It turns out we really are what we eat. What we put into our bodies is so crucial for our overall health and the vitality of skin, nails, and hair. We know you’ve heard it before, but we’ll say it again for emphasis: vitamin and nutrient-packed foods are part of the equation to living a long, healthy—and stress-free— life.
While certain stresses are hard to avoid, the good news is that some foods have anxiolytic properties, which means they may reduce anxiety. Screenshot the following list to bring with you to the grocery store, as they’re said to help elevate your mood.
Cashews
One study also proved that daily consumption of cashews reduces oxidative stress.
Rosemary
Science has shown us that rosemary is both an anxiolytic and an antidepressant. Rosemary is also said to help with memory and focus. That qualifies rosemary as officially being a brain superherb!
Wild salmon
Wild salmon has anxiolytic-like effects because it is full of long-chain polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), peptides, polysaccharides, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes. PUFAs, especially, have been proven helpful for the treatment of mood disorders and anxiety.
Turmeric
There have been many great studies on the use of turmeric, specifically a compound in turmeric called curcumin, for the treatment of anxiety and other central nervous system disorders. Overall, studies conclude that curcumin has anxiolytic effects on biochemical and behavioral symptoms associated with anxiety.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is anxiolytic. Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), polyphenols, and lauric acid. Because of its nutritional chemistry, coconut oil is known to help protect us from the effects of stress on our bodies.
Chamomile
Chamomile tea can be effective in relaxing the mood and inducing sleep. It also offers the great benefits of relaxing the muscles and reducing irritability.
While it’s vital to fill up on the good stuff, it’s just as important to avoid anything toxic. Foods that cause stress to the body are known as anxiogenic, which means they are anxiety-producing. Researchers have measured the anxiogenic effects of many different foods and ingredients. These trigger anxiety straight away because of how they upset the nervous system. If we look at the nutritional composition of any food, we can know if it is anxiolytic (reduces anxiety), neutral, or anxiogenic (causes anxiety).
The top thirteen anxiogenic foods that cause stress to the organs including the brain, gut and nervous system, are
- Refined white sugar and corn syrup
- The “bad” fats like the trans fats in fast food
- Coloring agents found in anything fluorescent like brightly colored candy, juices, cereal and sauces that will be listed as an ingredient like Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6
- Olestra (olean) a fat substitute found in potato chips, French fries, corn chips and other crunchy snack foods
- Potassium bromate (brominated flour) found in baked goods made with conventional white flour, brominated vegetable oil (BVO) found in sodas and sports drinks
- Brominated vegetable oil (BVO): found in sodas and sports drinks
- Synthetic hormones (rBGH and rBST): found in dairy
- Pesticides and herbicides, including glyphosate: Pesticides aren’t food; however, they contaminate most of our foods from any country using pesticides
- BPA (bisphenol A): found in canned foods and foods packaged in plastic. BPA has been exposed as neurotoxic in recent years, and that’s why you will see so many canned foods and water bottles labeled “BPA free” now.
- Artificial ingredients: sweeteners, additives, and flavorings,including MSG
- Farmed fish
- Refined carbohydrates like conventional cakes, cookies, bread, muffins and bagels
- Processed meat like deli meat, turkey, ham, sausages
Bottom line: it’s important to limit or cut these stress-causing foods out of your diet entirely. When we focus on a whole food diet sourcing our foods from nature as much as possible we avoid eating these stress-causing foods.
For more on stress-fighting foods, check out Liana’s book Anxiety Free with Food available for purchase here.
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