9 Natural Ways I Treat My Anxiety
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Mental health is a topic that I’ve been very passionate about for a long time, especially after I started experiencing anxiety. Our society is SO focused on physical appearance and weight loss. Not a day goes by that I don’t see dozens of images on Instagram of women half-naked or someone flexing in the mirror at the gym.
While I believe physical health is important and we should take care of the only body we’re going to get in this life, not enough emphasis is placed on mental health. Even though many of the cures to mental health issues are the same cures to physical health issues!
I’ve had anxiety since I was 19 years old, a ripe sophomore in college. Looking back, I don’t think this is when my anxiety started, however this was the first time I’d put a name to the feelings I was having. I was miserable. I was in an unhealthy relationship, couldn’t focus in school, and I would often wake up in a full panic attack unable to catch my breath.
There was no denying it — I had anxiety.
Fast forward around 5 years and my anxiety is still present, though I’ve learned A LOT about how to manage it. I will say upfront that I’m not a fan of pharmaceutical medications. When I put something into my body, I believe natural is the best way to go. I turned to my mom (the woman with ALL solutions, seriously) and she guided me to a few remedies that help anxiety. Now, neither of us are doctors and cannot promise that any of the following things will work for you. However here is a list of the things that have worked for me and are worth giving a shot:
Lavender Essential Oil
I like to diffuse lavender oil in my essential oil diffuser, rub it on my wrists or chest, or simply rub some in my hands and put my hands to my face. Lavender oil has calming effects to reduce anxiety and stress and can also help with sleep.
Ignatia Amara 30C
This is a homeopathic remedy that I've found to be GREAT to take before bed! I get it at Whole Foods and it has a deeply calming effect. It is intended for "nervousness, hypersensitivity due to everyday stress". This remedy works great before bed. I've found I can't use it throughout the day because it makes me too drowsy but is perfect for before bed when I need my mind to calm down.
Journaling before bed
Write down everything on your mind so you know it’s there when you wake up. This has helped me a great deal when my mind is racing and I can't seem to fall asleep. Personally, I make a list with two columns: one column of things I'm stressed about and then a column with what I can do about each stressor. This helps me work through my stress in a constructive way and allows my brain to calm down before bed.
Prebiotics
Mental health begins in the gut. When my anxiety flares up, my diet often goes haywire and my stomach rejects many of the regular foods I eat. Taking prebiotics (I use this type of inulin) has greatly helped my stomach stay calm when my anxiety flares up.
Prebiotics are the food for our good gut bacteria, or our probiotics. I used to take probiotics to support gut health but have recently learned that it's more effective to feed the good gut bacteria you already have rather than replacing it by taking a probiotic supplement.
Copper Toxicity remedies
Reading this article was like reading about my own life in someone else’s words. I’ve done many of the remedies including turmeric, desiccated liver pills, etc. and I've seen a noticeable difference in how I feel.
Exercise
When I fall off the exercise band wagon, my anxiety gets significantly worse. Lately I’ve been into yoga and that helps calm my mind while building strength and getting my sweat on.
Whole30 Program
I can’t stress enough how much this helped me. Seriously, mental health starts in the gut and I had NO anxiety symptoms throughout my Whole30 journey. It wasn’t until I started reintroducing foods that I realized what kinds of foods triggered my anxious feelings and now I can stay away from them. You can read about how to rock the Whole30 here.
Cutting out caffeine
This is probably where I'll lose some people. "But I can't go without my morning coffee!" Yes you can. If you're struggling with anxiety, caffeine is like throwing gasoline on a fire. Try herbal tea instead or switch to decaf if you enjoy the ritual of a hot drink in the morning.
Talking about it
Nothing is worse than feeling alone in your mental health battle. Since I began talking about it, I’ve learned that several people close to me also experience anxiety and I had no idea. Being able to talk about it openly helps more than I ever thought it would!
While I still have my bouts of anxiety and it probably will never completely go away, these remedies have helped me keep my anxious feelings at bay. They've also allowed me to stay off of medications that have unwanted side effects and would prevent my body from dealing with the root of the problem. As I mentioned before, I choose not to use medication for myself. That does not mean it's not right for everyone, it's just my personal preference.
If this post helps at least one person, I’ve done my job. Everyone’s anxiety is different and I won’t promise to cure you, but these things are tried and true when it comes to my anxiety. Hopefully they can be for yours, as well!