As promised, the ebook is here! The inspiration to write it is because I am long time anxiety and panic attack sufferer and was frustrated by all the treatments I tried that never worked permanently. When anxiety was at it’s worst, I was on a mission to uncover the root causes of why I was a hostage of how I felt. At the lowest point I was afraid to drive, go into social situations, and paced my house continuously. I felt I “CRACKED” and thought I’d never feel normal again.

I found there are many things most of us do every day that contribute to anxiety and panic attacks that can eventually leave us helpless and feeling completely debilitated. Over the course of my recovery I documented what worked for me and I realized there are 6 key areas we must address in order to completely recover. Most of us have done the medication and therapy route, these things definitely have their place. But there are missing pieces that are almost never addressed. To learn more, go to http://www.LetsGetPhysicaleBook.com for more on this different approach to anxiety therapy!

Through one of my professional bodywork magazines I found an article on “Anti-Anxiety Foot Massage” that was very interesting.  This technique developed by John Mramor that induces hypnosis and deep relaxation by using some simple techniques on the feet.  You can read the whole instructional article or better yet … watch the video by clicking HERE.   You’ll need to enter page 52 in the box at the upper right corner to take you directly to the article and video. Watching the video almost hypnotized me alone!

To enhance the action of this technique, I am going to use therapeutic grade (not health food store) essential oils. My top choices are Stress Away, Peace & Calming, or Tranquil blends and I will add them to a base oil like almond, grape seed, or V6.   Stress Away for me has worked like an instant, fabulous smelling, anxiety busting elixir. Just a few passes of the roller under my nose and on my neck and I get the “Xanax” like effect without the drugs!  Peace & Calming was instrumental about 10 years ago when I came off anti-depressants. Every time I felt a withdrawal effect from the Effexor, I would rub Peace & Calming on my ears.  Got me through those tough couple of weeks!

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What’s normal for an eating schedule?  We hear everything from snacking every few hours with a couple of bigger snacks for meals to eating a big protein meal in the morning and only carbs at night. What are you to believe? What’s right?  In reality, who knows!  There is no right way, only a right way FOR YOU.  Figuring out your own nutritional / dietary needs can be the challenging part!

I can only share with you how I eat to achieve for optimal brain function and anxiety relief.  Eating on a schedule that my allows my body to operate at its best also has yielded other benefits such as losing 55 pounds, increased and ‘mojo’, and age reversal!

My meals include a morning smoothie, mid-morning snack like half an apple with raw almond butter, mid afternoon snack (the other half of the apple with almond butter), dinner that consists of a protein/meat and tons of non-starchy vegetables, dessert is typically a few strawberries or blueberries, and a snack right before bed like a handful of nuts with Ningxia wolfberries.

Eating this way balanced my blood sugar and 6 reasons why I love to eat this way:

1) never becoming ravenously hungry and over eating

2) the adrenals healed by not overworking as they tried to manage erratic blood sugar levels

3) since I like eating, having a snack right around the corner all the time made me feel happy! Yeah, it’s that simple.

4) repairing insulin resistance

5) stopped panic/anxiety attacks

6) losing weight because my cortisol levels were no longer elevated from not eating enough.

Play with your eating schedule.  It took me a long time to figure out my groove. I tried eating two or three hours in between snacks. Then I tried eating my heavy meal in the morning and light the rest of the day. What worked for me that set my body right for the day was the super smoothie first thing. If I don’t do that, my hunger levels are all over the place and occasionally I will still have a massive crash!

SUPER SMOOTHIE RECIPE

2 scoops Power Meal

5 drops YLTG grapefruit oil for the taste, chemo prevention, bloating (lymph support)

2 drops YLTG  nutmeg oil for the adrenals

¼ tsp of Redmond Real salt for the adrenals

1 heaping tblsp of coconut oil for thyroid, blood sugar, and yeast (candida)

1 raw egg for the protein, fat, and vitamin A (1/2 an avocado can be used instead of eggs)

Stevia extract to taste

About 10 ice cubes in the blender 1^st, add ingredients.  Then fill up with enough water so it will blend until smooth. Blend super well so it gets fluffy and the coconut oil and ice cubes are no longer chunky.  Add Young Living’s stevia extract to taste.  It’s not only for the sweetness, but stevia is known to help balance blood sugar and decrease cravings.

