Anxiety and Diet

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The two most talked about forms of therapy for Anxiety are Talk Therapies and Pharmacotherapy. But is that all there is to help send your Anxiety into remission? While there haven’t been a plethora of studies on the association of nutrition or diet and Anxiety to give us a foolproof way to beat Anxiety with solely dietary changes, there has been enough research on both humans and animal test subjects to give us a clearer indication of which foods make you anxious and the best foods to fight Anxiety and Depression.

Anxiety and Diet Link

There’s been a significant amount of research over the gut brain connection, called the gut brain axis. What happens is your Vagus nerve connects your gut and brain. Both produce Serotonin- your ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter, with a large amount of that being produced in your gut, as well as GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) your ‘fear and anxiety processor’ neurotransmitter which is manufactured solely in your gut.

When you are healthy and have a healthy gut microbiome, your body is able to maintain a stable production of Serotonin and GABA which contribute to your ability to deal with Anxiety or anxious feelings. When the balance of your gut microbiome is off, your physical ability to produce those necessary neurotransmitters becomes impaired and it gets difficult to deal with Anxiety.

Then there’s those types of foods that don’t just mess with your microbiome, but cause spikes (and later on dips) in blood sugar or adrenaline that will lead to feelings of panic attacks or will mimic physical symptoms of anxiety, or cause your regular symptoms to be exacerbated (sometimes significantly).

To sum it all up: what you eat matters, especially if you struggle with Anxiety.

Foods that cause Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Foods that cause Anxiety

I’m sure it won’t come as a shock that some of the items on the avoidance list for people with Anxiety are the types of things that good nutrition would normally tell you to avoid.

Sugar
Processed Foods
Carbohydrates
MSG
Soft drinks
Artificial Sweeteners
- Aspartame
- Saccharin
- sorbitol
Fried Foods
Junk Food
Fast Food
High Saturated Fats
High Refined Carbohydrates
Caffeine

Foods that cause Anxiety Attacks

Anxiety isn’t just something that lives in your mind. You can experience significant physical distress as well, and when your diet isn’t helping your gut or brain to function healthfully, the food you eat can cause your physical symptoms to get worse, or you might experience sudden changes in blood sugar or adrenaline that mimic an anxiety or panic attack.

Sugar
- Blood sugar spikes can cause a racing heartbeat, breathlessness or confusion
- Blood sugar lows can cause confusion, dizziness, shaky feelings, sweat
Caffeine
- Causes adrenaline spikes that cause racing heartbeat, breathlessness and overall edgy feelings
Food Intolerances/Allergies
- Foods that your body cannot effectively process can lead to similar symptoms of an Anxiety or Panic Attack, especially if you eat the food, then attempt to exercise. With this combination you may notice a rapid heartbeat, a tightness in your throat, tingling in your mouth or tongue, dizziness, or lightheadedness.
- Common food intolerances are gluten, dairy, nightshade vegetables (tomato, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers) and food additives.

Diet for Anxiety Disorder

There are a lot of ways to treat Anxiety using nutrition. Below is a list of all the ways in which your diet can help you fight off Anxiety. As with any other form of Anxiety treatment, it is always helpful to seek out a professional opinion before you begin a new treatment regimen.

If you are already pursuing therapy, it may be good to let your therapist know your interest in pursuing a nutritive path of treatment. They may be able to recommend a nutritionist who has helped other patients they know who can safely guide you through any dietary changes you are looking to make.

Fasting

I don’t know about you, but I cringe at the idea of going without a regular meal, not only from a hunger perspective but also from having struggled with blood sugar issues. However, fasting can have an anxiolytic, or anxiety reducing, effect on some people.

Healthy Diet Patterns

While many people may think they have an idea of what a ‘Healthy Diet Pattern’ is, there isn’t a standardized version of what that looks like. However, Mediterranean Diets, and Ketogenic Diets, or even traditional diets with plenty of variety with fruits and vegetables, and a lack of snacking have all been shown to help fight symptoms of Anxiety.

Vegetables and Fruits

A diet high in fruits and vegetables has been shown to reduce Anxiety significantly. Some of the more effective foods used possess anti-inflammatory properties.

Anti-inflammatory Diet

Citrus fruits, grapes, berries, pomegranates, fennel and lettuce were used in studies to determine their efficacy in reducing Anxiety and were shown to be helpful for reducing Anxiety symptoms. Cherries, Tomato Juice, Orange Juice and Fennel have also had positive outcomes for people with Anxiety symptoms.

