Anxiety: 7 Foods to Reduce Your Anxiety

Anxiety & Food

Foods that reduce anxiety is actually not a new concept. In the health industry and before modern medicine natural products including food have been used for many years to heal all kinds of ailments, but can it really help to reduce anxiety and improve our mental wellbeing?

Scientific evidence suggests that depression and anxiety can be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Serotonin which is a chemical that helps send messages from one brain cell to another is how the cells in the brain communicate. If serotonin levels become imbalanced then communication can be disrupted which leads to depression and anxiety.

Pharmaceuticals have found the solution to this with antidepressants so your brain can perform at its best and there products help restore a fine chemical balance. Interesting marketing, no wonder food and natural remedies are overlooked to improve mental wellbeing.

I do not advocate for people who are prescribed antidepressants to stop taking them. I think antidepressants can be very useful in the right circumstances and for a period of time. However if like me you would like the opportunity to explore all your options you may wish your doctor had told you this before writing a prescription for medication. For some people a healthy diet will need to be part of a holistic plan that considers medication, talking therapies and other help.

Food is the most abused anxiety drug so if you have been suffering for years, struggling to face the day, experiencing chronic tiredness at different parts of the day, beating yourself up and feeling like a failure. Perhaps you are thinking could food really be the cure for my anxiety but I want to show you how changing your food can change your mood.

7 Foods to Reduce Your Anxiety

1) Substitute processed grains for wholegrains. Substitute white bread, white pasta and white rice for Wholegrain pasta, rice and bread. They are rich in magnesium. Magnesium deficiency can lead to anxiety. Wholegrains also contain tryptophan which becomes serotonin a vital chemical for the brain. Avoiding complex carbohydrates like white processed foods will create a healthy energy while reducing your hunger.

2) Increase your super foods. Blueberries & acai berries both contain antioxidants that are extremely beneficial for relieving stress. They are also full of vitamin C which is great stress buster.

3) Omega 3. These fatty acids help keep cortisol and adrenaline from spiking when your feeling tense. Salmon is one of the best sources of omega 3 and spinach is also good too.

4) A handful of Almonds each day. Contain zinc which is good for maintaining a balanced mood and have iron and both healthy fats. Low iron levels can increase anxiety. They also contain vitamin B2 and E which boost the immune system.

5) Drink plenty of Water. Dehydration is known to cause more anxiety. However generally drinks plenty of water is good for you. Aim for at least 1.5 litres a day.

6) Avoid caffeine. Any stimulant will increase you anxiety. Substitute tea and coffee for herbal teas. Valerian and Chamomile are good for creating a calming effect.

7) Treat yourself to chocolate. I bet you thought you would never be encouraged to eat chocolate and yes there is a but. Dark Chocolate reduces cortisol the stress hormone that causes anxiety and it contains other compounds that improve your mood. Preferably dark chocolate with no added sugar or milk.

If you have been in a desperate place for long, then these simple steps could be a life changer, a message of hope. It is hard to believe that something as simple as food can be unbelievably successful in treating anxiety. This really does work to calm your anxious mind but it also will improve your mood and end cravings.

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What Is Sleep Apnea and Its Treatment? Understand the Basics

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder which is characterized by abnormal pauses in the breathing pattern, or instances of abnormally low breathing during sleep. Each pause between successive breaths is called an "apnea" - a word derived from the Greek word "apnoia" which means "without breath". In case of normal breathing, the frequency of pauses is constant and regular. When the normal breathing pattern changes due to various reasons, and the intervals between successive pauses start becoming irregular, it leads to sleep apnea disorder. Each irregular pause of breath is referred to as "hypopnea." So, in case of normal breathing, each interval or pause is termed as an "apnea", while in case of abnormal breathing it is termed as "hypopnea."

Symptoms of sleep apnea

Individuals suffering from the disorder often do not know they have it. Certain symptoms can ascertain whether the individual is suffering from the disorder. The major symptoms include:

Insomnia
Restless sleeping patterns
Choking or gasping during sleep
Night sweats
Feeling excessively sleepy during the day
Snoring frequently and loudly
Trouble in breathing during sleep
Other symptoms indicating a possible disorder are:

Fatigue
Morning headaches
Loss of memory
Difficulty in learning new things
Irritability
Inability to concentrate for long
Depressions
Mood swings and/or personality changes
Dry throat when awaking
Frequent urination during the night
Causes of sleep apnea

The disorder generally occurs due to a fat buildup, or a loss of the muscle tone, especially during old age. In this particular disorder, the tracheal muscles ("trachea" is the windpipe), the soft palate muscles at the base of the tongue, and the uvula ("uvula" is the triangular shaped small fleshy tissue hanging from the center in the back of the throat) relax to a considerable extent and collapse during the breathing activity. In simple terms, the windpipe becomes taut, or the layers of the windpipe adhere which restricts the flow of air into the lungs. The disorder can also occur due to a malfunction of neurons controlling the breathing process during sleep. This sleep disorder can be diagnosed by an overnight polysomnogram test - a sleep test which is extensively used to detect sleeping disorders and related problems.

