Unwinding Stress, Depression and Anxiety
with Natural Relaxants
Feeling stressed, anxious and irritable seems to be the hallmark of 21st-century living. As much as 50% of people admit to being anxious, nervous, hyperactive or tense easily. Feelings and symptoms of stress affect most of us: these include headaches, muscle tension, dry mouth, excessive perspiration, pounding heart, insomnia, memory impairment and fatigue.
In the long run, stress and anxiety age you.
This is because they put the body into emergency mode, known as the
"fight-or-flight" syndrome, in which the body's energy is channeled away
from maintenance and repair, and towards reacting physically to a
stressful event. Adrenalin and cortisol start pumping, blood-sugar
levels go up, pupils dilate and let in more light, we huff and puff to
take in more oxygen (all of which are psychological reactions designed
to prepare you for the fight or flight). But we don't do this anymore
like our ancestors, instead we raise our voice, we toot the car horn and
so on.
Most
people when faced with an intense or constant felling of anxiety, will
either self-medicate with alcohol and stimulants, or see their doctor
and possibly be given a prescription for a tranquilizer (which in long
run will further damage their situation and health).
States of depression, mood swings or anxiety are associated with the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol. The first step to reducing stress and anxiety is to balance your blood sugar by eating slow-releasing carbohydrates and avoid, or at least consider reduce, your use of stimulants (e.g. caffeine, coke) and alcohol. This alone has a major effect on mood and help you reduce anxiety and depression.
Many mood swings are triggered by blood-sugar imbalances (or food allergies). The brain is almost totally dependent on glucose for its supply of mental health. Blood sugar balance is disrupted by too much sugar, stress, and stimulants.
Natural Relaxants
Some people need an extra little help to learn how to switch out of the adrenalin state. There are breathing and meditation techniques for this, as well as chemotherapeutic avenues to explore in dealing with the perceived stress and causes of anxiety, and many of them can be extremely helpful. Then there are natural GABA promoters that ensure you produce and release GABA when you need to. There include amino acids, minerals, and herbs, the most effective being:
1.
GABA: the antidote of stress
GABA (gamma-amino-butyric acid) is a naturally occurring amino acid in our brain and the main inhibitory or calming neurotransmitter. It not only calms down excess adrenalin, noradrenaline and dopamine, but also effect serotonin, thereby affecting your mood. For these reasons, having enough GABA in your brain is associated with being relaxed and happy, while having too little is associated with anxiety, tension, depression and insomnia.
GABA is not only a neurotransmitter, it's also an amino acid. This means it's a nutrient and, supplementing it, you can help to promote normal healthy levels of GABA in the brain.
BAGA is one of the neurotransmitters produced in the digestive tract, and its supplementation will also help restore the integrity of gastrointestinal tract.
(Gaba is highly effective and not addictive, but use it with caution if you have a high blood pressure, not exceeding 3gr/day).
2. Taurine: GABA's best friend
Taurine is another relaxing amino-acid, similar in structure and effect to GABA. Many people think taurine is a stimulant because it is used in so called energy drinks, but it's not. It helps you relax and unwind from high levels of adrenalin, much like GABA.
Taurine has many other uses as well, including its benefits as treatment for insomnia, and depression.
Taurine is highly concentrated in animal foods such as fish, eggs, and meat.
3. Valerian: nature's Valium
Another excellent anti-anxiety herb is Valerian. As a natural relaxant it is used for several disorders such as restlessness, nervousness, insomnia and hysteria, and it has also been used as sedative for nervous stomach. Valerian acts on the brain's GABA receptors, enhancing their activity and thus offering a similar tranquilizing action to the Valium-type drugs but without the side effects.
Note: since Valerian potentiates sedative drugs, including muscle relaxants and antihistamines, don't take it if you are on prescribed medication without your doctor's consent.
4. Hops and Passionflower: calming herbs
Hops are an ancient remedy for a good night's sleep and are probably included in beer for a reason. Hops help to calm nerves by acting directly on the central nervous system.
