Anxiety. It is a common food. When my clients list their medical history, anxiety is often on the list. It seems to be more frequent than ever. We may be recognizing and diagnosing it more often now, but it’s not uncommon for a person of any age, even children, to report various levels of anxiety.

What is anxiety? Many confuse it with stress, but it is actually more than that. While stress is the body’s physical response at the time of a situation, anxiety differs in that the physical response continues long after the situation is over. It’s almost as if there is no “off” switch. These physical responses may include increased blood pressure, excessive shaking or sweating, chest pains, insomnia, headaches, nausea, dizziness, muscle tension, constipation and/or diarrhea, indigestion, and even skin rashes or allergic reactions. The physical manifestations can clearly be many and can cause long-term damage to the body.

Anxiety levels can also vary. I’m not a psychiatrist, so I won’t go too deep into this, but it can range from general anxiety to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).

The first step you should take if you feel like you have anxiety is to talk to a mental health professional. That way you can figure out where you are on the spectrum and hopefully even figure out where the anxiety is coming from.

Second, which is where I come in, is to support your body through this process with a proper diet. Studies have shown that specific foods can play an important role in reducing general anxiety and improving the body’s ability to cope and recover.

While what we generally recommend is a healthy, balanced diet, we’re going to break it down into specific foods you can choose to support your brain and mental health.

Foods to calm the nerves

1. Foods rich in vitamin B: Many of the B vitamins are known to help with anxiety and mood. Some great options include:

• Leafy green vegetables (at least a large handful of raw vegetables a day is ideal!) Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collard greens
• Avocado
• Citric fruits
• Beans, peas, lentils
• Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
• beets
• bananas

two.
Foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids: The Omega 3’s (DHA and EPA) that we know are very beneficial for the brain and can do wonders for your mood. These are foods like…

• Seafood, including wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, and anchovies
• Plant sources with precursors to DHA and EPA include flaxseeds, hemp hearts, chia seeds, walnuts
• High quality fish oil supplement.

3.
Fermented foods: Numerous studies have shown that our gut microbes talk to our brain. Not crazy? Supporting a healthy gut environment, therefore, is an important consideration for our mental health. Fermented foods include:

• Cultured dairy products, such as high-quality yogurt (few ingredients, low sugar), kefir, buttermilk, cultured butter
• Sauerkraut
• kimchi
• Kombucha
• Pickles and other pickled vegetables
• miso
• tempeh
• natto

Four.
Antioxidant-rich foods: Inflammation can definitely put stress on our brains. Fight inflammation with antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory foods. Antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, can also help increase dopamine production in the body.

• Anthocyanins: blueberries, cherries, grapes, blackberries, pomegranates, red cabbage, purple asparagus
• Foods with vitamin C: oranges, kiwis, strawberries, pineapple, mango
• Others: goji berries, dark chocolate, herbs and spices (especially turmeric)!

5.
Hydrate!: Although it is not a food, it is very important to maintain a good fluid intake! Dehydration increases stress on the body, which can only exacerbate anxiety. While plain water is a great option, teas can also have a very calming effect on the body. Try to drink 8 cups a day and even more if you sweat excessively.

Foods that can stress an already anxious mind

While eating more of certain foods can be helpful, we should also eliminate those foods that increase stress on your body. They are probably nothing new to you, but they are good reminders!

1. Caffeine

Not everyone reacts negatively to caffeine, but if you are one of those who do, caffeine can definitely increase your anxiety level. Try cutting it out for a while to see how it responds. On a personal note, someone in my own family did this recently and it did wonders for his mood and overall stress level!

two. Sugar

No surprise here, but sugar increases inflammation, raises blood sugar, and is generally bad for your brain. Dial it back and choose naturally sweetened foods like fruit.

3. Gluten

For some, gluten can be very inflammatory and therefore affect their mood and well-being. Try taking a gluten-free vacation for a couple of weeks and see how you feel.

Four. Processed foods, especially fast foods

Another no-brainer, but fast food and other highly processed foods are very low in actual nutrition and high in refined carbohydrates, sugars, and additives. Get rid of drive-thru and look for healthier alternatives.

5. Artificial sweeteners

A component of many processed foods, I single them out because they can be harmful to our intestines and therefore affect brain health. Some of my clients have even reported headaches and other reactions to these sweet additives. Opt for natural sugar if you are forced to choose but in very small amounts.

6. Avoid any food you are allergic or sensitive to

Some of you may be knowingly or unknowingly suffering from food sensitivity reactions. These reactions cause inflammation that can exacerbate stress and anxiety. If you’re not sure which foods are causing you problems, an elimination diet may be a good first step. Seek guidance from an RD like me to help adapt such a plan or dig deeper if the offending foods are hard to come by. For tough cases, I like to use Oxford Biomedical’s MRT Food Sensitivity for decisive answers http://www.nowleap.com.

I hope this gives you some specific food ideas to get you started! I reiterate again that if you have anxiety problems, seek professional help. Don’t do this on your own. Along with expert advice, change your diet to give your brain the support it needs!