7 Foods That Fight Anxiety

7 Foods That Fight Anxiety

Bills arriving in heaps? Gas prices sky-rocketing? Summer love turned sour? Regardless of the cause, there's a counter-intuitiveness to the goodies we turn to for comfort. Take the classic-curling up with a pint of ice cream. It's a total backfire. Why? Sweets are insidious: After the initial rush, the body's insulin response kicks in, causing a sudden blood sugar drop that triggers the release of stress hormones. Soon you're feeling more jangled than you were before you inhaled that whole container of Chunky Monkey. And alcohol, of course, is a wolfish stimulant in calm sheep's clothing.
But true comfort foods do exist.
1. Berries, any berriesEat them one by one instead of M&Ms when the pressure's on. For those tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another. Since the carbs in berries turn to sugar very slowly, you won't have a blood sugar crash. The bonus: They're a good source of vitamin C, which helps fight a jump in the stress hormone cortisol.
2. GuacamoleIf you're craving something creamy, look no further. Avocados are loaded with B vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and which your body needs to maintain nerves and brain cells. Plus their creaminess comes from healthy fat. Scoop up the stuff with whole-grain baked chips-crunching keeps you from gritting your teeth.
3. Mixed nutsJust an ounce will help replace those stress-depleted Bs (walnuts), give you a whopping amount of zinc (Brazil nuts)-it's also drained by high anxiety-and boost your E (almonds), which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress. Buy nuts in the shell and think of it as multi-tasking: With every squeeze of the nutcracker, you're releasing a little bit of tension.
4. OrangesPeople who take a 1,000 mg of C before giving a speech have lower levels of cortisol and lower blood pressure than those who don't. So lean back, take a deep breath, and concentrate on peeling a large orange. The 5-minute mindfulness break will ease your mind and you'll get a bunch of C as well.
5. AsparagusEach tender stalk is a source of folic acid, a natural mood-lightener. Dip the spears in fat-free yogurt or sour cream for a hit of calcium with each bite.
6. Chai teaA warm drink is a super soother, and curling up with a cup of aromatic decaf chai tea (Tazo makes ready-to-brew bags) can make the whole evil day go away.
7. Dark chocolateOkay, there's nothing in it that relieves stress, but when only chocolate will do, reach for the dark, sultry kind that's at least 70% cocoa. You figure if the antioxidant flavonoids in it are potent enough to fight cancer and heart disease, they've got to be able to temper tension's effects.

Awakenings

I have been doing much blossoming lately. I thought I would share some of what I have been partaking in and as always, use what moves you, discard the rest.

Tips on Soulful Living:

Running, I know not all of us are runners in this great big world, but it does something to me I can barely describe. I have been getting up at 6 a.m. and running 4 miles. I get to hear the birdsong, feel the cool sunrise breeze, and smell the honeysuckle, roses, wisteria, and other flowers that sit reaching for the same sky I run under. I marvel. I just marvel at life, the same force that runs through me and helps me run pulses through those flowers and birds.

I have always been drawn toward healthy foods, lately I am sure to get my 5 pieces of fruit or veggies a day. I see it as not what I am taking out of my diet, but what I can add. It leaves little room for anything else! Organic raw trail mix, lots of oranges, tilapia baked in lemon, whole grain cereals and breads, spirulina, and some amazing vitamins. I take Rainbow Light vitamins. Here is a link to the website. They make a huge difference in how I feel and how I feel about myself.

Now, I have the privilege of being able to shop 100% organic, we personally love Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, and the farmer's markets. If money is an issue for how you are feeding your body, even Wal-Mart has affordable organics. Target as well. Do what you can and feel good about it. Keep visualizing your life and health as you want it to look like.

Take a class. Any class. My husband and I are starting Latin dance classes. I am slated to begin a yoga class after years of home practice. Swim, swimming is very healing and amniotic. And dance, in your living room. My kids love this about me, we just crank up Bettye LaVette's Joy, or Gnarls Barkley or the Beastie Boys and we dance!

The three necessities of the heart soul and mind in my opinion are music, nature and animals. Survivors can feel amazing unconditional love, sometimes for the first time ever-as I did as a child into my adulthood with my horses-because of an animal. We as humans really need to look at the dogs. Man, they have that love thing down pat. :)

Savor the magical moments. A little story: The other day, it was raining. My big front window looks out inot the treetops. I turned to look at what was so sparkly in the corner of my eye and saw the sun setting in the trees-the leaves dripping with raindrops as the sun danced and made tiny diamonds appear. It was gorgeous. I called for the kids and we watched this for a few minutes until the sun set. I took some pics which I have posted here. Amazed, the kids and I then talked about what this sight did to our hearts and souls.

Talk to you kids about things like reverence, wonder, joy, ask them to tell you how things make them feel not just in their heads, but in their bodies. Chakras are a great thing to teach children. They need to see themselves and feel themselves as spirit first, I believe. This is what I am teaching my kids. They say things like,"That makes my heart smile." They get it. After all, it is already in them just as it is in us when we are born...all of the beauty and wonder exists within.

We have always made it a point to instill in our kids how much Mama and Daddy love each other. This visibly fills them with a deep peace. One can see it happen. I believe this is so essential for the peace and happiness of a child-and how often it goes untouched as a way of being in a family. We write poetry for one another and the kids see it, they read it sometimes, they are surrounded by the symbolism of love.

Great books:

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle inspired the synchronicity that led to this blog as many of you know. The Power of Now is amazing as well.

WSO Podcast - Self care and the holidays!

WSO Podcast - Self care and the holidays!

CLICK HERE for our first podcast. We wanted to test the waters, before the radioshow so we did! Have a listen. Share your thoughts. Let us know what you think!

Ophelia