The Best Anxiety Meal Plan You Can Customize For Yourself
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Overwhelmed by finding an anxiety meal plan for your specific needs? Well, in this post we will talk about customizing meals to help your anxiety.
Figuring out how your diet impacts your anxiety can be a tricky task. This post will help you figure out what foods to incorporate and remove from your diet to aid in your mental health.
I have spent a few years tweaking my diet to figure out what foods cause my anxiety to worsen and what makes me feel better.
This post is all about creating an anxiety meal plan.
What Food can Do To Your Anxiety
There is a lot of speculation over what foods to eat and not to eat for anxiety and if it even matters. I have another post talking about this, but I wanted to add onto it and dive a little deeper.
Let’s Talk Caffeine
Reducing caffeine can have some of the most prominent effects on your anxiety journey. Try to cut back on a cup of coffee a day or an energy drink and see how your body reacts. You may notice the sinking feeling in your stomach has lessened and you will feel less on edge.
If you love Coffee or energy drinks then try decaf or low caffeine soda. This can give you the flavor and the fix, but without the fluttery feeling of anxiety in you chest and throat.
What Are Your Food Sensitivities?
I have a condition called Oral Allergy Syndrome, which means that if I eat most raw fruits or vegetables, my airways close up a little. This increases my anxiety tremendously and causes me physical discomfort.
Learn your sensitivities by noting how you feel before and after eating your staple foods. By starting there, you can determine if gluten, dairy, or raw fruits and vegetables cause or worsen your anxiety (all, for example).
Eat More Healthy for An Anti Anxiety Meal Plan
Avoid Sugary Foods and Drinks
I’m sure you have heard of a ‘sugar high’ and know what that does in kids. Well, it does the same thing to adults. It gives us an adrenaline rush, which is essentially all anxiety is.
Be cognizant of the amount of sugar you are taking in and try to balance that out with complex carbs and fiber.
Eat Well Balanced Meals
When your body runs properly, it will feel better overall. Mental and Physical health are so intertwined that it is a good idea to focus on your physical health to help promote mental health.
Incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes into your diet. Your grocery list could look something like this: Chicken breasts, white or brown rice, frozen broccoli, frozen California mix, bananas, frozen berries, quinoa, whole grain pasta, beans, and lentils. This simple list will help you create a variety of meals for an affordable price. Add in treats that you like and take out things you already have on hand. Try new dressings and spices to give you a variety of meals from a list of simple ingredients.
Gut Health and Anxiety
The link between gut health and anxiety has gained considerable attention in recent years, as researchers uncover the significant role our gut plays in mental well-being. Often referred to as the “second brain,” the gut is home to trillions of microorganisms known as the gut microbiome, which profoundly impact our overall health, including our emotional state.
Communication between the gut and the brain occurs through the gut-brain axis, a complex network involving the central nervous system, the enteric nervous system, and hormonal pathways. This connection allows the gut microbiome to influence neurotransmitter production, inflammation, and stress response, all of which can contribute to anxiety. By nurturing a healthy gut microbiome through a balanced diet rich in fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics, we can potentially alleviate anxiety symptoms and improve overall mental health.
