers tension and leads to more restorative sleep! As a part of your bedtime routine, go outside and take a few moments to connect with the Earth before going to bed.
RELAXATION BREATHING
As a yoga instructor, I have read numerous studies on the many benefits of deep breathing or belly breathing. According to the American Institute of Stress,
Abdominal breathing for 20 to 30 minutes each day will reduce anxiety and reduce stress. Deep breathing increases the supply of oxygen to your brain and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a state of calmness.
How do you do it? It’s really quite simple. This FB post explains it quite succinctly:
There are many more breathing techniques that promote relaxation; this is a great place to get started.
TAKE A GOOD PROBIOTIC
Now, wait a minute, what does gut health have to do with anxiety? ALOT.
I am amazed at the body of evidence that is linking gut health to anxiety and depression. And the best way to improve your gut health is to make sure that you are feeding it with probiotics. But here’s the catch–you have to make sure that your probiotic is COATED with something that will allow it to pass through our hydrochloric acid loaded stomach (designed to kill ANY bacteria) AND get to the small and large intestines! I was shocked to learn that most probiotics we buy are only about 4% effective! In other words, 96% of probiotics we consume are destroyed by the stomach acids! I have found a probiotic that is coated so that it is 60-70% effective! Go to http://theresehouk.lifevantage.com and look up Probio if you want a decent probiotic!
While anxiety is becoming more and more common in our culture, these are some simple strategies that can help us overcome this uncomfortable emotion and hopefully keep it under control. Certainly, there are many more ways to alleviate anxiety. What do you do? Comment below, I’d love to hear from you!
