My 5 best natural techniques to cope with anxiety
To close mental health awareness week, I thought of it being appropriate to share my personal little “hacks” to help with anxiety.
A bit about my history with mental health.
I have CPTSD and anxiety disorder from a really young age and had my first panic attack at 8 years old. From then I develop strong OCD’s including trichotillomania, hypochondria and dermatillomania, habits I still work on minimising and eliminating to this day.
Luckily I have never needed actual medication besides beta blockers (which help with stopping the release of epinephrine). I attribute circus to a major part of coping with my conditions pretty well while growing up as a form of escapism. Now as an adult keeping a good health and fitness regime helps me manage it the best way possible.
No, I am not anxiety free and this lockdown certainly has given me a couple of panic attacks, but one thing has kept me sane during those challenging times: staying consistent with my healthy habits and disciplined with looking after my mental health.
If nothing else I have learnt along this healing and recovery journey that letting the habits that make you feel good slip out of your routine is a form of self-sabotage and I refuse to let myself down and neither should you. Remember that your thoughts do not control you, they are like a pesky toxic version of yourself that won’t shut up so you learn to put that voice in the background on silent. It will get louder at times but never for too long.
So here goes, the five things that have been part of my routine and that I have not failed to do for myself and my mental health during this crisis. Those will vary from your usual self-care/self-soothing routines, I consider them my fundamentals and the others are complimenting the list below.
1- Meditation
Stating the obvious here but if you are not doing it yet and you suffer from anxiety you need to find a way to do this daily. The aspect of breathing alone will reduce your cortisol levels and help with calming your heart rate.
There are many ways to practice meditation. It can start with just 5 min, using an app, having music, mantras, affirmations or even a breathing guide, you will find what makes you find that peace. It does not have to be sitting still when you begin practicing. There are ways to find a meditative flow if you really struggle with stillness. Colouring, dancing, walking, petting an animal… There are many options out there to help you connect with the present moment and to find that relief.
I aim to practice once daily at least and double or triple my practice time when my anxiety is stronger.
Binaural beats, affirmations and mantras are my favourites. Meditation is my lifeline.
Fave apps:
-Synctuition takes you on amazing 3D sounds journeys
-Insight Timer has various meditations and a customisable timer. It also is FREE.
-Soundheal uses frequencies (android only)
-Meditate OM for mantras (android only)
-Aware is a great way to start your meditating journey for free
-Samsung Health has a breathing guide in the stress section
2- Give TLC to your gut
More and more you see articles on the brain/gut connection and it is really important to take care of your digestive system when struggling with anxiety.
Harvard medical school mentions in one of their article:
“The gut-brain connection is no joke; it can link anxiety to stomach problems and vice versa. Have you ever had a "gut-wrenching" experience? Do certain situations make you "feel nauseous"? Have you ever felt "butterflies" in your stomach? We use these expressions for a reason. The gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotion. Anger, anxiety, sadness, elation — all of these feelings (and others) can trigger symptoms in the gut.
The brain has a direct effect on the stomach and intestines. For example, the very thought of eating can release the stomach's juices before food gets there. This connection goes both ways. A troubled intestine can send signals to the brain, just as a troubled brain can send signals to the gut. Therefore, a person's stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression. That's because the brain and the gastrointestinal (GI) system are intimately connected.
This is especially true in cases where a person experiences gastrointestinal upset with no obvious physical cause. For such functional GI disorders, it is difficult to try to heal a distressed gut without considering the role of stress and emotion.”
I developed IBS after being assaulted on the street. It is very common to trigger GI problems from trauma.
An incredible other fact as well is that your microbiome produces 90% of the serotonin delivered to your brain and that altered levels of this peripheral serotonin have been linked to diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome.
#mindblown
Does the saying “you are what you eat” starts making more sense now? A good diet that will help you keep your gut happy will keep your brain happy.
I will approach the supplementation in the last point.
3- Journalling
I know this might sound lame, especially if you do not journal but trust me on this, journaling will help you see through your darkest times.
Whether you pour your thoughts out or choose to use a programme to help you structure your thoughts, it has proven benefits to your mental health.
