Anxiety is a state of overstimulation in the nervous system by way of excess of neurotransmitters and hormones like glutamate, cortisol and adrenaline and a deficiency of GABA and/or serotonin.
Correcting these imbalances and eating a non-stimulating diet that keeps blood sugar steady go a long way towards correcting this overstimulation.
Most therapies that work for insomnia also help anxiety (and vice versa), so may also want to read my big list of insomnia cures.
Gabinergics
GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter; in other words, it’s your brain’s primary chemical for getting and staying calm.
The therapies below should be your first line of defense against anxiety.
Theanine
Theanine is an amino acid that supports GABA production. It’s widely available in pill form, but if you use it long-term, consider buying the powder in bulk – it costs as little as 6 cents a gram.
Dosing: 50-800mg daily
Lithium Orotate
Lithium orotate is an over-the-counter form of the common psychiatric medication. It chills me out and makes me a little giggly. Three or more per day may reduce the quality of your sleep, in my experience.
Dosing: 1-3 tablets daily
Kavinace
Kavinace is a proprietary formula from Neuroscience that includes nutrients like taurine and vitamin B6 to optimally support GABA production. It’s relatively pricey – 73 cents to $4.40 a day, depending on the dose – so you may want to add this to your protocol later rather than sooner.
Dosing: 1-6 capsules daily
Kava-kava
Kava-kava, otherwise known as Kava, is a plant native to the South Pacific that acts as a nonalcoholic intoxicant (particularly in the high doses at which it’s traditionally consumed). At doses listed on Western products, you’re likely to get a mild buzz similar to having a beer or two.
It’s available in raw powder, tincture and tea forms. I find the tea the most palatable (Kava has a unique taste that’s not bad, really – remember how liquor first tasted to you?).
Kava apparently damages the liver to a degree similar to alcohol (probably because it carries mold) (R) and shouldn’t be consumed with it. It’s best avoided if you’re sensitive to mold, also.
Dosing: 2-4 tea bags’ worth of tea as needed
Serotonergics
If paranoia, irritability or depression are part of your emotional palette, you probably are struggling with low serotonin. (R) The serotonin-raising supplements below will help, as will eating some protein/fat every few hours and fewer carbohydrates (see below).
Tryptophan & 5-HTP
Tryptophan and 5-HTP are precursors of serotonin, meaning they convert into it. Take one or the other.
Dosing: Tryptophan 1000-3000mg daily or 5-HTP 100-300mg daily
Diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine, a first-generation antihistamine, is sold under the US trade name Benadryl. It’s sold under different names in other countries.
It tends to cause drowsiness and is probably best taken at bedtime, though it can also induce drowsiness the next day.
Dosing: 25-75mg at bedtime
PNS-Activating Therapies
The parasympathetic nervous system is the “rest and digest” side of the autonomic nervous system (the part of your nervous system that takes care of things automatically). If you’re wrestling with anxiety, you need to work on activating the PNS (and/or deactivating the sympathetic “fight or flight” nervous system).
Using biofeedback hardware I verified the techniques below for activating the PNS.
Cold Baths/Showers
Acute cold exposure, as with cold baths and showers, triggers the PNS effectively. Aim for several minutes in a cold shower; when it comes to baths, I like to soak for 10 minutes or more.
It should be cold enough to give you goosebumps, but not so cold you’re going totally numb.
If this sounds awful, rest assured it gets easier the more you do it. Another trick that works for me: consciously resist freaking out. If you don’t let yourself shriek, or clench your teeth or muscles, and just let yourself ease into it, there’s very little discomfort involved.
That being said, always be careful to avoid frostbite.
Chewing
Chewing activates the PNS after some 10-15 minutes. Try chewing a stick of gum as long as is comfortable a few times a day.
Most gum sold today is sugar-free and sweetened with aspartame, so if you deal with anxiety, it’s probably worth the trouble to buy xylitol- or sugar-sweetened gum.
Deep Breathing
Good breathing fills the belly on the inbreath and compresses it towards the spine on the outbreath.
Download the free Pacifica app and see how long a breath you can manage comfortably. You can leave the breathing exercise audio running whenever you’re watching TV or on your computer (or do as I did, and just record the breathing sound and replay it on a loop).
Deep breathing consistently for a significant portion of your day can be very helpful for reducing tension.
Alpha Wave Audio
Binaural beats are a type of audio in which different frequencies are played in each ear while wearing headphones to bring the brain into one of five brainwave types. Alpha waves are associated with a state of calm focus; numerous tracks are freely available on Youtube. Some are as long as 8 hours for easy listening.
Spiritual Therapies
Traditional Meditation
Tried-and-true meditation techniques from spiritual traditions generally work with being aware of (and letting go of) thoughts and/or following the breath with your attention.
There are numerous schools within Buddhism and Hinduism that teach meditation methods, and Catholic Prayer (which can be easily modified to adapt to any or no religious background).
If you’re looking for a secular experience, try shamatha meditation.
Dietary Strategies
Eat More Protein and Fat, Fewer Carbs
Protein and fat keep blood sugar steadier than carbohydrate (AKA sugar), which can go a long way to keeping moods stable. If you tend to live off of breads, cereals, fruit, granola bars, desserts, soda and the like, work on increasing your intake of animal foods, nuts and seeds, and oil.
Eat Frequently
Eating protein- and fat-containing foods every few hours is the best way to transition from the carb-fueled blood sugar rollercoaster to the…paddle-boat of even blood sugar.
Datis Kharrazian, in his book Why Isn’t My Brain Working?, says he has patients eat a protein snack every 2-3 hours while in the recovery period from unstable blood sugar.
Eliminate Caffeine
Caffeine can induce agitation and anxiety in those who are sensitive to it. It affects me at low doses for up to 12 hours, so it’s worth eliminating entirely for a few weeks to see if it reduces symptoms of anxiety.
Caffeine is present in coffee, black and green teas, sodas, energy drinks, many low-calorie or zero-sugar juice drinks, and cocoa and chocolate.
Eliminate MSG and Glutamate
Monosodium glutamate is the popularly-known cousin of glutamate, the primary excitatory neurotransmitter (GABA’s twin, you might say). Their brain-stimulating effects can be experienced as agitation, hyperactivity or anxiety.
If you tend to become overstimulated by what you eat, cut back on high-glutamate foods and see if that helps. Check out this article and this article for help identifying MSG-containing foods.
Eliminate Aspartame
Aspartame is still commonly used to sweeten sugar-free soft drinks and candy, and is a nervous system stimulant (ever notice the warnings on the package?).
If you’re ingesting aspartame-containing foods on a daily basis, it’s worth eliminating them for several weeks to see if it helps your anxiety.
Environment
Beware of Mold
Moldy living and working environments reliably induce weight gain, anxiety and agitation, and insomnia. Fatigue and cognitive issues as well as respiratory issues are also typical.
Visible mold, a musty smell, water damage, high humidity, central air and carpeted floors can all indicate or contribute to mold issues. Mattresses, pillows and comforters can also harbor mold and affect you all night long.
The best way to identify environmental mold issues is with an ERMI (more expensive) or HERXMI (less expensive) test. Calling in experts to run mold tests is even more expensive than doing it yourself, so it’s probably best not to bother.
Noise-cancelling Headphones
If you live or work in chaotic environments, travel frequently, and/or tend to startle easily, investing in good noise-cancelling headphones (or even just earplugs) can work wonders.
Of course, solving the underlying issues (bad environments or aberrant biology) is ideal.
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