Over at EatThis.com, Michele Promaulayko has a nice, SCIENCE-backed list of twelve foods that can help fight your anxiety.
a. Cashews – think ZINC.
b. Swiss Chard — think Magnesium, which can help calm you.
c. Brussel Sprouts — feeds your good gut bacteria.
d. Wild salmon — you know the answer. Omega 3.
e. Pickles — fermented, probiotic.
f. Fortified nut, rice, and soy milks — Make sure it’s fortified with Vitamin D.
g. Avocados — B vitamins.
h. Dark Chocolate — flavonoids.
i. Berries — antioxidants.
j. Tumeric — Boosts DHA in the brain.
k. Citrus Fruits — Vitamin C and increases dopamine production.
l. Green Tea — l-theanine, which is also boosts dopamine.
What I love about the list is that Promaulayko has included a research study, linking each of these foods to reduced anxiety.
This is genuine stuff.
Now, as always my disclaimer. If food doesn’t work for your anxiety, I get it. When my anxiety is bad, food does absolutely nothing (as far as I know) to help. Only medication.
But we’re all different, and great studies do suggest links between reduced anxiety and consumption of these foods, so it’s always worth a shot.
[Painting: Cezanne, Still Life with Onions and a Bottle, and literally have no idea why so many masters wasted their time and talent painting food].