Managing Anxiety: 7 Ways I Reduce My Symptoms Naturally

Did you know an estimated 31% of adults in the U.S. experience an anxiety disorder at one time in their lives?

I am one of those people.

My anxiety is not something I like to talk about, but the fact is, it's a huge part of my life. I hope that sharing my own struggles will help others to know they aren't suffering alone.

Anxiety comes and goes in my daily life. There are days where I feel like I have it under control, while other days I want to curl up in a ball and hide.

People often think that because I am a health coach, I have it all together, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I am human just like anyone else with daily struggles and concerns as it relates to my mental and physical health.

In my job as a health coach, anxiety is one of the things that continues to come up time and time again with my clients. These women tend to view their anxiety as something entirely unrelated to their struggle to lose weight, but it is often one of the major obstacles preventing them from reaching their goal.

The truth is, all of the systems in our body are connected and the ultimate goal is having them work together to reach a state of homeostasis.

The problem is, we tend to treat each part separately, instead of as a whole. If an area of our health is suffering, mental or physical, it is bound to affect other parts of our body. And in the case of anxiety, symptoms show up as both mental and physical.

While there is no cure for anxiety, there are some things you can do to lessen your symptoms. Here is a list of things that I have found to be the most helpful in making my own anxiety more manageable:

1. Eat a whole food, plant based diet, high in fiber

The connection between our gut and our brain is strong. In order to take care of our mental health, we must first take care of the health of our gut. Gut bacteria feed on fiber and prebiotics that come from plant foods, so make sure to feed them!

2. Sleep

8 hours per night is ideal. Lack of sleep can contribute to increased anxiety.

Exercise - 30 minutes per day, even if it’s just a brisk walk. Exercise is key to relieving stress and helping to deal with anxiety.

3. Journal

Write down your fears and worries. Just writing things down can help us reflect on what is important and help us cope with fear and worry.

4. Meditate

Take time to breathe deep and enjoy quiet time with yourself. If you ever find yourself in the middle of a panic attack or unable to escape your own thoughts, try the 3-

5. 3-3 method

Look around you and name three things you see. Next, name three sounds you hear. Lastly, move three parts of your body — your foot, fingers, or arm. This mental trick can help center your mind and bring your focus back to the present moment.

6. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and excess sugar

These things make anxiety symptoms worse, so keep your intake to a minimum. In addition, highly processed foods, artificial sweeteners and red meat have a negative effects on gut bacteria as well.

7. Finally, talk to a therapist and consider medication, if needed.

**The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.