Sometimes I add 1/4 cup of blueberries, raspberries, cherries, or strawberries to this. Nothing else. NO BANANNAS OR PINEAPPLE – although delicious they are very high in sugar.

If you are at work or on the road and can’t take time out with a blender, just do Power Meal as a snack. It taste goods even on the go by just adding water.

In the summer time I will often crave ice cream. By slightly tweaking the recipe above by adding a few more ice cubes and 1/2 an avocado – the smoothie will be very thick and can be eaten with a spoon. Yummy and health … PERFECT!

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Recipe time!  Another yummy one has been birthed from the kitchen with ingredients chosen “mindfully”.   Eating like this will not only help you’re brain feel fabulous, your pants will become looser too!   My recipes will typically not contain a starch (corn, potato, rice, pasta, bread, etc). This is because I use vegetables as my carbohydrate source due to my blood sugar issues (swings are what caused the severe panic/anxiety attacks). Eating this way also helps repair the “crazy blood sugar swinging” caused by severe insulin resistance.

Any protein can be chosen for this recipe – seafood, poultry, or meat.  I also choose Bragg’s Liquid Aminos instead of soy sauce because it has way less sodium, uses non GMO soybeans, has no MSG, is gluten free, and I just plain like the taste better.  Bragg’s also contains these essential amino acids:  arginine, aspartic, lysine, glutamic, serine, threonine, alanine, glycine, praline, isoleucine, methionine, valine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and leucine. Many of these are my favorites for balancing blood sugar and supporting feel good brain chemicals!

Simple Stir Fry:

Ingredients:

2 small onions (small diced)

3 large carrots (julienned)

1 large broccoli floret (coarsely chopped)

½ of a lemon

1 pound of protein cut into bite size pieces (your choice – we did steak!)

¼ cup of coconut oil (melted if not already liquid)

¼ cup of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Mrs. Dash Seasoning – Lemon Pepper

2 drops ginger oil (Young Living ONLY!)

2 tablespoons of tapioca flour

Prep a few hours before cooking the meal:

Marinate protein with Bragg’s and coconut oil.  Sprinkle heavily with Mrs. Dash Seasoning (approx. 1 tsp).  Mix together and set aside for a few hours.

When it’s time to cook:

Saute meat in a wok or fry pan.  Scoop out meat and leave juice in pan. There should be about ¾ to 1 cup of liquid in the bottom, if not add water to increase the volume (add a few squirts of Bragg’s if you’re feeling saucy!).  Add in the vegetables and cook until al dente.

Remove about ½ cup of liquid and add the 2 tablespoons of tapioca flour and 2 drops of ginger oil – whisk until fully blended.  Put back into vegetable mixture and heat until thickened.



Remove from heat, squeeze lemon juice over the vegetables, and mix in the meat.

Now it’s done!  Enjoy.

You can read more about how your diet is related to you “BRAIN” by reading “Can You Really Eat Your Way to Happiness? The Mood Food Connection”.

Warning -  side effects to building a strong endocrine system include: increased energy levels, decreased anxious / panic feelings, clearer thinking, improved skin tone, robust immunity, positive mood / outlook, balanced hormones, healthy sex drive, and normalized sleep patterns.  Who wouldn’t want these?!?!?!?!

The main reason I had 55 extra pounds in my body in 2006 was due to severe adrenal fatigue. I was experiencing severe hypoglycemia, mood swings/irritability, lethargy, imbalanced hormones, not stamina, skin rashes/bumps, bloating, impaired digestion, anxiety / panic attacks, food reactions, non-regulation of body temperature … I was a total mess!!!

My strategy for recovery was to:

1. Adrenal Support
2. Regulate Sleep Pattern
3. Repair the Digestive System
4. Repair Insulin Resistance

My presentation outlines simple ways on how to get started back to health via nutritional changes, essential oil application, and lifestyle modifications.  Also included is an 18 point checklist that can help one determine if adrenal fatigue is a factor.

CLICK HERE to view the presentation.

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In my recent copy of Health Keepers Magazine there was an article on the benefits of raw chocolate. I was shocked at how it can help anxiety!

This doesn’t go for Hersey bars or M & M’s though, just the raw cacao.  Commercial chocolate has been cooked and is no longer raw, therefore the health effects drastically change and doesn’t have the same positive effect in our body.