Effects of sleep apnea

Even though the sleep disorder might appear to be a common and not-so-serious, it can lead to some serious health problems. If left untreated, the disorder can result in:

Depression
Sexual dysfunction
Hypertension
High blood pressure
Irregular heart beats
Coronary Heart Disease
Chronic Heart Failure
Worsening of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Types of sleep apnea

There are three types of sleep apnea:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
Central sleep apnea (CSA)
Mixed sleep apnea (MSA)
Even though all the three types of sleeping disorders differ as far as their causes and treatment is concerned, one aspect remain common - some parts of the respiratory system narrow down and impair the percentage of oxygen reaching the subject's lungs.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

This is a highly common form of the disorder found in majority of the individuals suffering from sleeping disorder. Obstructive sleep apnea is a physical disorder. This form of disorder is typically characterized by individuals who have:

More weight (overweight)
Small jaw line
A small air passage in the trachea (windpipe)
Large tongue
Tonsils
The main cause of OSA is the same as stated above for sleep apnea. The condition can further worsen if the subject consumes alcohol, ingests tranquilizers and sleeping pills.

Central sleep apnea (CSA)

This is a comparatively rare form of the sleeping disorder in which the tracheal muscles do not sag to much extent, and the air passage remains large enough so that enough air can pass through. However, in this particular disorder the diaphragm and the chest muscles temporarily fail to function effectively, which results in reduced oxygen levels in the blood. The decreased oxygen level affects normal metabolic working of the body, and the brain too receives less oxygen so the subject suffers from memory loss, slow learning, sluggish reflexes, and inability to concentrate for long.

Mixed sleep apnea (MSA)

In very rare cases, some individuals experience both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea simultaneously. In such cases, both the sleep disorders manifest themselves by interspersing with each other, and the individual may experience the effects of either of the disorders at one particular instance, or a combined effect of both. The pathological or psychological effects of this disorder cannot be predetermined or ascertained since many factors affect its manifestation.

Sleep apnea treatment

The treatment for the sleep disorder varies in accordance to the level to which the individual is suffering from it. Generally, the treatment can be administered in the form of therapies and surgeries depending upon how much the disorder is affecting the individual. The treatment consists of:

Therapies

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)

This therapy is generally used if the individual has moderate to severe sleep disorder. The therapy consists of a machine which delivers air (oxygen) through a mask placed over the nose while asleep. The air pressure remains greater than that of the surrounding air, and is just strong enough to keep the air passages open.

Adjustable airway pressure devices

In this therapy, a special type of air pressure device automatically adjusts the air pressure and oxygen levels while asleep. The basic functioning of the device is similar to that used for CPAP therapy, however it is a more advanced model and supports bi-level positive airway pressure (BPAP). The device provides more pressure while inhaling and reduces the pressure while exhaling.

Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV)

This airflow device learns and understands the normal breathing pattern, and subsequently stores the information in a built-in computer. While asleep, the machine regulates the air pressure to normalize the breathing pattern, and prevents any pauses in the breathing activity. ASV is more successful than CPAP while treating central sleep apnea in some individuals.

Oral appliances

This therapy involves wearing an oral appliance specially designed to keep the throat "open". Oral appliances are easier to use. Some appliances are specially designed to keep the throat open by bringing the jaw forward, which can at times even relieve snoring as well as prevent mild obstructive sleep apnea.

Surgery

The main objective of sleep apnea related surgery is to remove any excess tissues from the nose or the throat which may be causing the blockage of the air passage. The surgical options include:

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)

During this surgical procedure, excessive tissue is removed from the rear of your mouth, and from the top of the throat. At times, the tonsils and adenoids are also removed. This type of surgery can be successful in preventing snoring, however, from clinical findings it is observed to be less successful in treating sleep apnea, since the tissues farther down the trachea (windpipe) may still block the air passage. UPPP procedure is generally performed in a hospital, and requires administration of general anesthesia.

Maxillomandibularadvancement

In this procedure, the jaw is moved forward from the remaining facial bones. This enlarges the space behind the tongue and the soft palate, reducing the air obstruction. This procedure may require the services of an oral surgeon and/or an orthodontist, and may be combined with other surgical procedures to improve the likelihood of success.

Tracheostomy

This is a critical surgery, and it is only recommended when other treatments fail and the subject has severe or life-threatening sleep apnea disorder. In this procedure, an opening is made in the neck and a metal or plastic tube is inserted into the trachea through which we breathe. The opening is covered during the day, and at night, it is uncovered to allow air into the lungs. The tube helps to bypass the blocked air passage.

Mandar Majmudar is a professional content writer who has worked extensively in the BPO and KPO segments since last many years. He has undertaken many site projects involving the designing and content writing aspects. He has trained professional content and technical writers for MNCs, and small to medium business entrepreneurships. He specializes in creating concept based web contents - the client provides a concept, and he works out different types of content formats to promote the concept on the internet.




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