Passionflower was a favorite of the Aztecs, who used it to make relaxing drinks. It has a mild sedative effect and promotes sleep just like hops, with no side effects. Passionflower can also be helpful for hyperactive kids.
Combinations of these herbs are more effective.
5. Magnesium: relaxing the mind and muscle
Magnesium is another important nutrient that helps you relax. Magnesium
also helps regulate blood sugar levels, and promotes normal blood pressure.
Lack of magnesium inhibits nerve cell communication, which leads to cell
excitability. The result: a stressed and nervous person. Several older studies
show that magnesium can improve sleep quality and reduce nocturnal awakenings.
Studies also show that chromium and zinc are as well very helpful in tackling depression, insomnia, and stress.
6. Theanine
An amino acid derivative
found in green tea, theanine has long been known to trigger the release in the
brain of gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA. GABA activates the major calming neurotransmitters, promoting
relaxation and reducing anxiety, but the body has difficulty absorbing supplements
containing synthesized GABA. That's why experts recommend theanine, which the
body can easily absorb and, ultimately, use to boost levels of GABA.
7. 5-HPT
A compound derived from the amino acid Tryptophan, the supplement also is used to enhance mood and decrease
appetite.
5-HTP acts as a precursor to serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that is
essential for a good night’s sleep. It is better than Tryptophan because
5-HTP can cross the blood-brain barrier and thus increase serotonin in the
brain.
8. St John's Wort
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is the most studied alternative treatment for depression. The majority of clinical investigations looking at its effects on mild to moderate depression have shown that this herbal remedy works great and often performs as well as, and sometimes better than, prescription antidepressants. Given St. John’s Wort’s unique depression-fighting benefits, it also is very useful in beating back insomnia symptoms.
Also remember to reduce your amount of alcohol because it disturbs the normal cycle of dreaming, which is needed to regenerate the mind.
The dietary culprits & what you can do
Talking about things like depression, stress, anxiety is a very
touchy subject. People will have varying opinions and few will
understand that diet has a major influence on our moods. Various foods
not only affect us physically, but that it can also can contribute to
emotional forms of stress: depression, anxiety and yes, even suicidal
thoughts.
You see, when there are certain types of stress that we can’t control in
our lives, it’s an opportunity for us to take charge of what we can.
And diet is the first step.
Consider this: Researchers in
Britain looked at depression and diet in more than 3,000 middle-aged
office workers over the course of five years. They found that people who
ate a junk food diet - one that was high in processed meat, chocolates,
sweet desserts, fried food, refined cereals and high-fat dairy products
- were more likely to report symptoms of depression. Then what’s
stopping it from progressing in severity to suicide? There were patients
in private practice whose stress levels decreased substantially after being
put on a plan. They changed what they ate, incorporated a nutrition therapy and focused on the energetics of food and added in
some key supplements.
The effects of what we eat, linked to stress and our emotional stability is outstanding. So here are 3 foods to watch out for:
Sugar
We all know the white
stuff and that high fructose corn syrup is it’s ugly twin. When we’re
stressed, cortisol levels increase making us crave comfort foods.
Problem is the more sugar we feed it the more sugar is needed to create
the same effect driving a vicious cycle. Add to that weight gain,
lethargy, headaches and digestive issues and wouldn’t you feel more
depressed? Simply put, sugar is known to be as addictive as cocaine.
Wheat
Wheat functions as an
opiate in the body, making you more hungry more often. We become tired,
depressed and our digestive system is filled with wheat-filled glue so
our pipes aren’t working as efficiently. This is where most people who
come to see me believe that going to the bathroom every other day is
normal. It’s not.
Excess grains
Meat is acidic,
but so are grains. People can have such sensitive digestive systems that
even processing too much grains leave them feeling lethargic and
depressed. The resolution: have smaller proportions of grains and
increase the alkaline balance of our plates with vegetables – especially
greens. Neurologist David Perlmutter and author of Grain Brain will
tell you that a diet high in grains is linked to depression, ADHD,
dementia and Alzheimer’s. So if you’re loading up on whole grain goodness thinking it’s great for you, think again. The whole media claim of goodness is nothing short of bullshit.
