DIET SCIENCE

Nine More Natural Ways to Relieve Anxiety

Manage Your Diet to Relieve Anxiety

It is just the way that humans are wired—when we are hungry, we get irritable and anxious. There is even a correlation between anxiety and changes in blood sugar. If you start to feel panic or high anxiety, this may mean that your blood sugar is starting to drop. If you find that you are experiencing a small bout of anxiety and you haven't eaten in awhile, grab yourself a small snack, like some dark chocolate or a handful of pistachios. Pair it with a cup of non-caffeinated tea or just a big glass of water.

This will help in the short term, but you should also think about altering your lifestyle so that your body manages anxiety more effectively in general. Many physicians recommend eating a diet focused on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, with an emphasis on choosing healthy meats such as poultry or seafood while eating much less red meat.

Also, it is recommended to eat a lot of dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach in order to get folate, and including green tea is a great way to ensure that you get a high level of phytonutrients that have antioxidant qualities as well as anti-anxiety properties. A diet like this will keep your blood sugar balanced and will provide your body with all of the energy and nutrients it needs to run at peak performance, which will mitigate anxiety in a variety of ways.

Eat Breakfast!

A healthy diet can do wonders for your anxiety, but don't try to save calories by skipping your breakfast. There is a strong correlation between people that skip breakfast and people with tendencies toward anxiety, and the reverse is true as well. Great things to add to your breakfast are eggs and whole wheat. Whole wheat is highly beneficial because it is densely nutritious, takes a lot of work for your stomach to burn, which helps keep insulin levels balanced, while providing you with a lot of energy. Eggs are great because they are the number one source of choline found in nature. People that do not get enough choline are more likely to experience anxiety.

Skipping breakfast is bad for anxiety, because it encourages your body to produce unhealthy levels of cortisol. Cortisol is the hormone which controls and balances the fight-or-flight response. Cortisol is a necessary hormone which controls pain and helps you make split decisions and act on impulse when needed, but when your body makes too much, it can leave you on edge and can cause you to become more and more unhealthy over time. People with elevated cortisol are prone to very high levels of anxiety and are at increased risk of a number of different cardiovascular complications, including heart attack and stroke.

Omega-Three Fatty Acids and Anxiety

Omega-Three Fatty Acids are essential oils that you can only get from animal products. These essential oils are highly beneficial and necessary to optimal health, and fish have the highest concentration of Omega-Three Fatty Acids. These Fatty Acids have been shown to alleviate anxiety among their other various benefits. In one study, students were given 2.5 mg Omega-Three Capsules once per day over the course of three months. The group that took these capsules experienced less anxiety than those that were on placebo.

Even though supplements are an acceptable way to get your essential Omega-Threes, nutrition specialists recommend getting them from natural sources whenever you can. The fish with the highest levels of Omega-Three Fatty Acids are cold-water species of fish such as salmon. A single, six ounce fillet of salmon contains 3.5 g of Omega-Threes.

Other Benefits of Omega-Three Fatty Acids

Omega-Three Fatty Acids play a role in a large number of different biological functions, and the human body is unable to produce them, so we have to get them in our diet. There is evidence that getting healthy levels of these nutrients can protect the heart from both heart disease and stroke. Omega-Threes are really good for the heart because they promote increased levels of Healthy HDL cholesterol, which many people in America don't get enough of in their diet.

This nutrient also helps to promote normal blood pressure, and can be used as a means to alleviate hypertension when taken in high doses recommended by a qualified physician. The positive impact that Omega-Threes have on cholesterol also reduces diabetes risk, because the nutrients have a suppressive effect upon triglycerides and apoproteins which are a diabetes marker.

Stop Creating Disasters in Your Mind

One issue that people with high levels of anxiety face is that they have a tendency to turn small problems into major problems in their mind. When an episode of increased anxiety hits, many people have a tendency to immediately consider the worst. They think about something that frustrates them or causes them anxiety and they extrapolate that out to worst-case scenarios, which amplifies the anxiety and makes minor issues seem like major problems.