If you would like to read the whole article, you can visit the Health Keepers Magazine site for the Winter 2009 / Spring 2010 edition.

These are some direct highlights  from the article that I found very exciting and relevant for us!

• Anadamide is called the bliss chemical.  This is an endorphin that is created during exercise.  It has been studied as a chocolate isolate in a lab.  Anandamide has been found so far in only one plant, the cacao tree.  The lipid found in anandamide helps release neurotransmitters that create a feeling of elation.
• Cacao is claimed to be the number one source of magnesium of any common food.  Magnesium is a major mineral responsible for heart beat rhythm, strong bones and smooth muscle relaxation.
• Cacao is a poor source of caffeine.  A sample of raw chocolate will yield anywhere from zero caffeine to 1,000 parts per million of caffeine – less than 1/20th of the caffeine present in coffee.
• Additional minerals found in the cacao bean include potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, and chromium.
• Lastly, cacao contains tryptophan, an essential tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is transformed into important stress-protective neurotransmitters including serotonin and melatonin.

There’s a method behind my madness with choosing these ingredients:

Pumpkin Seed Oil: Rich in Vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B6, D. Good source of minerals selenium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, and trace elements.  Significant source of essential fatty acids and vegetable protein.  Supports prostate, skin, digestive, immune, and circulatory systems.  And BOY is it yummy!

Hemp Seeds: FANTASTIC SOURCE OF AMINO ACIDS and ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS.  Hello,  super easy to digest anxiety busting food here!!!!

Tomato & Cucumber: Reduce acid and mucous levels in the body. AKA: balances the body’s pH which is often off whack when anxiety, panic, inflammation, immune compromise, etc. are present.

Cilantro:  Besides being my most favorite tasting herb on earth, this is why I love it:  balances blood sugar, chelates heavy metals out of the brain, supports digestion, rich in magnesium (calming mineral), reduces acid levels in the body, and protects against urinary tract infections.

Onion: Rich in sulfur which is anti-inflammatory and helps balance blood sugar.  Drains mucous and supports the immune system. Anti-parasitic (Super eewww – but these buggers can create anxious feelings!!!).

Olive Oil: Very trendy ingredient in recent years with all it’s cardiovascular health benefits. But it’s also a great source of Vitamins E and K.  Vitamin E is anti-inflammatory and is needed to help repair insulin receptor sites for those of us who are (were) insulin resistant.  Vitamin K is needed in partnership with Vitamin D for healthy bones.

Balsamic Vinegar:  Delicious and stimulates digestion by activating the enzyme pepsin. Pepsin breaks down protein into amino acids so our brain can have the raw materials it needs to make feel good chemicals (neurotransmitters).  Vinegar also helps improve insulin sensitivity.  (When my body was totally overgrown with yeast, I substituted fresh lemons for vinegar.)

Salt: Still using my favorite Redmond Real Salt.  The adrenals LOVE salt – good salt that is. Not the white bleached stuff that has about ZERO healthy attributes!

Italian Herbs: Oregano, marjoram, basil, & thyme all add savory stimulation to the taste buds but they also help support proper immune and digestive function.

RECIPE:

1/4 cup pumpkin seed oil

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons hemp seeds

1 small sweet onion finely chopped

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

4 medium tomatoes coarsly chopped

1 large cucumber coarsly chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs

salt to taste

ENJOY!!!

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Experience any of the following:

• Anxiety
• Panic Attacks
• Imbalanced Hormones
• Blood Sugar Imbalance
• Adrenal Fatigue
• Food Allergies
• That something is wrong and your docs have told you that you’re fine!

Are you ready to feel vibrant and never relapse again? Without doing medications or anything illegal?  On March 25th at 7 pm CST, I am being interviewed regarding THE MOST asked questions by people who suffer from those things on the list above:

1. Can I really feel good again, permanently?
2. Is how I feel really all in my head?
3. Are there treatments that compliment or replace traditional medicated treatments?
4. How can I work with my doctor to get permanent recovery?
5. Why do anxiety and panic symptoms sometimes come out of nowhere?

The answers are so simple that you’ll begin to feel recovery is possible, for good.  I did it . . . so can you!

You may have missed the live teleseminar, but we recorded the session for you.

Sign up to receive the replay here

Yes! Send me the rebroadcast information NOW!:

Let’s share wisdom and peace of mind together!

Jen

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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!