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Last Updated on September 7, 2021 by Paula Dunbar
I’ll go over magnesium, B-Complex vitamins, vitamin D3, Ashwagandha, CBD Oil, exercise, meditation, and creating. These are all completely natural methods and some even nutritional. You’ll also find links to more info on each. Now for the details of why these work.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a macromineral that helps regulate the nervous system. Magnesium helps regulate calcium and your electrolytes (sodium and potassium) and keeps everything in balance. Without enough, it can cause heart and nerve problems. It was found most people are actually low on magnesium.
One of the symptoms of low magnesium is anxiety. Magnesium has a calming effect. So taking magnesium should help a lot with anxiety issues. It also can help with depression and headaches, among many other things. You can read more about magnesium in the article listed here.
Related Article: Side Effects of Low Magnesium
B-Complex
Vitamin B-complex is critical for neurological function. The B vitamins help normalize hormones and neurotransmitters. They also help with mental wellbeing and feeling less nervous and help prevent anxiety and depression.
When I’ve suggested trying some B-Complex to people I know who have anxiety, they notice a big improvement.
Related Article: What Is B-Complex Good For?
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D is actually a ‘prohormone’ that interacts with estrogen, testosterone, and human growth hormone. It’s also one of the best supplements you can take for your immune system and inflammation. It’s a feel-good vitamin and can help treat and prevent SAD (seasonal affective disorder).
Low vitamin D is also linked to depression. Most people with depression are low on Vitamin D. And you might already know that depression and anxiety can go hand in hand. Adding vitamin D to your supplements will help your immune system, help prevent inflammation, and keep your mood up.
Related Article: Side Effects of Low Vitamin D
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an ancient ayurvedic medicine herb in use for over 3000 years, primarily for stress, energy, and concentration. More recently though, studies have shown ashwagandha is highly effective for anxiety as well.
Participants reported a noticeable decrease in stress and anxiety and their labs showed it also reduced their stress hormone, cortisol, levels.
Ashwagandha is another great supplement to add to your arsenal. Read additional important information about Ashwagandha at this link:
Related Article: The Health Benefits of Ashwagandha
CBD Oil
You’ve heard of CBD oil. It’s quite popular for many health issues such as seizure relief, as a pain management option, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress (PTSD), schizophrenia, and postconcussion syndrome. This is not marijuana. CBD comes from hemp and its cousin, marijuana, is the one that contains THC. CBD has naturally very low THC levels. You can even get it with 0% THC.
But it has been shown to have over 100 cannabinoids. Did you know humans have an endocannabinoid system? Scientists are still studying it but it’s actually neurotransmitters that are found in the brain and peripheral nervous system.
One thing we know is that CBD is highly effective for anxiety. You can read more about it at the link below:
Related article: CBD Oil for Brain Health
Physical Exercise
Exercise, so important for so many reasons. Even going for a walk, especially out in nature, can calm you down pretty fast. According to Dr. John Ratey on Harvard Health’s blog (2019), walking or riding a bike can take your mind off of what you’re anxious about and can decrease tension in muscles.
Exercise also changes your neurochemistry and makes good hormones like serotonin and GABA more available. You’ll just feel better all around. More exercise is better and most of the time, it’s free!
Here are some links to some great, relaxing exercise programs:
T’ai Chi For Life, Health And Fitness
Meditation Suggestions and Video
Clear your mind, breathe.. Meditation practice can bring you back to yourself. It gives you calm.
This book is fantastic to get you started and get ‘in the zone’ when you need to.
Check out this wonderful meditation video:
Create
Whether you have a special skill or want to learn how to create crafts, jewelry, photography, painting, music, or anything, creating takes you out of yourself and gives you a feeling of having a purpose. It often is about giving or sharing your creations with others.
Etsy.com has many kits available with instructions to make your own crafts, decorations, jewelry, and more.
Click on the image of the candles on the right to go to a beautiful candle-making kit, including essential oils with calming scents.
Where We Are Now
I hope you enjoyed this article and the suggestions. Anxiety is a huge problem for many people. Trying any or all of these supplements and tools will bring you a lot closer to feeling calmer and back to yourself.
Supplements are helpful to make sure you’re getting the nutrition your body needs to deal with everyday stress. Exercise also helps your body lower stress levels and is great for your body and brain. Meditation is so calming and something you can do anywhere. I think just paying attention to your breathing alone will help tremendously.
Give creating a try. I know it gives me focus and takes my mind off of other things. Etsy or your local craft store can help you find something you enjoy, or just take up something you used to do.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please leave them in the Comments section below. Your email address will remain unseen to others. Thank you!!
References:
Ratey, J. (2019). Can Exercise Help Treat Anxiety? Retrieved June 19, 2021, from Can exercise help treat anxiety? – Harvard Health
I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Paula Dunbar. This is a touching subject for me, and I found your article on anxiety to be enlightening – 1 in 13 people globally suffers from it! It’s shocking how many are affected by this mental health issue. Personally, I find that B-Complex vitamins help with both depression & stress and vitamin D (from sunshine or supplements), which has been shown to improve immunity. Exercise also helps neurochemistry and makes “good” hormones, so after walking/running regularly, I always feel better due to endorphins released within our bodies during exercise.
Thank you for commenting. Great to hear you are already taking B-Complex and exercising. Honestly, it wouldn’t hurt to add Vitamin D, especially if you don’t live near the equator. It’s difficult to get enough from the sun alone otherwise. Thanks again.
It has always been important to control anxiety. When we are anxious we are not inflow and we cannot move forward as our best selves. Never has this been more important than in 2021, no one could have seen coming a global shutdown.
The people thrive during this pandemic have done so by looking inwards and living in the present. When you are in the present you can only be man mindful of the now, the past and future don’t exist. When they don’t exist you can’t be worrying about it. It goes without saying that most of the things that we are anxious about our in the past and future rather than in the present immediate moment.
Taking physical exercise and sitting in the sun for 30 minutes a day is a great start. The sun is a great healer and also builds up our vitamin D.
Thanks for taking the time to write this great article Paula it is very informative.
Thank you for reading and commenting, Catherine. And thanks for adding to the discussion. 🙂
I’ve had anxiety since I was a kid. I’d get “stomach aches” and need to stay home from school. I went to lots of doctors and the conclusion was it was “just nerves.” So they didn’t do anything to help me. Within the past 5 years, I discovered that nutrition plays such a huge role in alleviating anxiety! I take everything you mentioned. But what significantly improved my anxiety was cutting out sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods from my diet. And eating more fat which is great for the brain! And you’re right about making time to be creative as well. We all need an outlet. Thanks so much for spreading the word on this. Anxiety affects so many people and it’s time that we start taking it more seriously because it isn’t just in your head.
Oh my gosh, you hit the nail on the head. You might read other articles here about gluten and a modified keto diet:
The Best Diet for Your Brain
Does Gluten Cause Inflammation?
I so agree with you that diet is very important with anxiety, and really, the brain. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts.