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  |  Healthy Living  |  Healthy Eating  |  The anti-anxiety diet
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The anti-anxiety diet

by Sue Gilbert, M.S.
Does a deadline seem more manageable when you're armed with a packet of biscuits? If so, read on

It's true that food soothes. But when life's stresses add up to an anxiety attack, you need to make sure that what you eat is not contributing to your panicky state. Here's how the anti-anxiety diet can help you choose the right foods to stay calm - even when you're up against challenging situations:

  • Complex carbs act as tranquillizers by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain. This meal plan contains lots of fruits and wholewheat foods to increase your complex carb intake.

  • Tryptophan - a precursor to seratonin - has a calming effect on the body. This meal plan includes turkey and milk choices, both of which contain tryptophan.

  • Caffeine can make you jittery and anxious. This diet substitutes a cup of calming herbal tea, such as St. John's Wort or camomile, for your morning cup.

  • Dehydration - however slight - can cause feelings of anxiety. That's why this diet includes plenty of water, often with some lemon or lime added to liven it up.

  • Frequent, small meals can help keep blood-sugar levels even. This diet offers a variety of healthy snacks to reduce the jitters that can accompany low blood sugar.

    Breakfast
    Option 1
    2 pieces of wholemeal toast topped with peanut butter
    Calcium-fortified orange juice
    Camomile tea
    Multivitamin and mineral supplement

    Option 2
    2 wholemeal fruit loaf slices with added raisins and walnuts (raisins are high in B6, and walnuts in omega-3)
    200g fat-free cottage cheese
    Decaf coffee
    Multivitamin and mineral supplement

    Option 3
    Porridge or oat-based cereal with bananas
    Calcium-fortified orange juice
    St. John's Wort tea

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    This iVillage Health service area is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. If you are concerned about your health or that of a child, please consult your family's health provider immediately and do not wait for a response from our professionals. For the full Disclaimer, click here.
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