Nutritional Tips to Help Reduce Anxiety Symptoms

Stress or anxious feelings are symptoms most of us experience at some point in our life. In fact, anxiety is one of the most common presentations at my clinic - particularly as I work with many patients with the MTHFR gene, which can be associated with anxiety.

We are living in a busier, more pressured life with not much time for relaxation and re-connection, which can worsen feelings of stress and anxiety. Plus our diet has changed dramatically in the last 50 years - what was once a simple diet of lots of vegetables, fruit, protein, good fats and a few treats has been flipped to a diet rich in processed foods, too many treats and too little nutrient-dense foods. 

I've outlined a few starter recommendations for helping support the nervous system & reduce anxiety symptoms below:

1. Magnesium - magnesium is our master nervous system mineral! It is used in over 300 enzyme reactions in our body, most notably to help form our neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin. Magnesium sufficiency helps us feel calmer and also assists sleep, so it's a win-win when trying to reduce feelings of anxiety. Also when we are stressed our magnesium stores are depleted more rapidly, hence why we need more magnesium during periods of heightened stress. Magnesium is found in dark leafy greens, seeds, nuts and raw cacao. However, if we are feeling particularly stressed or anxious we may need to supplement with a good quality Magnesium in the form of glycinate, amino acid chelate or citrate to help raise levels. Stay away from Magnesium oxide or Magnesium aspartate when looking for nervous system support.

2. Probiotics - when our digestion is not in balance, this greatly impacts the body's ability to manufacture neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which can then conversely impact our mood. Approximately 80-90% of all serotonin production occurs in our gut, so we want our digestive health to be in the best condition when trying to reduce anxiety symptoms! Depending on your individual digestive health, certain strains of probiotics have been found to help reduce anxiety symptoms in clinical trials such Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. The latter two are particularly useful if your anxiety is linked to your inability to degrade excess histamine in the body.

3. Adequate Protein - this is a big one when working with my patients. Many are not consuming enough protein, especially at breakfast & lunch to assist blood glucose balancing and neurotransmitter formation. Highs and then subsequent lows in blood glucose levels can leave us feeling anxious, cranky and shaky; so it's important to have adequate protein & good fats at each meal whilst limiting refined sugars & processed carbohydrates. Protein also provides amino acids to help form neurotransmitters, for example tryptophan is an amino acid found in protein, which is converted to 5-HTP, then to serotonin in the body. Eggs, porridge, seeds, nuts and protein smoothies are my favourite additions to breakfast, at lunch legumes, fish, chicken & red meat (in moderation) are easy ways to increase your protein intake.

4. Vitamin Bs, particularly B6, folate & B12 - most of us know that vitamin Bs help increase energy, but did you know they are important for a process called methylation, which impacts our neurotransmitter formation? Optimised methylation requires B6, folate & B12 as co-factors in enzyme reactions to create serotonin, dopamine and GABA in the body (feel-good & calming neurotransmitters). However a cheap supermarket B-Complex is unlikely to do the trick as we need "activated" forms of B6, folate & B12 generally to assist our mood, especially if you have the MTHFR gene mutation which approximately 40% of us do. I recommend working with a practitioner on the best B-complex for you because the form of the activated Bs can vary - i.e. you may feel best on folinic acid, an activated form of folate, or you may need the most active form methyl-folate. I always recommend Bs in a complex, not on their own, as B1, B2, B3 & B5 are also very important co-factors to assist B6, folate & B12.

5. Zinc - another one of our master minerals which can impact our mood and neurotransmitter formation. It also can help with concentration & attention - both often impacted when feeling stressed and anxious. Zinc is used at the nerve synapse and can also be depleted when our immunity is compromised when fighting a cold or infection.  Zinc and B6 also work together to help form our neurotransmitters, thus are often taken together when helping reduce feelings of anxiety. Foods high in zinc are pepitas, nuts, oysters, chicken and red meat. 

6. L-Theanine, Passionflower, Chamomile - these have been found to have a "Gabanergic" effect on the body, which means they have a mild action on the GABA receptors which can provide a calming effect. L-theanine is found in Green Tea, I particularly love Matcha Green Tea for its L-theanine levels - I personally love drinking the tea, plus adding the powder into protein smoothies. Passionflower & Chamomile I like to have in the form of herbal teas, often found together in "calming" tea blends, perfect in the evening to calm the mind down.

7. Yoga, Meditation, Physical Activity - not a typical nutrition recommendation, however I had to include this due to the enormous impact it can have on reducing stress levels and anxiety. Yoga & meditation are particularly amazing at dealing with feelings of anxiety as they help elicit our parasympathetic nervous system which provides calming (opposite to the sympathetic nervous system which is our 'fight and flight' and often activated during periods of prolonged stress and anxiety). Daily guided 10 minute meditations via apps such as Headspace Meditations are great if you are time-poor. Or try find a local yoga studio to do 2 classes a week. If yoga is not your thing, any type of physical activity has been found to reduce feelings of anxiety - just find an activity you love to do so it doesn't feel like a chore.

There are many other important foods & nutrients when looking at balancing mood such as omega-3s, fibre, selenium, antioxidants particularly vitamin C, manganese to name just a few! I just wanted to pull out a few helpful tips in today's post. Plus it's worth noting that a food intolerance or allergy could also be worsening your feelings of anxiety, thus I recommend working with a practitioner to develop an individualised plan for you depending on your unique biochemistry and symptoms.

Please note: If you are taking any pharmaceutical medications for anxiety or depression, please check with your GP or Healthcare practitioner before adding in supplements, as some supplements may interact with medications or may be better taken at a different time of the day from medications. If you are experiencing severe anxiety, please contact your GP, psychologist/counsellor or organisations such as Beyond Blue or Black Dog. The above information is only to be used as a guide and does not substitute for medical advice.

Interested in knowing more about how to support your nervous system & reduce your anxiety?  Contact Me to book an appointment.