Ways to Treat Anxiety
Suffering due to your anxiety disorder shouldn’t be an accepted part of daily life, but unfortunately for many people, it’s reality.
There are many medical prescriptions and treatments available to treat anxiety disorders, but like any medication, they all seem to have undesirable side effects. Because of this, many people have turned to natural treatments to manage their anxiety while avoiding nasty side effects.
“Natural" means any treatment that doesn’t involve intake of any chemical medicine. Herbal therapies are a popular way to treat anxiety and its symptoms without causing any harm. Next time your anxiety symptoms start to overwhelm you, give the following natural methods a try.
1. Kava
Kava, sometimes referred to as kava-kava, is the king when it comes to natural herbal remedies for anxiety and depression.
It has a well-known worldwide recognition for being the best remedy for anxiety. The active ingredient, kavalactone, is known to improve the GABA levels and prevent epinephrine from overpowering the body without touching the serotonin and other important neurotransmitters.
This treatment has shown such promising results that medical experts now advise to avoid any other medication other than kava because the effects are so positive. In addition, taking any other medication or supplements along with kava may become too strong and cause drowsiness.
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2. Examine Your Diet
Taking note of your food consumption is important, as you may be consuming stressors that exacerbate anxiety symptoms without even knowing it. Alcohol, caffeine and added sugars are known to increase your anxiety levels, which is why it is always advised to lower your intake if you suffer from anxiety.
You should also avoid consuming processed meals as well as fried and fatty foods since they are hard to digest. Adding vitamin B12, zinc and magnesium supplements in your diet will also reduce symptoms of anxiety.
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3. Passionflower
Passionflower is a good substitute for those who cannot seem to commit to its stronger relative, kava. It is a less powerful, yet effective way of reducing day-to-day anxiety and is ideal for those who want to introduce it into their daily routines.
The passionflower provides a very soothing, mild and anxiolytic effect. Although not much research has been carried out to back up the real effectiveness of passionflower, it is still used as one of the first home remedies to naturally alleviate anxiety worldwide.
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4. Lavender
A lavender oil massage — what could be more heavenly? Well, research shows that people who receive lavender oil massages are more upbeat and lively with low levels of stress and anxiety than the ones who receive lavender-free massages. As an added bonus, lavender massages are also known to lower systolic blood pressure.
Aromatherapy using lavender essential oil is also a very effective way to soothe anxiety symptoms. Place a few drops of the oil in an aromatherapy burner to enjoy the effects of the relaxing scent.
In addition, putting a few drops of lavender in your bath and on your pillow every night, or simply inhaling the refreshing smell, will surely calm you down in minutes.
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5. Epsom salts
A hot, soothing bath in Epsom salts does wonders. It helps calm and relax you to a better state of mind and body. The salts are rich in magnesium sulfate, which is a known and globally-recognized ingredient to lower the blood pressure and pacify anxiety. Adding lavender or other essential oils to the bath will boost the overall effect.
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6. Chamomile tea
Two very special chemicals found in chamomile tea, apigenin and luteolin, are known to promote relaxation and lessen the symptoms of anxiety. Taking chamomile supplements or sipping the flavorful tea is a wonderful and quick way to feel relaxed and calm anxiety symptoms.
In an experimental study by the University of Pennsylvania, patients fighting generalized anxiety disorders were given chamomile supplements for six weeks, while others were given placebos. The results were astonishing as visible change was observable in the patients who received chamomile supplements. They seemed much happier and content with greatly lowered anxiety levels.
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7. Sunlight
If you have a vitamin D deficiency, we recommend you consider going outside in the sunlight every day for 15 minutes. This is a life-changing, free therapy to naturally decrease depression and anxiety.
A walk at dawn when the sun is shyly starting to shine or in the early evening will optimize the effects. According to a Japanese study, walking in the forest for 20 minutes each day is known to lower stress hormone levels. If you live in an urban area, consider going to nearby parks or tranquil tree-line streets for a stroll. But don’t forget to cover up and wear sunscreen!
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8. Vanilla
We all love putting vanilla in desserts for an added flavor and scent, why not also use it to alleviate anxiety?
A study was conducted at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in which a group of patients breathed vanilla-scented air for a specified time during an MRI and the other group didn’t. The results showed anxiety levels reduced by 63 percent in the subjects who breathed the scented air than the ones who didn’t.
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9. Exercise
Research shows that a 12-minute exercise ritual incorporated in your daily routine is known to alleviate anxiety, as it floods your body with the feel-good hormone endorphins. On top of helping manage anxiety symptoms, a daily exercise routine is a great way to help maintain overall health.
These methods are wonderful ways to help manage anxiety symptoms naturally and quickly, but remember, they are not cures for anxiety. Properly managing your symptoms is crucial in the treatment of your disorder, so the next time you feel the symptoms of your anxiety taking over your life, give one of these natural methods a try.
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