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Is There a Diet for Nervous People?

Jun 7, 2011 | By Suzanne S. Wiley

Food can definitely affect how you feel, and there are tales of different diets or meal plans focused on losing weight, avoiding allergies or diseases and making people generally feel better or worse. If you are someone who gets particularly anxious regularly, you might think about changing what you eat to calm down. While there is no official diet plan for nervous people, certain foods and medications might trigger your anxiety. Keep in mind that if the nervousness is adversely affecting how you deal with everyday life, see your doctor.

Existing Diet

Check out what you are eating to see if your diet could be improved. You might be overdoing the caffeine without realizing it, or if you are not eating enough, you could be experiencing low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is something a doctor should treat as it can be a sign of diabetes, and PubMed Health notes it can lead to a coma or seizures if not treated properly. Symptoms include nervousness, a pounding heartbeat and shakiness. If nothing seems obvious and your doctor doesn't think you have hypoglycemia, speak with a registered dietitian to see if there are any modifications you need to make to eat as healthy as you can.

Medications

Review all medications that you or the person in question is taking as some can cause nervousness or agitation as a side effect. Albuterol, for example, is a common asthma medication that can leave a person feeling shaky, moody and nervous, and cause insomnia or restlessness. Double-check exactly how you feel after taking medication, as side effects such as an irregular heartbeat require seeing a doctor as soon as possible. The medication should have a warning label or prescription insert detailing side effects; if not, contact your pharmacy. Even if the side effects are considered common and not alarming, if they make you feel very bad, consult with a doctor to see if there's a less nerve-wracking substitute.

HCA

Be very careful of hearsay and vague mentions of diets, as it is very easy for one or two bits of news to be blown out of proportion or be completely misunderstood. One example is a weight loss supplement based on hydroxycitric acid. It is sometimes referred to by the name of one of the supplements it contains, Garcinia cambogia extract. While no benefit for nervous people has been found for this supplement, at least one website -- which the owner admits is an affiliate site that earns money via link and ad click-throughs -- claims HCA seems to work for those who eat out of anxiety, making it seem like a diet aid for the nervous. However, the site presents no research to back this up. Liver damage can result from taking at least one particular HCA supplement; one study, published in 2008 in the "World Journal of Gastroenterology," noted that the study subjects had no previous liver problems, implying that the damage was due to the supplement itself.

Coping Strategies and Therapy

If your nervousness doesn't have its origin in your diet, speak with your doctor about investigating therapy and coping strategies. What you think is nerves could be signs of social anxiety disorder or a response to stress. By learning to cope with and take care of stressful situations, or by getting a correct diagnosis, you can reduce the nervousness you are experiencing and head off any other health problems that can pop up due to stress.

References

Article reviewed by Jenna Marie Last updated on: Jun 7, 2011

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