Anxiety is a normal human emotion; however, when it spirals out of control and causes significant impairment in your everyday activities, it's considered a disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, is diagnosed when an individual experiences excessive anxiety for at least six months. This condition affects almost seven million American adults and can be caused by stress, depression and other medical conditions. In addition, certain foods and beverages can cause anxiety or make it worse. Taking control of your nutritional intake is a step you can take to decrease or even eliminate anxiety. Speak with your doctor before making significant dietary changes.
Stimulant Foods and Beverages
If you experience anxiety, it can be made much worse by consumption of foods and beverages that contain caffeine. The Mayo Clinic explains that caffeine can make you feel anxious and can cause sleep disruption -- this, in turn, makes anxiety even worse. Additionally, according to AddictionInfo.org, caffeine can lead to panic attacks, another anxiety disorder with many GAD symptoms. Foods like chocolate and cocoa may contain caffeine, and many soft drinks and energy beverages also contain this substance. Read nutritional labels for sources of caffeine, which may not be immediately evident on the front of the package.
Tryptophan-Rich Foods
Tryptophan is an amino acid that your body converts to the neurotransmitter serotonin, according to the National Institutes of Health. Serotonin is responsible for helping you feel relaxed and calm and many antidepressant medications act on the serotonin receptors in your brain to make more serotonin available. Dairy products, poultry, bananas, soy products and peanuts are all rich in tryptophan. These foods are also part of a healthy eating plan that can make a difference in your anxiety levels.
Alcohol
Despite the fact that alcohol has an initial calming effect, it can actually make anxiety debilitating enough to create social phobia. According to the National institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, many people with anxiety turn to alcohol to feel calm. Once the alcohol's effect wears off, however, the anxiety comes back stronger, encouraging the person to drink yet more alcohol. This is the reason why many people with chronic, debilitating anxiety also end up with a substance abuse disorder, usually in the form of alcohol abuse. The most important way to avoid this reliance on alcohol to temper anxiety is to avoid it altogether.
Complex Carbohydrates
Foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates, like whole-grain products, fruits and vegetables, may be helpful in increasing available serotonin and reducing anxiety, according to the Mayo Clinic. These foods are also high in dietary fiber, which can help keep your blood glucose levels stabilized. Drops in blood glucose, usually caused by not eating frequently enough or eating highly processed foods, can lead to feelings of anxiety. Keeping blood glucose levels from dropping by avoiding simple carbohydrates like white-flour products can keep anxiety at bay.
References
- National Institute of Mental Health: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Mayo Clinic: Coping With Anxiety: Can Diet Make a Difference?
- AddictionInfo.org: The Dangers of Caffeine for Anxiety Sufferers
- MedlinePlus: Tryptophan
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: Social Anxiety Disorder and Alcohol Use
