Manage Stress & Alleviate Anxiety!
I am not a stressful, anxious person but I have to admit I have certainly had my share of moments the past six months thanks to COVID and my kids, school situations, people around me, work, etc. Stress and anxiety is like the chicken and the egg….which came first? One fuels the other and vice versa. There’s the easy solution…seek out your doctor and take whatever prescription he is willing to prescribe, which may or may not work and may or may not cause side effects such as weight gain, addiction, sexual dysfunction, drowsiness, nausea. Then we have the Functional Medicine Solution, whose main goal is to uncover the root cause of anxiety commonly through one of these three approaches:
Gut brain axis (ever hear of your gut as your second brain? Or you know serotonin as your “feel good” hormone…yeah it is 400x higher in your gut than in your brain so you can see why its important to address your gut when it comes to anything brain related!)
HPA dysregulation (thyroid -adrenal balance, I’m sure you’ve heard of your fight or flight response? Sometimes it gets stuck in overdrive wreaking havoc on your stress/adrenal glands and/or thyroid (master hormone that regulates everything in your body!)
Or nutrient deficiencies. You know there’s a reason why we need to eat our veggies and avoid the crap. All that crap and stress depletes our nutrient stores, increases inflammation and pretty soon our bodies have created the perfect storm for chronic stress and anxiety to thrive….a storm we can’t out of without a little (sometimes a lot) of help!
And for side effects, it very likely you’ll gain more energy, increased focus, more motivation, proper digestion and more happiness….that doesn’t sound all too bad does it? More like, sign me up!
Here is an excellent link that goes in depth to each of these three approaches:
https://chriskresser.com/functional-medicine-approach-to-anxiety/
So let’s get into what we can do to combat stress/anxiety the natural, feel the best you can way!
Anxiety
Self – Treatment
Eat a well balanced diet full..
o healthy fats (avocados, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter, grass fed beef, wild fatty fish, omega 3 or farm fresh eggs
o nutrient dense carbohydrates (think vegetables and fruits and lots of colors!)
o Clean, healthy proteins (grass fed beef, locally raised or organic poultry, locally raised or organic pork in moderation, omega 3 or farm fresh eggs, wild caught fish, wild game)
Exercise daily…
o Something to get your heart pumping & those endorphins flowing
o With friends and/or family
Positive / Grateful Mindset
o Those that are grateful are more positive and those that are more positive are more grateful!
o Start a journal or nightly share with your family 3 things you are grateful for and 3 things you accomplished today!
o Focus on the I CAN / I DID rather than the I CAN’T / I DIDN’T
Make sleep a priority
o Start a sleep hygiene protocol
Identify triggers and a plan to avoid/handle those triggers
Relaxation / imagery exercises such as yoga/meditation/prayer
Reduce or eliminate caffeine and alcohol which tend to exacerbate anxiety
Supplemental Treatment:
L-theanine : An amino acid found naturally in tea and used to improve cognitive function, lower anxiety, and promote healthy sleep. It promotes feelings of calm and alertness simultaneously.
There’s a 100mg chewable tablet good for kids and a 200mg capsule as a good starting dose for adults. Some find best benefit taking 1 3x per day.
Neurocalm (Designs for Health): combo supplement, text from website
NeuroCalm™ is designed to promote the activity of GABA and serotonin, which may help support healthy mood, cravings, and feelings of calm, satiety, and satisfaction.** NeuroCalm™ contains PharmaGABA®, a form of GABA naturally manufactured via a fermentation process, which is considered more effective than chemically produced synthetic forms. Support for the production of calming neurotransmitters is also provided by L-theanine and taurine.**
**Recommended Use: As a dietary supplement, take two capsules per day, or as directed by your health care practitioner.
PharmaGaba: GABA acts like a brake on stress, reducing stress-linked beta waves and promoting alpha waves that support relaxation while maintaining mental focus
Ashwaganda: an adaptogenic herb, it helps your body’s adrenal glands adapt and function optimally to stressors
5-HTP: improves mood and helps relieve stress, anxiety, and pain, start with 100-200mg
THC Free CBD: helps eliminate anxiety, cream calmness and aid in restful sleep
Daily probiotic, digestive enzymes, and glutamine to restore integrity and optimal function of the gut
Nutrients depleted by stress and anxiety: Essential to supplement with during times of high stress/anxiety!!!
Stress B complex (Thorn Research):
Phytisone (Thorne Research): combines nutrients and adaptogenic herbs
Magnesium malate or glycinate
DHA fish oil: I prefer Nordic Naturals brand
About the Author
Katie Nelson is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, Registered Dietitian. Katie works with her clients in designing individualized nutrition & fitness programs to help you achieve optimal health, body composition & performance. She specialize in running specific, weight loss & optimal health/fitness in addition to nutrition for sports, preventative health, food allergies & body composition. Check out her Facebook page HERE.
