Natural Anxiety Therapy

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A few months ago I started working out, again. I had tried a few times over the past few years but after exercising for a few weeks, anxiety returned.   I couldn’t figure out what was causing it. Then, a week ago I had to prepare a lecture on blood sugar.  As I did my research, I read that exercise induced hypoglycemia can happen up to 24 hours after physical activity.  “Ah ha!” I thought.  Maybe now I can get this anxiety cause handled!

Pre and post work out I would check my blood sugar levels and they would test within normal range.  This didn’t make sense because I was showing classic signs of hypoglycemia, including anxiety. Sheri Colberg mentioned in her article Dealing with Exercise-Induced Hypoglycemia that blood sugar levels may test normal during a hypoglycemic episode, especially during and post exercise. Symptoms occur due to rapid blood sugar changes, so a person needs to know the signs their body gives to identify when there’s a problem.

When the glycogen is depleted from the muscles during exercise symptoms like shakiness, weakness, dizziness, anxiety, confusion, profuse sweating, and extreme muscle fatigue may occur.  Know these first hand!  I consulted with a personal trainer who is well versed in nutrition. He said to try consuming some kind of carbohydrate and protein when symptoms occur and during the cool down.

I have experimented with this and have had great results. I’ve been using Young Living’s Ningxia Red because it is low glycemic and is full of amino acids.  I add 2 ounces to my water bottle at the end of my work out. Within a few minutes the shakes and fatigue is gone. Plus, the next day I’m fine – no hypoglycemic drops or anxiety.

On the other hand,  I’ve even experimented with just a simple carb (like a fruit juice) without the protein, that did NOT work!  Hypoglycemic symptoms lasted for over an hour and the next day I was wiped out.  Pretty good indicator it didn’t work.

Exercise is an important part of repairing the damage from insulin resistance. Also, it helps balance the feel good chemicals in the body that fight anxiety.  Figuring out what works takes experimentation and patience.  It can be frustrating at times but when the solutions are all figured out, it’s worth it!

Fast foods? Say what? I’m not talking about greasy burgers and fries. I mean “on the go” whole and nutritious foods as anxiety therapy.

Nutrition has as a huge impact in how we feel. Our choices can leave us feeling vibrant or anxious and depressed.  As the old saying goes, “We are what we eat.”  In the past, if I was hungry I would often stop for a fast food salad or sandwich.  I thought I was making healthy choices. Little did I know that the dressings and marinades were full of hidden sugar, preservatives, and flavor enhancers.  Many chemicals in prepared foods mess up brain chemistry, compounding anxious feelings.  As I discovered these things, I would often stop at health food stores for a snack to no avail.  Again I found refined carbohydrates and tons of sugar.  A label that says, “natural or healthy” most often doesn’t mean so.

Now I hit the road prepared.  When I’m going to be gone for a long day, I pack a few snacks that will nourish my body and keep my mind calm.  To keep my adrenals and blood sugars happy, I eat a little something every couple of hours.

These are my favorite anxiety busting fast foods:

• Avocados. Good fats, good carbs and nutrient dense.  Really yummy with a sprinkle of chipotle pepper and Real Salt!
• Nut Mix.  Not your ordinary Plantar’s variety that are loaded with salt and chemicalized oils.  I sprout almonds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts using the method I gave in a previous post.  I mix the nuts with protein packed and low glycemic Ningxia Wolfberries.
• Smoothie on the Go. In case my blood sugar plummets, I have dry PowerMeal mix in a shaker cup ready so I can just add water. I spruce it up a bit with unrefined stevia and a few drops of therapeutic grade orange oil.
• Apples & Almond Butter.  You’ve heard me tout the greatness of this snack in previous posts. It’s satisfies and it’s nutritious!
• Left Overs. If I’ve made something great the night before, I’ll pack in in my mini-cooler lunch box and save it for a meal away from home.  I always ensure I have substantial protein along with twice as much vegetables.
• Hummus & Celery. Generally I make my own hummus so I know exactly what’s in it.  It’s low glycemic and high in protein. The natural sodium in the celery is terrific for the adrenals.  Really yummy with added roasted garlic!

If you have found healthy home-made fast food ideas, please share!

I had a terrific question posed to me, “What type of supplements do you use for hypoglycemia?”.   Duh, with all of the posts I’ve done recently on how to eat for blood sugar balance, I forgot to address what I’ve used to remedy the crazy blood sugar swings that gave me panic attacks and anxiety.  Be sure to also look at any of my posts on adrenal support.  Recovering their health is extremely important blood sugar balance and anxiety therapy.

As for the correcting insulin resistance and hypoglycemia, I’ve tried just about everything that claimed to balance blood sugar. Many things dropped me too low. So caution: if a product claims to support diabetes (high blood sugar) it does NOT mean it will balance low blood sugar.  Some supplements (cinnamon, ocotea, green tea extract) gave me anxiety because it caused my blood sugars went down into the 50’s.  So anytime I change my supplementation program I only introduce one new thing at a time, test my sugars frequently, and note how I feel until I’ve determined if it’s working well or not.

Through research and personal experimentation, this is what I’ve found that helps regulate my high / low blood sugar swings:

1. Fiber.  I get 7 grams of fiber through my Power Meal. I also eat a lot of non-starchy vegetables, so there is more fiber there. But, the one thing my body really loves as a fiber source is … an apple.  Very complex and hard to find, right?  Every day I have one along with raw almond butter as a meal or snack and my body is happy.  Fiber has been well documented to help regulate blood sugar levels.
2. Omega 3 fatty acids.  These help anxiety, depression, seasonal affective disorder, etc. but as far as blood sugar goes – they are terrific. They help insulin sensitivity as well as cell membrane fluidity.  Huh?  Helps fix the root problem of hypoglycemia and insulin resistance at the cellular level.  Plus, they help perk up my mental attitude.  My prefered Omega 3 source is Omega Blue and my doctor recommends about 5 grams a day.
3. Reservatrol.  This has been shown to support insulin regulation.  I get reservatrol from my True Source food based vitamin / mineral.  I prefer “food” versus synthetic vitamins.
4. Vitamin E.  Another thing shown to improve insulin sensitivity.  The source that I get my Vitamin E from pairs it up with CoQ-10 – which also has been shown to assist with insulin resistance.  I use CoQ-10 from Ortho Molecular Products. It’s available through health practitioners.
5. Coriander oil.  Historically coriander oil has been used for anxiety and to regulate blood sugar.  Makes sense because many times anxiety is caused by blood sugar swings. This has been a LIFE SAVER for regulating my blood sugar levels immediately while all the other nutritionals I take repair the actual problem over time. I ONLY USE THERAPEUTIC GRADE CORIANDER OIL.  Stuff from the health food store is cheap and it can be very unsafe. I just rub 3 drops on veins close to the surface, usually on the wrists or neck once or twice a day.
6. Herbs.  I have played with many herb combinations over the course of the past few years. Some with wild success, other times not.  The most success I’ve seen is through Ortho Molecular’s Diaxinol and Amazon Herb’s Metabazon. I do only 1 Diaxinol a day and 2 Metabazon’s with each meal.

The combination of items above is what I used that addresses swinging blood sugar levels in the now as well as cellular repair in the long run. Because of their role in blood sugar balance, I also support my liver and adrenals. I did a report on called Loving the Liver that outlines what works for me.  Plus, there’s a recorded training I did called Adrenal Intro Audio that’s accessible HERE.