Natural Remedies for Anxiety

Anxiety, in the simplest of terms, can be explained as a feeling of fear, uneasiness and worry. Anxious people always tend to worry about family, money, school, profession, health and all other miscellaneous things, that are partially or completely beyond their control. These feelings of anxiety may be due to a real or perceived possibility of things going wrong. Usually, fear and worry are mainly due to a negative line of thinking, and the degree of worry is far greater than the situation actually calls for. Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress. Some amount of stress is essential as it motivates a person to perform better. But when stress and the resultant anxiety becomes excessive, it hampers a person's efficiency.

Anxiety Symptoms and Causes

The most definite symptom of anxiety is increase in the heart rate, without performing any arduous physical activity. Other symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Dryness of mouth
• Indigestion
• Frequent urination
• Headaches and stomach aches

The visible or external indications are: Trembling, sweating, pale skin, inability to speak, etc. In extreme cases, a panic attack results when a person thinks that he or she will die. This is not very common and is different from a heart attack.

The symptoms are a natural reaction of the body to a perceived threat. This causes the body to release the adrenaline hormone from the adrenal ('ad' for adjacent and 'renal' for kidneys) gland located near the kidneys. Adrenaline is also called the 'fight' or 'flight' hormone. It prepares the body to either fight the given situation or run away from it. In doing so, it releases more energy into the blood stream and diverts blood (the carrier of energy inside the body) from the stomach, intestines and mouth to the hands and feet, i.e. organs that would be required to fight or to flee. Recent research by the University College London has proved that during anxiety, the flow of blood is diverted from the front of the brain to the mid brain. In the front brain, logical thinking and decision making are conducted, while in the mid brain, fight or flight, i.e. survival mechanisms are thought about. The release of extra energy to the hands and feet causes them to tremble. The diversion of blood from the intestinal tract and mouth results in less absorption of nutrients (therefore indigestion) and dryness of mouth respectively.

Natural Remedies for Anxiety

The root cause of anxiety lies in fear. Although fear cannot be eliminated, it can be controlled. When a person is no longer afraid of getting anxious, more than half the battle is won. This is far easier said than done, but can at least be a starting point.

The easiest way to deal with anxiety is to breathe deeply. This normalizes the blood circulation and related problems. Meditation has been a time-tested technique to deal with stress. This helps get rid of the unwanted negative thoughts and therefore helps a person concentrate on the task at hand. Having sufficient sleep, especially during the night, gives the body a good rest and keeps it relaxed. Physical exercise is arguably the most potent and safe anxiety solution. Research has proved that the hormones released into the bloodstream during exercise and during anxiety are the same. The difference is that during exercise, these hormones are utilized and not accumulated in the blood. Cardiovascular exercises in combination with walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, yoga, etc. are a good way of relaxing. Aromatherapy, which includes adding plant oils to massage oils or bath oils is another effective way of dealing with anxiety. Plant oils like lavender, rose, sandalwood, jasmine are also generally used for this purpose.

A healthy and balanced diet is another natural way of dealing with anxiety. Nutrients are required in greater quantity when a person is under stress. A protein deficient, low water and excessively carbohydrate-rich diet promotes anxiety. Food allergies can lead to many physical and psychological problems, including anxiety. Most of the food allergies are caused due to eight foods, viz.

• Wheat
• Egg
• Milk
• Soy
• Peanut
• Shellfish
• Fish
• Tree nuts (walnut, cashew, etc)

Preservatives in food and hormones added to meat (that facilitate quick growth and weight gain) promote anxiety. Stimulants like caffeine cause anxiety, sleeplessness and nervousness. The only reason people consume caffeine (contained in coffee, tea, chocolates, etc.) is because it makes them feel better; but this is only an illusion as caffeine does not contain any energy. Foods that reduce anxiety contain biotin, calcium, magnesium, pantothenic acid, folic acid, niacin, zinc and vitamins B1, B2, B6 and B12. These are contained in milk, cheese, eggs, cauliflower, peas, beans, lentil, turkey, spinach, cabbage, lamb, chicken, etc. Anxiety can also be controlled by the consumption of herbs like Ashwagandha, Dandelion leaves, Passion flower and Eleuthero/Siberian Ginseng.

As the saying goes 'experience is the best teacher'; a person who has been through anxiety can be his own 'best doctor', as he knows what to do and what not to.