Stress and anxiety act to motivate and sharpen our focus and reactions when we are faced with an immediate issue or ‘danger’. This is a REALLY GOOD and intelligent response!! Please check in here for my brief explanation of the stress response - what it is and when it starts to become not so helpful.
“When anxious feelings don't go away, happen without any particular reason or make it hard to cope with daily life it may be the sign of an anxiety condition” (Beyond Blue, 2020).
*If you are often experiencing anxiety or think you have an anxiety-related condition, please speak with your GP or healthcare professional. You can also contact support services such as Beyond Blue at 1300 224 636 *.
As well as seeking psychological support, herbal/nutritional medicine, diet and lifestyle factors can play a crucial role in supporting our nervous system, adrenals, and mood. There are numerous natural strategies that can help calm the mind and support anxiety. One great and vital place to start, is to look at what we are feeding our cells on a daily basis. So, here are 5 of my favourite nutrients to help support our nervous system, adrenals and mood. I encourage you to include each of these 5 nutrients in your diet every single day, through the foods you eat. Furthermore, supplementation can often be required, yet before taking any supplementation, it is always best to consult with a healthcare practitioner first.
• Magnesium
From a nutritional perspective, Magnesium is vital in the management of stress and anxiety. Magnesium helps to relax our muscles and provide support for muscle cramps/spasms. It also plays an important role in supporting cellular energy production and supporting healthy nerve function, especially during times of stress. Magnesium levels have actually been shown to decrease when our bodies are stressed – that is, our body uses and excretes more magnesium during stressful times! Including Magnesium-rich foods on a daily basis is a great place to start, for example, cacao, red/white meat, nuts/seeds, spinach, dark leafy greens, bananas, and legumes. On top of what we eat, we can soak up that beautiful Magnesium through our skin, think ocean swims or Epsom salts baths.
• B vitamins
There are 8 different B vitamins, which all work together to help nourish our nervous system, brain functioning and energy production. B vitamins have been shown to be significantly effective in the management of stress. Foods which increase your B vitamin consumption include wholegrains, chicken, lamb, beef, dark green leafy veggies, nuts, nutritional yeast, bananas, seafood and eggs.
• Essential Fatty Acids
Our essential Omega-3 fatty acids play a vital role in repairing and regenerating our brain and nervous system, helping to support memory, mood and brain functioning. Studies have shown improvements in anxiety-related symptoms when supplemental Omega-3 fatty acids have been used. Good sources of omega- 3 fatty acids include small oily fish (sardines, anchovies, mackerel), wild-caught salmon/tuna, walnuts, Brazil nuts, flaxseed oil, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and avocado. Aim to include a small portion of these good fats at every meal, such as ½ avocado with your eggs at breakfast, a handful of nuts/seeds mid-morning, a drizzle of flaxseed oil on your salad at lunch or a nice piece of wild-caught salmon for dinner.
• Zinc
Zinc plays an important role in modulating the brain’s response to stress and is a co-factor for neurotransmitter function. Fun fact: the highest levels of zinc in the body are found in the hippocampus, an area of the brain that regulates motivation, emotion, learning, and memory! Furthermore, zinc deficiency has been associated with mood changes such as depression, rapidly changing thoughts, nervousness, hyperactivity and even psychosis. Foods rich in zinc include red/white meat, wholegrains, nuts/seeds, eggs, legumes, oysters and mushrooms.
• Iron
One nutrient that can often get overlooked when working with anxiety, is iron. Iron is an essential component of red blood cells which helps transport oxygen around the body, a vital part of energy production. It also plays a big role in our neurological health. Iron is one of the co-factors involved in serotonin synthesis in the brain (our feel good, ‘happy’ neurotransmitter). Low serum iron concentrations have actually been shown to be related to Panic Attack and Hyperventilation Attack. Furthermore, human studies have linked anxiety-driven behaviours to poor iron status. With iron, it is always best to get a full iron study conducted to see where your blood iron levels are at - supplementation may be required to correct an iron deficiency. In terms of food, the best and most easily absorbed iron comes from animal sources e.g. beef, lamb and chicken, rather than plant sources e.g. spinach, nuts + seeds. If you follow a plant-based diet, consuming your iron rich plant foods with vitamin C rich foods will help assist absorption.
Please remember, if you are feeling anxious, firstly know that you are not alone, and secondly, know that there are so many strategies and professional healthcare workers that can help you on your journey.
Until we meet again,
Nutmeg xx
*Please note that this blog is providing general advice, it is not specific to your individual health history. If you are experiencing significant mood/stress/anxiety changes, please book an appointment with a health practitioner to obtain your individualised treatment approach.
Studies/Sources used for this article;
1. Deans E, (2015), Heavy Metal: Iron and the Brain, Sometimes the first symptoms of iron deficiency are neurologic, Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, viewed on 237/5/20, available at < https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/evolutionarypsychiatry/201511/heavy-metal-iron-and-the-brain>.
2. Hechtman L, (2012), Clinical Naturopathic Medicine, 1st edn (revised 2014), Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, Australia pg. 51-99.
3. Beyond Blue, (2020), Anxiety, Beyond Blue, Australia, viewed on 27/5/20, available at < https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety>
4. Braun, L & Cohen, M, 2015, Herbs & Natural Supplements: An Evidence-Based Guide, vol 2, 4th edn, Elsevier, Australia pg. .338, 1074, 1085
5. Metagenics, (2020), Stress Less Program Brochure, Metagenics, QLD Australia.
6. Metagenics, (2019), Anxiety/ Panic Disorder, Metagenics, QLD Australia.
7. Bioconcepts, (2019), Anxiety and Panic Disorder (PD)/ Looking Beyond the Nervous System ,Bioconcepts, Australia.
8. Yasuhito Mikawa , Satoshi Mizobuchi, Moritoki Egi, Kiyoshi Morita, (2013), Low Serum Concentrations of Vitamin B6 and Iron are Related to Panic Attack and Hyperventilation Attack, PubMed, viewed on 27/5/20, available at < https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23603926/>.
9. Kim, Jonghan, and Marianne Wessling-Resnick, (2014), Iron and Mechanisms of Emotional Behavior, The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 25.11, pg. 1101-1107, available online at < https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4253901/>
10. Biopractica, (2020), 7 Clinical Clues orf Zinc Deficiency, Biopractica, Australia.
11. Johnson C, (2020), Modulating Mood with Omega-3: A Highly Effective, Low-Risk Strategy, Biomedica, viewed on 27/5/20, available at < https://www.biomedica.com.au/page/300/modulating-mood-with-omega-3>.
12. Eagle, (2019), Nutritional Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, The Foods You Eat Affect How You Feel, Integria Healthcare, Australia.
13. Kuan-Pin Su, Ping-Tao Tseng, Pao-Yen Lin, et al (2018), Association of Use of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids with Changes in Severity of Anxiety Symptoms, JAMA, viewed on 1/6/20, available at < https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2702216>.