Think about the way you feel when you experience anxiety. Do you have this tendency to automatically brace yourself for the worst? When you start to feel anxiety, force yourself to calm down. Engage in a bit of focused breathing, then take a quick walk and think through your problem realistically rather than letting your anxiety take control.

When you take the time to evaluate your anxiety, you will find that the root of your episode is far less of an issue than you originally led yourself to believe, and you can take steps to further relieve your anxiety and mitigate the situation. We have a tendency to see far more catastrophes in our mind than actually occur in a lifetime.

Engage in Heat Therapy

There is a reason why spending time in a steam room or sauna provides feelings of relaxation. Engaging in heat therapy has a medically-proven ability to reduce both anxiety and muscle tension. Feelings of warmth seem to have the ability to manipulate the neural circuitry which helps determine your mood. Getting in a sauna or hot bath increases the secretion of the hormone serotonin, which is widely referred to as the pleasure hormone.

Some medical professionals hypothesize that this increase in body temperature may be one of the reasons that exercise has the ability to improve mood. It also may explain a bit of why a hot cup of tea and a warm fire have the ability to provide the same sensations of comfort and contentment. There is no doubt that comfortable warmth of any kind has the ability to change the way the way that we think and we feel.

Other Benefits of Heat Therapy

Heat Therapy is a natural form of pain relief. A heating pad or electric blanket wrapped around an area experiencing pain can help alleviate the impact of that pain. Heat Therapy is also good for rehabilitation after an injury because strained or damaged muscles and other tissues often suffer from blood vessel constriction which slows down the healing process.

Heating pads can increase blood flow to a particular area to stimulate healing. Heat Therapy can also be used to alleviate headaches, which are often caused or exacerbated by stress in the neck and shoulder muscles.

Go Out and Experience Nature

If you are experiencing a lot of stress, there is strong scientific evidence that going out for a walk or jog in the forest can do more to improve your mood than physical exercise alone. Perhaps there's something about the beauty of nature and our undeniable attraction to it which has the ability to help us feel more at ease.

In one Japanese study, researchers took two groups of people out for a walk. One group walked for twenty minutes in a beautiful forest environment. The other group walked the same distance for twenty minutes in an urban environment. They found that the levels of cortisol and other stress hormones were lower among those that walked through the forest landscape.

Other studies have been performed in the United States based on the same premise, and similar results were found. Researchers hypothesized that forests have the ability to both tranquilize those that experience it as well as improve their overall mood, especially if the individual has recently labored or experienced anxiety.

Learn How to Meditate and Turn Off Your Mind

One thing that causes anxiety and amplifies stress is the fact that, especially in the West, we have a tendency to leave our brains on all the time. If there is one important thing to know about stress, taking time to collect oneself occasionally is incredibly important if one is to maintain a balanced psychological profile. In Buddhist societies, meditation is central means to foster mental balance and enhance the mind's connection to the body and the environment.

As scientists have studied meditation, they have found that it produces profound benefits to not only the body, but the mind as well. One aspect of Eastern Meditation is Mindfulness. It is important to learn how to turn your thoughts on and off through your sheer will and concentration. In doing so, you give your brain time to reset itself and focus, which is a fantastic way to eliminate anxiety. Many psychologists utilize meditation in their therapy, because it helps give the patient the opportunity to appreciate the moment rather than agonize over the past or the future.

Other Benefits of Meditation

Meditation not only induces relaxation and reduces anxiety, it has a number of other health benefits as well. There is evidence that meditation has the ability to help people control pain, allowing themselves to handle physical pain more easily. It actually appears that meditation reduces activity in the portion of the brain which registers pain. Meditation also safeguards the mind against cognitive decline, because it encourages the prefrontal cortex to maintain its thickness, which normally starts to lose its volume with age.