Phytochemicals have also shown scientific evidence of reducing inflammation and anxiety symptom severity. Saffron, Chamomile and Curcumin (found in turmeric) are considered to be the most powerful, with L-theanine showing mixed results for efficacy.

Other Culinary Herbs, Teas and foods with Anti-Anxiety effects:

Rosemary
Cinnamon
Coriander
Basil
Nigella
Hibiscus
Rose Tea
Green Tea
Soy
Nut and seed extracts
Cacao and Chocolate

Breakfast

It’s considered the most important meal of the day, and is the best time to prepare your gut microbiome for a healthier you. Combining a probiotic with a nutrient dense (low carbohydrate, low saturated fats, low sugar, no caffeine) breakfast can set you up for ideal Anxiety fighting status.

Food Intolerance or Allergy

For people with IBS, gluten is a well-known allergen that can cause significant distress. For people dealing with IBS, avoiding gluten has been shown to decrease their anxiety symptoms.

Probiotics and Prebiotics versus Antibiotics

Probiotics, usually taken in pill form, are what help to diversify and stabilize your gut microbiome. Foods with natural probiotic qualities include Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Kefir and Kombucha. They lead to better digestion and absorption of nutrients. Probiotics are most effective if taken or eaten before any other foods, first thing in the morning.

Prebiotics are usually taken in food form (i.e. Bananas, Garlic, Kiwi, Legumes). Prebiotics contain gut bacteria food (fiber humans can’t digest) and contribute to a healthy gut microbiome.

Antibiotics fight bacterial infections and have been shown to have a negative effect on gut health.

Probiotics and Prebiotics have both been shown to have a positive effect on Anxiety while Antibiotics have demonstrated negative, or Anxiety-inducing effects.

Caloric Restriction

Statistically over 60% of people may notice a reduction in their Anxiety symptoms when they practice Caloric Restriction. For others, there isn’t much of a difference and if you’re giving this method a try, keep in mind that your results may be mixed as well.

Increased Fiber Intake

Fiber, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Anxiety all go together. If you struggle with your gut health, increasing your fiber intake can calm your issues with IBS, and your overall health will improve and lead to a balanced microbiome and chemically balanced body, contributing to lower levels of Anxiety.

Increased Protein Intake

Not everyone will notice the difference, but for people with more severe symptoms of Anxiety, sticking to a high protein (and low carbohydrate) content diet can have a noticeable difference in your symptoms. Not enough research has been done to give a definitive answer to whether or not animal proteins or plant based proteins are better for reducing Anxiety.

Tryptophan

Who doesn’t love a good Thanksgiving Turkey? Well, good news: adding some Tryptophan into your diet, via food or supplements, has been shown to decrease symptoms of Anxiety in multiple studies as Tryptophan is needed for the production of serotonin. Tryptophan can be found in foods other than turkey, such as: eggs, soy, seeds, and fish.

Tryptophan supplements should not be taken alongside SSRI/SNRI medications.

Healthy Fats

Healthy Fats, used in the proper transmission of neuro signals, have long been considered a positive for anyone struggling with Anxiety. Omega-3 and Omega-6 supplements are a great addition to your diet if you are struggling with Anxiety.

Vitamins

General health maintenance will never cause your Anxiety to suffer. Broad spectrum nutrient vitamins (multi-vitamins) have been shown to cause a positive outcome for people with Anxiety. Vitamins C and E have also shown positive outcomes, while there are mixed results for Vitamin B supplementation. Vitamin D, taken with a multivitamin, has also shown a generally positive outcome.

Minerals

In various studies, it has been concluded that Selenium and Zinc have a positive outcome for people dealing with Anxiety, while a mixture of Copper, Magnesium, Manganese, Selenium and Zinc had mixed results.

Conclusion

In research studies, it has been made clear that people who seek out dietary counseling and give both vitamins and herbal remedies a try tend to be more successful than people who only seek out ‘psychosocial’ (mental, physical and emotional health) methods of treatment.

It may be helpful to keep a food diary and track how you feel after you eat different types of meals, you never know, you may have a food intolerance that is inhibiting your ability to deal with your Anxiety. Keeping track of what you eat and giving yourself time to adapt to a new diet (big changes are the hardest to stick to so go slow!) will help you on your way to Anxiety Remission!

Don’t forget, consulting with a nutritionist to craft a winning strategy tailored to your needs is always a great place to start- you are worth the investment.

May God Bless and Keep You.