, Naturopath
- natural supplements for anxiety, such as cocoa, lemon balm and walnuts, are useful because they increase the level of serotonin and have a light sedative action. Let's find out better.
> Food supplements for anxiety
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> Herbal supplements for anxiety
What is anxiety
Anxiety is a state of psychological and physical tension that implies the activation of behaviors useful for adapting to an existing stimulus (generally due to difficult and unusual conditions).
Several causes are involved in the etiology of anxiety:
- inheritance: or if there is a member in the family who has suffered or is suffering from the same disorder;
- biological alterations: or poor production of serotonin (neurotransmitter that regulates well-being) at the expense of an excessive production of noradrenaline (stress hormone);
- unconscious psychological conflicts: therefore anxiety can be a defense mechanism / symptom implemented by our conscious part.
Although difficult to categorize the symptoms of anxiety we can define that it can manifest itself with: a sense of fear and imminent danger, fear of dying or losing control or going crazy, internal tension and inability to relax, worry, hyper-control in situations, excessive worries, catastrophism tendency to catastrophism; nervousness and difficulty concentrating, partial memory loss, sleep disturbances, tremors, difficulty breathing and a feeling of choking, chest pain, wheezing, dizziness, feeling faint, tingling in parts of the body; hot or cold flashes; feeling of suffocation, tachycardia, cold sweats, weakness, frequent urination, diarrheal discharges, nervous tics.
Food supplements for anxiety
As always power plays a vital role in our physical and emotional well-being. Green light at:
- Milk (lightly and partially skimmed), which contains tryptophan, an amino acid that increases the level of the neurotransmitter serotonin, the scarcity of which is associated with depression.
- Cocoa, only dark and sugar-free as it also contains tryptophan.
- Almonds, which contain tryptophan and monounsaturated fatty acids, beneficial for the body and the psyche. They also contain magnesium and copper, which are essential for the balance of the nervous system.
- Walnuts contain selenium, an antioxidant that protects against cardiovascular disease and helps the thyroid function properly.
- Some types of fish they are rich in Omega-3, ie fatty acids with a beneficial effect on mood and general health of the organism. In particular salmon, anchovies and tuna.
Also discover homeopathic remedies for anxiety treatment
Foods to Avoid
Some foods must be absolutely avoided:
Herbal supplements for anxiety
Among the anxiolytic plants par excellence we can mention:
- valerian, (Valeriana officinalis) regulates nervousness and sleep. Valerian in pregnancy is contraindicated, as well as during lactation and cannot be simultaneously with synthetic barbiturates.
- Passiflora (Passiflora incarnata) as it acts as an antispasmodic, sedative and anxiolytic
- the hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) is ideal when anxiety occurs with palpitations, hyperexcitability, hypertension
- lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) when anxiety manifests itself in particular with gastric pain and abdominal colic
- hypericum (or St. John's wort) has a powerful antidepressant function; it has the contraindication of being photo-sensitizing and cannot be associated with antidepressant therapies with synthetic drugs.
- the fig (Ficus carica) as it acts in the upper part of the digestive system and in particular in the stomach, regulating its motility and secretion; in the case of gastroesophageal reflux, Ficus carica normalizes stomach contractions, improves the tightness of the cardia (the valve that connects the esophagus and the stomach and is located under the diaphragm), reduces hyperacidity and relieves heartburn.
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All herbal remedies for anxiety
