The #1 Anti-Anxiety Eating Habit
Do you struggle with stress, anxiety or panic attacks? Did you know that fluctuating blood sugar levels could play a major role in your symptoms? What's more, you don't need to be diabetic or have a blood sugar condition for this to be true. Anyone with chronic stress and anxiety can be affected by low blood sugar. So, it may not sound very exciting, but maintaining blood sugar levels is one of the best things you can do to calm anxiety symptoms. Keep reading to find out why!
The Blood Sugar-Anxiety Roller Coaster
When our blood sugar levels are constantly fluctuating, it affects our emotional wellbeing. The main reason behind this is that when blood sugar levels are too low (or too high), it affects the production of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. In particuluar, drops in blood sugar can spike adrenaline levels and this can contribute to anxiety and panic attacks. By keeping your blood sugar levels stable, you can reduce anxiety symptoms by avoiding spikes in these stress hormone levels.
Imbalanced blood sugar can also affect the brain's production of brain chemicals like serotonin. These brain chemicals help to regulate our mood and emotions. When blood sugar disrupts serotonin and other neurotransmitter levels, this can contribute to anxiety as well as low mood. By maintaining balanced blood sugar levels, we can support normal levels of serotonin and improve our overall mood and emotional wellbeing.
In short, it is crucial to balance blood sugar to reduce anxiety symptoms and maintain a sense of calm.
Here are 5 ways you do just that:
- Eat regular, balanced meals. Rather than skipping meals or relying on sugary snacks, aim to eat regular, balanced meals that include protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. This will help keep your blood sugar levels stable.
- Avoid processed foods and refined sugars. Processed foods and refined sugars can cause blood sugar levels to spike, leading to a crash. When blood sugar crashes we produce adrenaline and this can contribute to anxiety. When it comes to including carbohydrates and sugars in your diet opt for whole, natural foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Incorporate healthy fats into your diet. Healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and olive oil can help slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream and help to sustain blood sugar levels.
- Stay hydrated. Dehydration can increase the concentration of sugar in the blood stream, causing blood sugar levels to become imbalanced. So, make sure you're drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
- Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can also disrupt blood sugar levels, so aim to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
By using these daily practices, you can help balance your blood sugar levels and keep anxiety symptoms at bay. It's important to always listen to your body and pay attention to what is affecting your anxiety levels. By making small changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can make a signifant difference to your ability to cope with stress and how you feel on a daily basis.
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