The reduction in psychological stress is also correlated with an increase in cardiovascular health. Men and women that meditate have healthier blood pressure, and they produce more nitric oxide, which is responsible for expanding blood vessels. Meditation also has the ability to reduce the body's inflammation response, which helps the immune system stay stronger.

Be Mindful When You Relax

This is connected with mindful meditation, but you can engage in it at any time, even when you only have a few brief moments to contemplate. This concept is easily incorporated into breathing exercises, if you would like to enhance the benefits of that activity. While you are sitting or resting peacefully, take the time to ask questions and engage in quiet reflection. Don't allow yourself to get caught up in things that give you anxiety, let your mind wander.

Any form of relaxation where you exert your control over your mind will produce both psychological and physiological benefits. Anxiety is the mind and body's unwillingness to let go, and if you teach yourself how to let yourself let go and distance your mind from your troubles and your neurological quirks, you will become more effective at removing anxiety from your health and improving your health.

Take the Time to Recognize Your Own Anxiety

The first necessary step to controlling your anxiety is reflecting on yourself enough to realize the impact that stress is having on your life. Understanding your mind is the first priority when attempting to curb your anxiety.

It's important to understand that recognizing your own anxiety is an important factor in combating it. One of the most effective means to mitigate anxiety is to foster this sense of mindfulness, and it is truly a skill that has to be learned. Beyond the foundation of self-realization, you can start to take further steps to control your anxiety, including cognitive reframing, positive self-talk, and strategies of relaxation and mindfulness.

Facts about Omega-Three Fatty Acids

When you are using HRT (hormone replacement therapy) you should make sure to include good sources of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, include ALA (alpha-Linolenic acid), DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid).

ALA is an important dietary part of HGH, and Testosterone programs, including for programs which involve sermorelin and hcg diet.

You should be sure your diet includes DHA when you are doing any of our hormone injections programs (especially HGH, and Sermorelin)

EPA, like ALA and DHA, pays an important role in your diet, when exercising and using growth hormone and testosterone.

Omega-Three Fatty Acids are one of the many important nutrients needed to live a long and healthy life. Unfortunately, there are many people that do not get enough of these nutrients in their everyday diet. Omega-Three Fatty Acids provide a number of benefits and play a role in many vital processes of the human body. There is strong evidence that two Omega-Threes in particular, known as DHA and EPA, have the ability to help the cardiovascular system regulate both blood pressure and control triglyceride levels.

There is a lot of research being performed with regard to the potential benefits of Omega-Threes going on today, and there is strong evidence that these nutrients may be able to vastly improve health in a number of areas, from depression to rheumatoid arthritis.

Omega-Threes may sound complicated, but we will break down the essential things to know about these nutrients in this article. There are three Omega-Three Fatty Acids, ALA, DHA, and EPA, and they all perform interrelated functions within the human body.

The Basics of Omega-Three Fatty Acids

Omega Three Fatty Acids are also referred to as Essential Fatty Acids, and that is because they are essential for the proper function of the human body. Human Beings, unlike some other animals, do not have the ability to make their own Omega-3s, so we have to get what we require from our diets. It's also necessary to consume appropriate amounts of all three essential fatty acids, DHA, EPA, and ALA, because our bodies are not very good at converting them into one another and it has the potential to create physiological deficiency.

Essential Fatty Acids have a wide variety of benefits, and they are believed to be a major factor in alleviating inflammation all over the body, including the joints and the blood vessels. One issue with taking Omega-Three Supplements, however, is that they do have the capacity to thin the blood if taken in too large of a dose, and this issue is most concerning for patients that are already taking blood thinners and anticoagulants.

There are a number of different forms of Essential Fatty Acids, but there are three that are most important. Two of the most vital are DHA and EPA, and they can be found in significant amounts in fish. A third Essential Fatty Acid is ALA, which can be found in some plants, such as Flax, and the body has the ability to convert some ALA into EPA and DHA. Whereas Flax and Flax Seed can provide ALA, Algae Oil Supplements can provide DHA.

