Question:
I have anxiety attacks a lot. I almost call an ambulance.
Are there any foods that I can eat or vitamins I could take? I'm so close to
taking pills.
I have done some research and have found options that you
might consider to combat anxiety attacks.
First I'll explain what anxiety attacks are, what they are caused from,
and finally what to do about it. There
is definitely relief available without the use of drugs.
Anxiety, or panic, attacks are the response of your body
due to fear. This fear can be brought on
by anything from being chased by a grizzly bear, anxiety from a speech you have
to give, too much to do in too little time, or fear from not knowing how you
are going to pay the rent or other bills this month. That feeling of fear sends
an emergency message to your adrenal glands, two pea-sized organs that sit
above your kidneys, to release adrenaline, the fight or flight hormone. Once the adrenaline is released, it sets up
the body to be prepared to either fight or flee. Your heart starts pumping extra blood into your
major muscles in your arms and legs, and into your brain. This gives you the extra strength and speed
to deal with the impending emergency. Until
the adrenal glands are notified that the danger is gone and that they can stop
releasing adrenaline, they will keep it up.
Some say there are no warning signs, but often periods of
stress, insomnia, and poor eating habits precede panic attacks. Other things that could trigger an attack are
long term financial insecurity, relationship or job difficulties, food
allergies, nutritional deficiencies, or even noise. You can stop this, and probably even prevent
future attacks with nutrition, aromatherapy, regular exercise, deep breathing, a
simple four-step relaxation technique, counseling, and even hypnotherapy.
Nutrition:
Vitamins and minerals that may help include:
·
Calcium, which helps with stress. Foods rich in calcium include sesame seeds,
almonds, dairy, and leafy greens.
·
Magnesium, which protects nerves. Foods rich in magnesium include sea greens,
wheat germ, bran, and most nuts.
·
B vitamins, which support the adrenals and fuel
the nerves. Foods rich in B vitamins
include nutritional yeast, whole grains, bran, nuts, and beans.
·
Vitamin C, which helps to control stress
response. Foods rich in vitamin C
include peppers, greens, broccoli, and kiwi.
Things that may be adding to the problem include:
·
Loud noises, which can bring on stressful
feelings.
·
Stimulants, such as nicotine or caffeine, which
can overwork the adrenals.
·
Prescription antidepressants, like Prozac, which
have side effects and change body chemistry.
·
Food allergies, which can cause emotional as
well as physical upset.
Aromatherapy:
Herbs or essential oils that
help relieve stress and help calm the body include lavender, chamomile, ylang
ylang, bergamot, frankincense, marjoram, myrrh, rosemary, sandalwood, spruce,
thyme, and wintergreen. As a preventive
measure or during an attack, you can diffuse them; breathe them in right from
the bottle, add them to your bath water; or apply them to the back of your
neck, temples, or bottoms of your feet. (Check the directions on the bottle to see if
they should be diluted before applying to the skin.) Find these essential oils and more at: https://www.youngliving.org/pamvancamp.
Exercise:
Regular exercise, on a daily
basis, reduces symptoms of stress, and may prevent anxiety attacks.
Deep Breathing:
Deep breathing is a natural tranquilizer. Also, if you think about it, lack of oxygen
throughout your body might be enough for your brain to set off an alarm of
emergency to your adrenals.
Breathe!
4 Step Relaxation Technique:
1.
RELAX:
Take slow, deep, complete breaths. Remind yourself that you are only
having a panic attack and that you are not really in danger. This will help to stop releasing adrenalin.
2.
STOP NEGATIVE THINKING: Inside your head --not out loud, unless you
are alone--shout the word, STOP!!! as loud as you can to yourself. This interrupts the negative loop of
devastating thoughts that are most likely cycling through your mind over and
over. Next you will transplant the
stressful thoughts with calming thoughts.
3.
TALK NICE TO YOURSELF: Have statements all planned out and written
down, on a card that you keep in your wallet and/or on your night stand, that
you will tell yourself. If you are
afraid you are having a heart attack, tell yourself something like, "My
heart is fine. It is just my adrenalin that is causing my heart to pump so
hard." If your fear is about
financial problems, your self-talk may be, "I know I can figure it
out. I've handled this problem
before." Something I like to tell
myself is, "This too shall pass."
Think about it. Every problem you
have ever had is IN THE PAST, and soon this one will be too.
4.
ACCEPT YOUR FEELINGS: Recognize that your fear is real and you have
a good reason to feel this fear. Don't
tell yourself you are crazy, and that you are stupid to be so afraid of
nothing. Give yourself permission to
feel the fear, but remind yourself that you are really not in danger. Identify the reason for your fear, or other
emotions, that you are feeling during the attack. It could be because you are worried about
money, problems in a relationship, fear of dying, or even a recurring fear of
suffocating or falling that overtakes your thoughts. These feelings are very real, and should be
validated. If you are worried for your
health, have a check-up to make sure everything is okay.
Counseling:
I have a friend whose mother had
breast cancer, and my friend started having serious panic attacks, that
affected her daily functioning, at about the time she found out about her
mother's condition. Months later, she
saw a counselor who helped her to pinpoint her fear. She was afraid of getting breast cancer
herself! Once she identified it, she was
able to deal with the fear and the panic attacks ended, with the help of
therapy and nutrition counseling. Happily,
her mother is alive and well today.
Hypnotherapy:
Hypnotherapists claim that this
type of therapy can change your thinking process and may help end the panic
attacks for good.
I hope these ideas help you. Just know that you aren't alone. If you have any other questions, please let
me know. To your health! Join us at www.Facebook.com/EssentiallyComplete for more interesting tips for natural health. (Like the page while you are there!)
Resources:
http://www.nlppati.com/articles/end-panic-attacks.shtml
Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes
Linda Page's Healthy Healing Guide
Reference Guide for Essential Oils, by Connie and Alan
Higley