CBT for example makes you journal so you can compartmentalise and organise your thoughts better to gain some clarity on why you are feeling those emotions.
I like to use a little book called “This book will make you happy” when in crisis. In general I tend to aim to journal daily, using prompts, affirmations and asking myself questions to develop gratitude and push me to give out acts of kindness.
The Happiness Planner also has a section on anxiety on their online and app interface. I also have myself developed journal prompts that I share daily on my socials to encourage my online community to do the same.
4- Movement for your brain
This is a given obviously, being proven time and time again that exercise is beneficial for anxiety, physically relieving symptoms and mentally releasing and creating a better mind-body connection.
Some like to go crazy and smash an extreme workout to get that shot of endorphins and sweat the troubles away. This is definitely a great way to let it all out.
I personally love to stay on the aspect of mindfulness and be present in my workout so I can bring better awareness of my mind and body while moving. It provides me with the meditative state of flow and the feeling of being present.
So many things in our society tell us to numb our feelings and emotions and although I do love a sweaty sesh, it is not my number one choice when I have anxiety. I choose the aspect of connecting my breath to my movement, engaging every fibre of my muscles, concentrating on form and alignment. I personally find it more beneficial especially in the form of yoga, Pilates, gymnastics and circus practice.
For that one, each to their own as long as you find a way to play.
5- Some help with supplementation
For this last section I am going to simply list the supplements I use to support my system in order to stay on top of my mental health.
-L-Glutamine: helps repair leaky gut to process nutrients better during digestion. L-Glutamine is used directly by the brain as fuel as well as to build and balance GABA. It has been shown to enhance both mental performance and memory.
-L-Theanine
L-theanine is an amino acid that can improve focus, reduce stress and promote relaxation. Research has demonstrated its ability to produce positive effects on mood in humans, and a study conducted in 2018 showed that it had demonstrable anti-anxiety benefits in rats.
-B Vitamins
B vitamins are vital to healthy nervous system functioning. As such, they play a key role in various aspects of mental health, including attention, energy and cognition. They can also have a significant impact on two key aspects of anxiety symptoms: stress management and mood. Because of these benefits, many people incorporate B vitamins into their diet for anxiety.
-Probiotics
Probiotics are microorganisms known for their benefits to digestive health. However, recent research has revealed that probiotics can also have a profound impact on mental health. A healthy balance of bacteria in the body can boost the body’s ability to cope with stress, improve overall mental health and bolster cognitive functioning.
-Rhodiola
Also referred to as “golden root,” Rhodiola has a long history of medicinal use in traditional Chinese and Siberian medicine. Like Ashwagandha, Rhodiola is considered to be an adaptogen, meaning that it promotes physical and mental health while improving mood and resilience to stress.
-Ashwagandha
For centuries, Ashwagandha has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to combat the effects of aging, improve energy and reduce anxiety. In natural medicine, the root is considered to be an “adaptogen,” or a compound that helps regulate the body’s natural processes and promote overall wellness and health. Today, many people use Ashwagandha to improve mood and reduce anxiety symptoms.
-Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids which make up the basic building blocks of the brain and nervous system. These acids are essential for cognitive functioning and have also been shown to improve symptoms of depression, which is often closely linked with anxiety disorders.
Foods that have them: These brain-boosting amino acids are found in a wide variety of fish species, including salmon, tuna, mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines and anchovies.
-Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxer, which immensely helps with anxiety. It's a nervous system relaxant and mineral that assists with fear, irritability, and restlessness. We hold on to so much tension within our muscles, and this is a super-healthy and easy way to create calmness."
There you go. Do not give up on yourself. You deserve to lead a healthy life no matter what. I hope that this gave you a bit more insight. Feel free to message me on my socials if you need any answers or wanna chat. My inbox is always open.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/mental-health-gut-health#4
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-gut-brain-connection
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation#section3
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1
https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/anxiety/related/vitamins-for-anxiety/
https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/microbes-help-produce-serotonin-gut-46495
https://nootropicsexpert.com/l-glutamine/
https://www.byrdie.com/vitamins-for-anxiety