So
in the meantime, the first step to easing the stress load is by looking
at what’s on our plate. It acts as a reflection to how we feel about
ourselves and it contains the power to transform who we are from the
inside and out.
Source: www.sexyfoodtherapy.com
More about GABA - 5 Benefits:
There are many different
reasons that people choose to begin taking GABA supplements. Two people can be
taking the same supplement for entirely different reasons. Some people who take
GABA supplements hoping to receive one particular
beneficial outcome from doing so end up experiencing a range of other benefits
as well. This article will examine the top 5 GABA supplement benefits that
people experience when using these products.
1 – Relieving Anxiety
One of the most common
reasons that people choose to begin taking GABA is due to suffering from an anxiety
related condition. There are many different types of anxiety and GABA can help
alleviate the unpleasant symptoms related to anxiety in order to let someone
live there life in a more normal fashion. Some people experience levels of
anxiety that are persistent and not related to a specific situational trigger.
Other people experience anxiety in a specific situation only, such as entering
a crowd of strangers. GABA can help with various types of anxiety related
conditions, from mild to severe. It does so by improving the levels of
beneficial brain chemicals and neurotransmitters that are operational at any
given time.
2 – Improving Mood
The ability of GABA
supplements to improve a person’s mood is very much related to the
anxiety relieving properties that GABA possesses. Just as the alleviation of
anxiety is due to GABA promoting a more healthy level of brain chemistry and
functioning, its ability to improve a person’s mood stems from the same
biochemical mechanism. Many people choose to take a GABA supplement for this
very reason. Some people have begun taking GABA for other reasons entirely and
have noticed they are more cheerful and generally have a more positive,
outgoing outlook after taking GABA. This is great for mild
depression and a healthier, less intense alternative to taking
prescription anti-depressants that are associated with a wide range of negative side effects.
3 – Promoting Lean Muscle Growth
GABA is an amino acid and one
of its commonly sought benefits is amongst bodybuilders and others who are
looking to increase their levels of lean muscle. It is believed that one of the
ways that GABA supplements help to promote the growth of lean muscle
is by acting as a precursor to the body producing and releasing levels of human
growth hormone. In order to aid GABA in promoting the growth of lean muscle it
is important for the user to also consume sufficient levels of protein and to
engage in resistance training.
4 – Helping Sleep
Many people in the modern
world struggle to get to sleep at night and even if they do manage to fall
asleep they may find staying asleep a struggle. GABA is an excellent antidote
to this common malady. The ability of GABA supplements to help a person sleep
is closely related to its general mood-enhancing and anxiety-relieving
effect on brain chemistry and overall wellbeing. Many users of
GABA supplements have reported finding it far easier to fall asleep and stay
asleep when they are using GABA and the quality of their rest also greatly
improves.
5 – Improving Focus
Many people find it difficult
to fully focus on their work, schooling and other important tasks that require
a high level of cognitive functioning. The inability to focus can impact
severely upon a person’s life. One of the default responses to a lack of focus
is to label the person as having ADD and to prescribe serious prescription
drugs such as amphetamines like Adderall and Ritalin. There are natural ways to increase
focus however and GABA is one of them. Many people take GABA either primarily
to help their levels of focus or find it to be an unanticipated side benefit
that they are nevertheless grateful for.
A List of Foods with the Highest GABA
GABA in food often is synthesized by using lactobacillus and monascus, so several fermented foods contain it. For example, yogurt is one good source of GABA, and some cheeses are another. Korean kimchi also contains high amounts of it. These strains of friendly bacteria and mold, lactobacillus and monascus, are good for use as starters for foods, including cheese, yogurt and other fermented foods, according to "Bioactive Proteins and Peptides as Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals".
Food manufacturers fortify some food products with GABA. Germinated brown rice is one example, and some soy products are fortified with it through anaerobic fermentation with lactic bacteria. You'll also find milk-based beverages that are GABA-fortified.
Source: New Optimum Nutrition for the Brain, by Patrick Holford,
www.gaba-supplement.com , www.livestrong.com
