Overcoming anxiety without medications involves making lifestyle changes, and that includes changing your diet. There are foods that will help cure anxiety, and foods that will contribute to anxiety, and by choosing the right foods, you can drastically cut down on the amount of anxiety you experience – and possibly improve your mood.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the foods that improve happiness and reduce stress, so that you can make better decisions with your eating habits.
Top 6 Foods To Relax Your Mind
1. Cashews
According to Dr Andrew Saul from the Food Matters Film, two handfuls of cashews provide the equivalent mood boosting effects as a therapeutic dose of Prozac. How do they do this? They are one of the highest natural sources of tryptophan, the precursor for the production of serotonin, the feel good hormone, in the brain.
2. Blueberries
Blueberries are more than a delicious fruit. Many consider it to be a superfood. It’s rich in vitamins and phytonutrients (plant nutrients), with a variety of antioxidants that are considered extremely beneficial for relieving stress. Many experts also believe that peaches fall into this category as well, because they have nutrients that appear to have a sedation (calming) effect.
3. Acai Berries
Acai berry is essentially the newest super food, and one that has received a great deal of press recently. It may not be the weight loss fruit that many people claimed it was, but acai berries are still rich in phytonutrients like the blueberry, and the antioxidant levels are off the charts.
4. Almonds
Almonds are an underrated food. They contain zinc, a key nutrient for maintaining a balanced mood – and have both iron and healthy fats. Healthy fats are an important part of a balanced diet, and low iron levels have been known to cause brain fatigue, which can contribute to both anxiety and a lack of energy.
5. Chocolate
Chocolate – especially pure dark chocolate without the added sugars or milks – is also a great food for those living with anxiety and stress. Chocolate reduces cortisol – the stress hormone that causes anxiety symptoms. There are also compounds inside dark chocolate that improve mood.
6. Maca Root
Maca root is not exactly a popular food item in grocery stores, but the powder can be added to several foods and beverages and is found in a variety of health food stores. It’s believed that this root has more phytonutrients than nearly every type of fruit and vegetable, including magnesium and iron – two important nutrients for controlling anxiety. It also is often used for healthy stamina and energy.
Source: hungry for change
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