Although ALA does provide health benefits, most nutrition experts and biologists agree that EPA and DHA acquired from fish products have a stronger positive impact on the processes of the human body. EPA and DHA can be found on their own in a variety of animal products, but the only natural way to get both EPA and DHA in your diet is through algae and fatty fish. Some forms of algae only provide DHA. ALA is primarily found in plants, and the body can convert ALA into DHA and EPA when combined with energy through biological processes within the human body.

The Benefits of Omega-Three Fatty Acids

Controls Triglyceride Levels in the Blood Stream

There have been a number of scientific studies which have shown that the consumption of Essential Amino Acids via fish oil capsules has the ability to bring elevated Triglyceride levels back to normal. Elevated Triglycerides are widely documented to be associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. There is evidence that consuming DHA on its own has the ability to bring Triglyceride Levels down. Evidence is inconclusive thus far with regard to how this impacts cardiovascular risks.

Reduces Risk and Severity of Depression

There is some powerful evidence that countries and cultures that have diets that are high in Essential Fatty Acids are less likely to experience symptoms of depression. Studies have also shown that combining Fish Oil with antidepressant medication appears to have the ability to amplify the benefits of the medication. Finally, fish oil can soften the depressive symptoms associated with Bipolar Disorder.

Reduces the Severity and Frequency of Asthma Symptoms

A diet that provides high levels of Essential Fatty Acids has the ability to alleviate inflammation, which is a core component of the asthmatic response. It appears that fish oil supplements have the ability to help asthma patients cope with their disease, but at this point, it is unclear exactly to what extent that Omega-Three Supplementation can mitigate the effects of asthma. There is insufficient evidence to show the capability of Essential Fatty Acids to restore lung function or lessen the need for Asthma medication.

Alleviates the Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis is another condition which Essential Fatty Acid Supplementation appears to significantly alleviate. There is sound evidence that proves that DHA/EPA Supplements have the ability to both lessen joint pain, alleviate stiffness, and increase range of movement. Omega-Three Capsules also appear to enhance the success of drugs taken to treat inflammation.

Improves Attention and Cognition for Patients with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

There is some evidence that fish oil supplements can lessen the symptoms of ADHD in pediatric patients, enhancing their cognitive capacity. More studies need to be performed in order to properly gauge the effectiveness of this form of treatment, however, so fish oil capsules should not be substituted for other ADHD treatments which have been proven to be effective, although there is no harm in supplementing prescribed treatment with Essential Fatty Acid Supplementation.

Prenatal Health Benefits of Omega-Threes

Omega-Three Fatty Acids play a major role in both the neurological and visual development of infants. At this point, the body of evidence is incomplete with regard to whether fish oil supplements taken during breastfeeding or pregnancy impact the health of the baby. In spite of the lack of conclusive evidence regarding Omega-Threes for such purposes, there seems to be no downside to taking supplements during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease Benefits

There is a large amount of study going on right now regarding the impact of Omega-Three Fatty Acids upon Dementia and Alzheimer's disease. It must be stressed at this point that the research needs to go through further vetting, but it appears that Omega-Threes have the ability to reduce the risk of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. There is also evidence that Essential Fatty Acid Supplements may also have the ability to slow down the rate of cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's-associated Dementia, and it also seems to lessen the impact of memory issues related to age in general.

DHA in particular seems to provide the optimal benefits with regard to Dementia, Alzheimer's, and Memory. More studies need to be completed in order to prove the preliminary data, but fish oil capsules appear to be a beneficial factor with regard to age-related memory loss as well as Alzheimer's and Dementia.

What is the Difference between Omega-Threes and Omega-Sixes?

In recent years, the importance of Omega-Threes has become more widely known, but there are still a lot of people that don't fully grasp the difference between the two primary forms of fatty acids. Omega-Sixes are very common in the American Diet, because they come from a variety of processed foods, as well as many meats and oils.

