Anxiety is a feeling of worry or concern, and most everyone has experienced anxiety at some point in their lives. Anxiety can be caused by work stress, mental illness and lack of sleep but there are numerous other causes as well. Anxiety can cause us to exhibit symptoms such as: muscle tension, restlessness, tachycardia, nausea, headaches, insomnia and sweating. There are a number of prescription medications that can be prescribed for this condition. However, these prescription medications can cause additional side effects that might not agree with everyone. Fortunately, there are a number of natural ways to combat anxiety that might be better for some people.
There are many benefits to exercise and one of them can be for treatment of anxiety. According to Johnston Community College, the body stores tension from anxiety in the muscles causing them to constrict and hurt. Therefore, exercising is an excellent way to release the tension in our muscles and help our bodies to combat the pent up anxiety. Some good exercises to try are: walking, jogging or playing a game of tennis with a friend. However, there are a number of other exercises that can be done to achieve this same goal. Another physical way to treat anxiety is through a technique called progressive muscle relaxation. According to Johnston Community College, progressive muscle relaxation helps to lower blood pressure, heart rate and respiration and thus reduce symptoms of anxiety. This technique can be done by lying or sitting in a comfortable way and simply tensing up a group of your muscles for about 5 to 10 seconds and then relaxing them. Do this repeatedly until you feel the anxiety melting away.
Herbal treatments may also be able to help you combat anxiety attacks. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, valerian combined with lemon balm or St. John’s wort is one herbal remedy that might be helpful with treating anxiety. However, valerian should be avoided if you are pregnant or nursing because it can be dangerous for an infant and cause birth defects. In addition, it should not be used if you have liver damage because it can cause this condition to worsen. Passion flower is another herbal remedy that can be helpful with combating anxiety. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, passion flower is as effective as some of the benzodiazepine medications that physicians prescribe for the treatment of anxiety.
Another excellent way to combat anxiety is through a proper, healthy diet. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, eating healthy meals helps to keep your body well nourished and in good health. The best diets are ones that are high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Another way to combat anxiety through diet is by eating small meals throughout the day rather than large, filling meals. Our bodies function better when they are not full and bloated feeling and this bloated feeling can cause anxiety to worsen the anxious feeling. The correct diet of healthy foods can actually help your body fend off anxiety attacks. Avoiding caffeine is also essential to combating anxiety. Caffeine causes the body to feel jittery and anxious and this will only exacerbate anxiety conditions. Follow these simple directions for a healthy diet and you may be able to deal with your anxiety in a natural way.
The University of Maryland Medical Center; Anxiety; http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/anxiety-000013.htm
Johnston Community College; Combating Stress and Anxiety; February 17, 2009; http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:oVHYenRwpx0J:www.johnstoncc.edu/powerpoint/trioworkshops/CombatingStress.pps+exercise+combating+anxiety+site:edu&cd;=2&hl;=en&ct;=clnk≷=us
