ANXIETY: Tools to Know About
NATURAL STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE ANXIETY & STRESS
Nearly 7 million individuals suffer from anxiety, and sometimes to extremes that are sadly
out of proportion to what the actual event or situation is. Many sit and anticipate disaster,
or worry incessantly about family, work, health or money. The physical and emotional toll
can be crippling.
Symptoms can range from mild, such as feeling tense, to actually having symptoms
similar to a heart attack. Many suffer from ulcers, diarrhea and/or constipation as a
result. Anxiety can and will take a physical toll on the body. It is very common to fall ill
following a stressful time. A mild version of this would be a cold or flu the week after an
exhausting or stressful event. A more serious scenario would be a cancer diagnosis
that shows its ugly face one to two years following a traumatic life event, such as the
loss of a loved one or end of a relationship.
Once medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism, adrenal fatigue, and hormone
imbalance are ruled out or remedied, one can begin to look for and seek out ways
to overcome anxiety. In my practice, women from puberty through menopause that
suffer from unexplainable anxiety often test very deficient in progesterone. Blood
levels are often normal, but saliva testing reveals low levels especially when compared
to estrogen. Evaluating hormone levels via blood work does not look at the ratio
between estrogen and progesterone, which is a big miss when it comes to helping
women with anxiety and insomnia. Men often suffer from anxiety if testosterone levels
are low. The inability to cope with things and situations that are not life threatening
may be a sign of adrenal fatigue.
Medications do not fix the problem or even try to discover what the problem may
be, but many individuals will gladly take the medication that will at least provide a
comforting blanket from what ails them. What they do not realize is that most of these
medications cause dependency, and they will most likely develop a tolerance for them
that may result in increasing the dosage or switching to other medications.
Natural supplements that work extremely well for the anxious and stressed-out
populations typically contain ingredients such as L-theanine, GABA & 5 HTP.
These naturally occurring neurotransmitter/amino acids help to connect the dots
when it comes to our emotional well being and positive sleep patterns. L-theanine
works well in individuals who can seem to quiet an overactive mind. GABA has
calming qualities in the overly anxious or quick-to-anger individual. 5-HTP has been
very successful in treating those who are prone to depression. Sometimes, the
combination supplements work best. Lemon Balm has been referred to as liquid
Xanax without the drowsiness or addictive qualities. These supplements are safe
and even though finding what works for you may take a couple of tries, I promise it
will be worth it.
Don’t forget the basics when it comes to supplementation. B vitamins, omega-3 fats,
magnesium and Vitamin D3 have mood and stress protecting potential. Most i
ndividuals can minimize Seasonal Affective Disorder with just basic supplementation.
Herbs such as magnolia bark, ashwagandha, chamomile, valerian and kava kava
have known benefits when it comes to relieving stress and anxiety. Aromatherapy
is an effective way to alter the atmosphere by using oils of certain plants to create
therapeutic scents to soothe the senses. Lavender is one of the more popular calming
fragrances.
Activities that reduce anxiety include exercise, meditation, yoga, Qigong and
prayer. Other alternatives that have been successful include hypnosis, acupuncture
and Reiki. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) has shown tremendous promise
with individuals suffering from anxiety and a host of other illnesses. There is plenty
be a great place to start.
What is actually worthy of the impact that anxiety has on you? Why do you torture
yourself? You may want to ask yourself whether the emotions you are feeling will
be as important or vivid in a year, a week, or even an hour. You cannot distance
yourself from what life may have in store for you, but you can relinquish your attempts
to control situations and find yourself pleasantly basking in an “it is what it is” attitude.
There is a priceless peace of mind that comes with this way of thinking. Enjoyment
and gratitude of what life has to offer becomes the focus, rather than the crippling
thoughts of what may go wrong.
The next time you find yourself caught in those negative thought patterns that induce
anxiety, imagine the best possible results rather than the worst-case scenario.
Loved ones arriving home safe, problems at work being solved with ease, medical
test results coming back clear, and so forth. The more you put this new way of thinking
into practice, the more automatic it becomes. Sometimes just the shift from
resistance to acceptance is all that is needed to ease anxiety, allowing us to be
open to all experiences and the good to come.
To find a large selection of these items in a safe location that is HIPPA protected and WILL take most HSA cards, visit: FULLSCRIPT. It is where I get my supplements from. Excellent customer service without leaving your home. You do need to log in and create an account. BE WELL, Cathi
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