It is pretty much a given that Americans get enough Omega-Six Fatty Acids in their diet, so its important to ensure that Omega-Threes are purposefully included in the diet, because of their relative scarcity in the American Diet. Most Americans don't get enough Essential Fatty Acids, and this can easily be achieved through minor changes in diet or the addition of Fish Oil or other forms of supplementation.

Even though there is universal agreement that it is important to consume Omega-Threes, there is some debate regarding whether the ratio of Omega-Threes to Omega-Sixes is important. There are some that argue that a balance tipped too far toward Omega-Sixes increases the risk and severity of a number of chronic conditions, whereas other medical professionals are not convinced that the ratio itself is what's important, or simply getting enough of one and not too much of the other.

They also argue that Omega-Sixes do provide some health benefits, and we need to make sure that we aren't suggesting that people reduce their intake of Omega-Sixes too far. For now, just make sure you get enough Essential Fatty Acids in your diet and don't go overboard with Omega-Six Fatty Acids.

Omega 3 fatty acids foods - Omega 3 fatty acids benefit especially benefit the brain.

Sources of Essential Omega-Three Fatty Acids

In general, it is most beneficial to acquire Essential Fatty Acids from dietary sources rather than supplements. Coldwater fish have the highest levels of Omega-Threes, and some of the best sources of these nutrients include:

• Tuna

• Lake Trout

• Sturgeon

• Sardines

• Wild Salmon (Farm-raised salmon has a lower concentration, but is still an option) - Salmon is a great source for omega-3 fatty acids.

• Mackerel

• Herring

• Bluefish

• Anchovies

Omega-3 fatty acids are important because they provide anti-inflammatory properties, feed the brain and help maintain the cardiovascular system

Most nutrition professionals suggest eating a meal including these fish two or three times every week.

Dietary Sources of ALA

Fish are the best sources to get the Essential Fatty Acids that the body needs for normal function, but there are a number of plants that contain ALA, which the body can convert into DHA and EPA. It can be beneficial to add these to your diet since it is only recommended to eat fish a few times a week, however.

Good sources of ALA include:

• Soybean Oil

• Olive Oil

• Canola Oil

• Flax Seed

• Walnuts

It is important to note that most common sources of ALA are also high in calories, so they should be consumed responsibly, although they also provide quite a punch in regard to nutrient transfer.

Supplementary Sources of Omega-Three Fatty Acids

If you do make the decision to turn to supplementary sources of Essential Amino Acids, make sure you discuss this with your physician in order to ensure that you find a supplement that effectively fits your needs. Nutrition experts generally suggest one gram of EPA and DHA from fish oil capsules for patients suffering from heart disease.

For patients that are suffering from certain medical conditions, your physician may recommend taking as much as four grams of Fish Oil each day. Only take more than one gram of Essential Fatty Acids supplements a day with the guidance of a medical professional.

Omega Three Supplements do come with some risk of side-effect, most commonly very minor. The most commonly experienced side-effects are gas and indigestion. This is primarily simply because you are taking an oil supplement, and this may not sit perfectly on every stomach, especially when taken on an empty stomach. If you experience these symptoms, try to find a supplement that has an enteric coating, which is designed to mitigate the risk of digestive side-effects.

These supplements also have the potential to increase bleeding risk in some patients. Individuals that are suffering from conditions that are associated with bleeding risk or are taking anticoagulants or blood thinners are at the highest level of risk. Some examples of drugs that amplify this risk are Brilinta, Effient, Plavix, Coumadin, and some non-steroid anti-inflammatories.

If you suffer from any medical condition increases the risk and severity of bleeding or if you are taking any of the listed drugs or drugs like them, always talk to a doctor before starting any form of Omega-Three Supplementation.

Tips for Getting the Essential Fatty Acids that Your Body Needs

Choose Your Fish Responsibly

It is true that Fatty Fish have the highest levels of Omega-Three Fatty Acids, but there are some species that are more likely to contain toxins including PCBs and Mercury. Some fish that are more likely to contain these contaminants and should be eaten sparingly are shark, tilefish, wild swordfish, and mackerel. There is also a chance that any farm-raised fish will contain elevated levels of any number of contaminants, dependent upon the conditions that the fish was raised.

