Diet and Anxiety

Diet and Anxiety

Our brains produce many different neurotransmitters which have specific functions; some are excitatory while others are calming. When we experience anxiety, it’s easy to wonder why our brains would cause so much emotional and physiological suffering to ourselves. The two main neurotransmitters associated with anxiety (nervousness, worrying, panic, jitteriness) are glutamate (excitatory) and gamma amino butyric acid or GABA (calming).

We actually need both of these neurotransmitters to function because without the glutamate, we’d be asleep, and without the GABA, we’d be too wired and anxious. Problems arise when these two systems get out of balance. This can happen when we ingest too many excito-toxins, which cause inflammation within the brain by over
activation of glutamate receptors. This results in decreased effectiveness of GABA and increased feelings of panic, aggression, rage and fear.

It’s important to understand that anxiety needs to be treated holistically: just searching for the “magic pill” won’t cure this common disorder. It is combination of dietary changes, looking at environmental triggers and cognitive therapy to start. Benzodiazepines will help to reduce symptoms but they will not “cure” the anxiety. A person just becomes dependent on something else rather than finding the cause of the anxiety. Additionally, these medications build tolerance over time, so that a person has to increase the dose for effectiveness.

Look for the following food additives, and avoid buying and ingesting foods containing them if you want to systemically reduce anxiety levels:

MSG (monosodium glutamate)
Hydrolyzed  protein
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Soy products
Whey protein isolates
Carrageenan
Autolyzed yeast extract
Enzymes
Sodium and calcium caseinate

It makes no sense to seek treatment for anxiety if you are chemically worsening your symptoms by the foods you eat. Always look for whole foods, with no additives that sound like they are from a biochemistry textbook. Eat Natural, to Feel Natural!!