7 Ways to Naturally Treat Anxiety

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is not the same as being stressed out. While they do have a lot in common GAD is defined as excessive worry about many things that happens more often than not and lasts for about 6 months. Stress is a strain on the mind and can certainly cause worry, but anxiety differs in the fact that it causes the person to worry out of proportion.

Stressed people worry about their bills, their family, normal things and they generally look for solutions to take care of said issues. A person suffering from GAD will worry that something terrible is going to happen with the likelihood of it actually happening being low.

It is usually treated with medication and therapy, but there is more that can be done than just that. Many people have chosen to look for more natural remedies.

Some people don't like being bound to a pill all the time; plus they are not good for your body. Others prefer not to tell strangers their life's worries. Whatever the reason, more people are looking for natural ways to deal with anxiety.

Here are five ways to treat anxiety naturally. I will note that these can also be used to reduce stress and some may help with depression as well.

Chamomile tea. Drugs such as Valium bind to the same brain receptors as compounds in chamomile, meaning that chamomile can help relieve anxiety. It has also been known to alter the stress hormone, Cortisol.

Chamomile can also be taken as a supplement and can be used in your bath for extra relief and comfort.

Another tea that can be stress relieving is green tea. Green tea holds an amino acid called L-theanine which lowers rising blood pressure and heart rate.

Green tea is also good for skin care and many other health factors. It is full of antioxidants that can improve brain function, lower the risks of cancer and help promote weight loss.

Passion Flower tea contains flavone chrysin which has natural anxiety relieving properties. It also helps promote sleep, which in itself can reduce stress and anxiety.

Lavender has always been considered one of the best calming aromas out there. Science has proven that it works and studies have shown that it is a natural stress and anxiety reliever.

It has been used in doctor and dentist offices to calm patients and can be used in a variety of ways.

One favorite is a bubble bath. Using lavender scented bubble bath, relax for as long as the water will allow. Breath in the aroma and listen to some calming music. You will feel like a different person afterward.

A lot of baby products are also lavender scented to help calm infants and help them to sleep.

Another way to use lavender is as an essential oil. You can rub it into your hands and breath it in or have someone massage it into your skin for you.

Use a diffuser to let the aroma gently sift its way throughout your home. Use it in a room where you will be most of the day for the best result.

Studies have shown that both contemplative meditation and exercise help to reduce anxiety.

Meditation is all about calming the mind and body while exercise is about getting it moving and warming it up.

Meditate quietly for 5 minutes a day, gradually increasing your
time until you meditate 30 minutes a day; if you can. If you can't commit that much time, don't stress, just do as much as you are able. Focus on your breathing and let everything else melt away.

Don't let your mind wander; keep it on your breathing. This will help to tone down the anxiety that you are feeling by focusing your mind on something else.

There is no better remedy for things that ail you than getting outside and enjoying the fresh air and sunlight.

It is believed that being out in the sunlight releases the hormone Serotonin, which is responsible for helping to make you feel happy. It is a neurotransmitter that impacts anxiety.

Drugs like Ecstasy raise the levels of serotonin in the body, which is why it makes people feel so happy and good.

It has been proven that the air in our homes is more stagnant than it is fresh. This can actually lead to a lot of mood altering effects, such as anxiety.

Fresh air has a lot of health benefits to it, but relieving anxiety is the key one we are looking for here. It has been shown that people that get fresh air everyday suffer from less anxiety than those that do not.

Get up and head out the door, soak up some sunlight and fresh air and maybe even get a little exercise in while you're at it. It is all a major anxiety reducer together.

Eating the right foods can greaty reduce anxiety. People who are hungry are more likely to become anxious. When you feel anxiety coming on, try eating dark chocolate or a handful of nuts.

Foods high in Omega-3s are extremely helpful for fighting anxiety. You can even take supplements of it for this very purpose. while supplements are fine, studies have shown that eating foods high in Omega-3s, such as Salmon, are much better for you.

Eating breakfast is also a good way to relieve anxiety. Eating eggs in particular increases the levels of choline in your body. Having a low level of choline increases anxiety.

Yogurt with probiotics is a great healthy snack for all occasions, but it can also be used to help relieve anxiety. Studies have shown that there is a decrease in stress and anxiety in people that eat yogurt with probiotics.

Unlike THC, Cannabidiol (CBD) has no high affect. Instead, you get all the benefits of the cannabis plant without having to worry about feeling altered.

CBD is most often used to treat anxiety, depression, and pain, with 62 percent of users saying that is what they were using it for.

It is believed to also increase or produces serotonin.

It can be used in a variety of ways. Some of the most popular are:

• As an essential oil - Used as any essential oil is
• As a vape - Can be used in e-cigs as a vape juice
• As a topical lotion - Rub it in like a regular lotion
• As a lip balm - Just apply it to your lips

Exercise and getting your heart rate up in a natural and healthy way can also reduce anxiety. Studies have shown that exercise releases endorphins that act like painkillers and help to make you feel better.

Exercising for 30 minutes a day is a great way to naturally relieve anxiety as it refocuses your mind and releases those endorphins. Some people have claimed to get a natural high from regular exercise and say that it can become a wonderful and distracting addiction.

With more than 40 million people suffering; Anxiety is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States and possibly the world.

It is usually treated with medication and therapy, but there is more that can be done than just that. Many people have chosen to look for more natural remedies.

Some people don't like being bound to a pill all the time plus they are not good for your body. Others prefer not to tell strangers their life's worries. Whatever the reason, more people are looking for natural ways to deal with anxiety.

ADAA - https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad

Bustle - https://www.bustle.com/p/the-best-tea-for-anxiety-according-to-scientists-who-love-a-cuppa-as-much-as-you-do-9044035

Very Well Mind - https://www.verywellmind.com/lavender-for-less-anxiety-3571767

ADAA - https://adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/managing-anxiety/exercise-stress-and-anxiety

Headspace - https://www.headspace.com/meditation/anxiety

Livestrong - https://www.livestrong.com/article/436651-the-effects-of-sunlight-fresh-air-on-the-body/

Very Well Health - https://www.verywellhealth.com/cbd-oil-for-anxiety-4176279

Healthline - https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-foods-that-reduce-anxiety#section5