Natural Anxiety Remedies Can Help You to Overcome Stress and Worry.

There are many natural anxiety remedies, far preferable to the drugs so often prescribed. Constant anxiety is not something you want to live with. But neither are the drugs so often prescribed to deal with it.

These drugs – tranquillisers, anti-depressants, beta-blockers, etc – often have unhealthy side effects. They may also be addictive. There has to be a better way to treat anxiety – and there is. There is a wide range of natural anxiety remedies – including diet, massage, herbs and other remedies.

Anxiety is normal at times – before an exam, or an interview for instance, but when feelings of anxiety stay with you all the time it can become a problem. Constant anxiety can lead to physical illness – tense muscles can cause headaches and migraines, stress can lead to insomnia and can upset your digestion. Anxiety can increase your blood pressure.

There are many reasons why you might be feeling worried – money problems, relationships, issues with work or study. You know that there are times when you can cope fine with any problem, other times when you worry yourself sick about every little thing.

The real issue is not what the problem is, but how you cope with it. Natural anxiety remedies don’t just suppress the symptoms – they help you feel stronger in yourself so that you can deal with everything you have to face.

If there is something wrong physically – something lacking in your diet, something out of balance - this could make you feel more anxious. Your instincts will be telling you there is something wrong, but it may not be obvious what it is.

So it’s important to look at your diet. If your diet is based on wholegrain, complex carbohydrates, this will give you a steady supply of energy and keep your blood sugar levels even. If, on the other hand, you eat sugar and refined carbohydrates regularly, this will make your blood sugar level go wildly up and down, which can cause mood swings. Always remember that sugar is a highly addictive poison - our bodies are not designed to live on sugar. Cutting out sugar could be enough on it’s own to relieve feelings of worry, by stabilizing your blood sugar levels.

Another benefit of a wholegrain diet is that wholegrains are a good source of B vitamins. These are essential for normal functioning of your brain and nerves, so it's very important to have sufficient B vitamins in your diet. Vitamin B deficiency might even be the cause of your anxiety. Other good sources of B vitamins are meat, fish and eggs, nuts and seeds. You can take B complex supplements if you feel you are not getting enough – but be careful – too strong a dose can make some people feel irritable.

Other than diet, there are several remedies that can be a useful part of natural anxiety remedies. Massage is particularly good – there is something very comforting about someone touching you in a very safe way, gently easing the tension in your muscles. The benefits of massage have been recognised for centuries. It is one of the most obvious and effective natural anxiety remedies.

When combined with aromatherapy, massage is even more effective. There are lots of essential oils that are relaxing – bergamot, camomile, jasmine, lavender, marjoram, rose and sandalwood to name just a few. These can be used in room infusers and in the bath as well as in massage.

Insomnia can be a serious problem when you are suffering from anxiety – tiredness can make you more stressed, stress stops you sleeping properly. It’s a vicious circle. Tea and coffee will make the situation much worse, as the caffeine in them will keep you from sleeping properly. Herb teas are a very useful part of natural anxiety remedies, they are calming and relaxing.

(If you don’t like the taste of camomile, try making it a bit weaker – it doesn’t need to infuse for as long as some teas.)

Regular physical exercise can be a great help if you are suffering from stress and anxiety. First of all, exercise burns up adrenalin. Adrenalin is the ‘fight or flight’ hormone. It is released into your bloodstream in response to stress situations and it helps your body work more efficiently for a short burst of activity, for instance to run away from a wild animal. In today’s world you can often find yourself faced with stressful situations where a physical reaction is inappropriate. If you don’t burn up the adrenalin with physical activity, it can make you feel more stressed.

A good bit of exercise during the day will also leave you physically tired at the end of the day so that you will sleep more soundly. You will be fitter if you exercise regularly, which will help you to feel better about yourself. Finally, vigorous exercise stimulates the production of endorphins – the ‘feel good’ hormones. So there are lots of reasons for making time for regular exercise. In natural anxiety remedies, exercise is perhaps the best thing you can do for yourself.

It’s particularly important to try to be calm at meal times. If you are tense and nervous when you eat you will not digest your food properly. You don’t want to add indigestion to your problems (or make it worse if it's already a problem). There’s a lot to be said for the practise of saying Grace before meals – it gives you a chance to calm yourself before eating. If you aren’t comfortable with praying, just sit quietly for a moment before you start to eat.

Finally, try to unwind before going to sleep. Last thing before bed is perhaps the best time for some yoga, meditation or relaxation exercises. These can all help to reduce the effects of stress. The Bach flower remedy Mimulus is also very helpful as part of natural anxiety cures.

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