Young children and women that are pregnant should avoid all of these forms of fish. The average person should not eat more than seven ounces of these types of fish each week. Smaller fish like wild salmon and wild trout have much lower levels of these contaminants and can be eaten more often and more safely.

Add Algae Oil or Fish Oil to Your Diet

Fish oil capsules has both DHA and EPA, and Algae Oil has DHA. For most people, Fish oil would be superior, but vegetarians and people that don't eat fish would still be served rather effectively with algae oil capsules.

Because supplements provide high levels of Omega-Threes all at once, talk to a medical professional before utilizing these supplements. Your physician may have particular warnings or recommendations regarding your use of these supplements dependent upon both your health and your current medications.

You should be taking omega-3 fatty acids with your hormone replacement therapy (HRT) program (hgh, testosterone, sermorelin or hcg diet), call us to discuss how this supplement can help supercharge your HRT program.

References

The Facts on Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acid

Different fatty acid types

ALA - alpha-Linolenic acid, WikiPedia

DHA - Docosahexaenoic acid, Wikipedia

EPA - Eicosapentaenoic acid, Wikipedia

How to Lose Weight and Get Healthier without Quitting on the Foods You Love

As you know if you read the articles on our site, we believe that a consistent and conscientious diet low in sugars and empty carbs is the most effective way to lose weight quickly. Of course, there are multiple strategies for weight loss that can be effective, dependent upon the way you live your life, the things you enjoy, and your resolve.

Lack of Pleasure can Make Dieting Difficult

Many people struggle with a diet that revolves purely around caloric restriction and always eating healthy one hundred percent of the time. Other people simply enjoy the foods they like in moderation. A lot of people think that dieting means giving up the delicious, albeit unhealthy, foods that we so often enjoy. This means no beer, no french fries, no cream sauces, no candy, nothing fun ever.

The problem with a diet which is void of these sorts of guilty pleasures is that for many people, the lure of these foods becomes impossible to ignore, and an unhealthy obsession develops which revolves around intense cravings. Many dieters simply aren't capable of ignoring these cravings, and give in and give up on their diet in shame.

Indulging Responsibly Can Make Dieting Easier

Many weight loss experts agree that it is possible to have a sensible diet while also making room to give in to these cravings in a responsible and manageable way. One professional, Dr. David Grotto, even suggests that avoiding guilty pleasure foods is a bad idea which can hurt more than it can help.

Dr. Grotto believes in a dietary plan known as structured cheating. This type of diet revolves around eating a healthy dietmost of the time. The most important aspect of maintaining healthy eating habits is keeping control of your diet and understanding your habits and how to limit their negative impact on your health. The key is to recognize that many of the foods that you love are unhealthy and treating them with the necessary caution.

Maintaining Control is Most Important Aspect of Dieting

You must control your diet, you can't let food control you, even if it means indulging yourself responsibly from time to time. Another doctor, Carolyn O'Neil, feels the same way. She believes that indulging responsibly is the key to a healthy diet and a healthy way of living.

She explains that anyone can engage in a difficult diet for a little while, but the problem with highly restrictive diets is that temptation eventually becomes too great and all people but those with strong constitution will likely fail and give in, splurging heavily on the foods that they've been avoiding and quickly reversing the gains they worked so hard to achieve. The logical way to prevent this form of overindulgence is to recognize that in order to diet effectively, it may be necessary to cheat from time to time in a way that does not wreck your diet altogether.

The key to all of this is control and self-realization. You understand that your brain is going to drive you to certain foods, and you recognize that you can enjoy these foods safely without ruining your diet. For example, if you love cookies, always pay attention to the number of calories in a serving and limit yourself in a sensible way. The more you understand about yourself and the foods that you enjoy, the greater control you will have over your diet and the more success that you will likely experience.

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