The word "anxiety" describes a state of apprehension and uneasiness about impending uncertainties. While the possibility of future unpleasant events might induce anxiety, researchers at the Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Melbourne in Australia found a direct correlation between dietary habits and susceptibility to chronic anxiety disorders. Other research studies support this theory.
Women, Food and Anxiety
A diet consisting primarily of refined sugars, processed and fried foods, and beer might cause chronic anxiety in women, says the University of Melbourne study. The research team recruited 1,046 women ages 20 to 93 years old for the study. Participants filled out a 12-item general health questionnaire, which assessed psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Another survey posed questions about their typical dietary habits. The research team reported that the women who regularly consumed vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and whole grains had lower anxiety levels than women who ate a less-healthy diet. The "American Journal of Psychiatry" published the report in January 2010.
Comfort Food
An overall healthy diet might ease chronic anxiety, but comfort foods might alleviate acute anxiety attacks. The words "comfort foods" refer to the foods you choose to eat during episodes of anxiety or depression. These might include pasta, pie or any favorite foods from your childhood. While these foods might lack high-quality nutritional substance, researchers at the School of Medical Sciences at the University of New South Wales report that comfort foods alleviated anxiety in rats experiencing early separation from their mothers. The journal "Psychoneuroendocrinology" published the study in June 2010.
Cortisol
Some people use the words "stress" and "anxiety" interchangeably, but Mary Meagher, a psychologist in the behavioral neuroscience group at Texas A&M University, told "Outside Magazine" that anxiety stimulates cortisol without adrenaline. Adrenaline adds a sense of exhilaration to a fear-inducing situation. Cortisol contributes to stress and anxiety. Sports medicine expert Dr. Shawn Talbott, author of the book "The Cortisol Connection," says food additives such as high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils interfere with cortisol metabolism in fat cells. The increased cortisone levels contribute to weight gain and anxiety, which probably includes anxiety about weight gain.
Magnesium Deficiency
Green leafy vegetables, nuts and grains provide magnesium, while excess caffeine, salt, alcohol and soda might deplete magnesium levels. Women who have heavy menstrual periods, or anyone who tends to sweat excessively, might also have low magnesium levels. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include anxiety, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and agitation, says health specialists at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Researchers at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, at the University of Innsbruck compared rats on a magnesium-deficient diet with rats on a normal diet. The magnesium-deficient rats displayed high anxiety levels on a series of psychological tests. Rats fed a normal diet did not display this type of behavior. The December 2004 edition of "Neuropharmacology" published the study.
References
- "American Journal of Psychiatry": Association of Western and traditional diets with Depression and Anxiety in Women
- "Psychoneuroendocrinology"; "Palatable Cafeteria Diet Ameliorates anxiety and Depression-like Symptoms Following an Adverse Early Environment"; J. Manium; June 2010
- "Outside Magazine"; "The Battle of the Butterflies"; April 2002
- "The Cortisol Connection Diet: The Breakthrough Program to Control Stress"; Shawn Talbott; 2004
- University of Maryland: Magnesium
- "Neuropharmacology"; "Magnesium-deficient diet alters depression- and Anxiety-Related Behavior in Mice"; N. Singewald; December 2004
