Home Remedies for Anxiety
Anxious behavior befalls us all at one time or another, yet it doesn’t have to be an ongoing issue. Many stress-relievers exist to bring our nerves back into alignment again, so let’s take a look at how our nervous system handles anxiety, and how we can use a few home remedies for anxiety to calm down a bit.
Quashing the Quivers
Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their lives. Perhaps you’re sitting in your doctor’s waiting room, anticipating the horse-sized needle and your doctor is waiting for you on the other side of the door. Or maybe you’ve spent all day cooking, but the look on your mother-in-law’s face says your best efforts were wasted. Or maybe you really hate your job.
Anxiety can be short-or long-lived, depending on its source. The more long-lasting the anxiety is, the more additional symptoms you will experience.
If your anxiety is a reaction to a single, isolated the shot the doctor is about to give you, for example--your anxiety level will decrease and your symptoms will disappear after the . If your anxiety is caused by friction between you and your mother-in-law, you’re likely to experience anxiety for a period of time before and after you see her. In this case, the symptom list may have grown to include diarrhea (腹泻) or constipation (便秘) and irritability.
Then there’s that job, a source of anxiety that never leaves you. You dread getting up in the morning because you have to go to work, dread going to bed at night because when you wake up you have to go to work, dread the weekend because when it’s over you’ll have to go to work. When the source of your anxiety is always present, you may also experience the following symptoms: chest pain, over- or under-eating, insomnia, loss of drive.
All three situations described above are types of everyday anxiety. But even though such anxiety may be common, it’s taking its toll on you, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
What Causes Anxiety
Essentially, anxiety is part of the "fight or flight" mechanism, a carry-over from our ancient ancestors. They were hunters, but they also were the hunted--their instincts readied them to attack or run from an attack. Anxiety kept them alive, as it caused adrenaline (肾上腺素) to be released into the bloodstream. When that big bear was breathing down our ancestor’s neck. his adrenaline surged as a warning, causing his liver to release energy-stimulating sugars into his system to ready him for the fight.
That warning system is still necessary for today’s emergencies. Trouble is that we experience the manifestations of the "fight or flight" mechanism even when it’s not really appropriate to our modern stressors. You could run from your job or your doctor, and you could physically fight your mother-in-law, but the results would not be as helpful for you as they were when that ancestor outran a lion or knocked out a bear!
Certainly, your mother-in-law’s visit may not be pleasant, but it’s not life-threatening either. You may feel your muscles knot up at the very mention of her name, but that. in itself, isn’t a problem--the problem is the body’s response to such stress. When anxiety is severe or prolonged, the powerful "fight or flight" chemicals can damage your body’s organs. ually, anxiety can cause a full-fledged illness, such as headaches and high blood pressure.
While stress is most often at the root of anxiety symptoms, they can be caused by physical problems as well. If your anxiety symptoms are persistent, get checked out by your doctor so that you can rule out the following:
· Hyperthyroidism, which may produce symptoms that resemble those of anxiety
· Heart disorders, which can cause rapid heartbeat, often associated with anxiety
· Caffeine, which can produce nervous symptoms even in moderate amounts
· Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
· Diet pills
· Anemia
· Diabetes
· Hypoglycemia
So now that you know what anxiety can do, it’s time to learn what you can do to control it. Mild anxiety can be treated successfully at home with a little calming music, a little quiet time, and some soothing remedies from the kitchen.
Remedy Treatments for Anxiety
While a certain amount of anxiety will creep into everyone’s life, there are some easy home remedies you can employ to help your body relax.
Remedies from the Cupboard
Almonds. Soak 10 raw almonds overnight in water to soften, and then peel off the skins. Put almonds in blender with 1 cup of warm milk, a pinch of ginger, and a pinch of nutmeg. Drink at night to help you relax before going to bed.
Baking soda. Add 1/3 cup of baking soda and 1/3 cup of ginger to a nice warm bath. Soak in the tub for 15 minutes to relieve tension and anxiety.
Oil. Sesame oil is great, but sunflower, coconut, or corn oil will work, too. For a wonderful, anxiety busting massage, heat 6 ounces oil until warm, not hot. Rub over entire body, including your scalp and the bottoms of your feet. A small rolling pin feels marvelous! Use the oil as a massage before the morning bath to calm you down for the day’s activities. If anxiety is keeping you awake, try using it before you go to bed, too.
Remedies from the Refrigerator
Celery. Eat 2 cups of celery, onions, or a mixture of the two, raw or cooked, with your meals for a week or two. Both vegetables contain large amounts of potassium and folic acid, deficiencies of which can cause nervousness.
Orange. The aroma of an orange is known to reduce anxiety. All you have to do to get the benefits is peel an orange and inhale. You can also drop the peel into a small pan or potpourri burner. Cover with water and simmer. When heated, the orange peel will release its fragrant and calming oil.
Orange juice. For a racing heart rate associated with anxiety, stir a teaspoon of honey and a pinch of nutmeg into 1 cup of orange juice and drink.
Do Remember
Keep a diary to track and then eliminate s that might trigger anxiety. Also make note of foods, as some of the things you eat may be responsible for the symptoms.
Indulge in noncompetitive exercising, such as walking, bicycling or swimming. It’s good for you, both physically and emotionally.
Meditate, pray, or indulge in a mental flight of fantasy. Do whatever it takes to give your mind a break.
Breathe in, breathe out. Slowly, deeply. This is relaxing.
Chat with a friend, a psychotherapist, a clergyman. Talking about your anxiety can relieve it.
Make a mental list and check it twice. It doesn’t matter what’s on the list. This is simply an exercise in repetitive thinking that can distract you from what’s causing the anxiety.
Anxious behavior befalls us all at one time or another, yet it doesn’t have to be an ongoing issue. Many stress-relievers exist to bring our nerves back into alignment again, so let’s take a look at how our nervous system handles anxiety, and how we can use a few home remedies for anxiety to calm down a bit.
Quashing the Quivers
Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their lives. Perhaps you’re sitting in your doctor’s waiting room, anticipating the horse-sized needle and your doctor is waiting for you on the other side of the door. Or maybe you’ve spent all day cooking, but the look on your mother-in-law’s face says your best efforts were wasted. Or maybe you really hate your job.
Anxiety can be short-or long-lived, depending on its source. The more long-lasting the anxiety is, the more additional symptoms you will experience.
If your anxiety is a reaction to a single, isolated the shot the doctor is about to give you, for example--your anxiety level will decrease and your symptoms will disappear after the . If your anxiety is caused by friction between you and your mother-in-law, you’re likely to experience anxiety for a period of time before and after you see her. In this case, the symptom list may have grown to include diarrhea (腹泻) or constipation (便秘) and irritability.
Then there’s that job, a source of anxiety that never leaves you. You dread getting up in the morning because you have to go to work, dread going to bed at night because when you wake up you have to go to work, dread the weekend because when it’s over you’ll have to go to work. When the source of your anxiety is always present, you may also experience the following symptoms: chest pain, over- or under-eating, insomnia, loss of drive.
All three situations described above are types of everyday anxiety. But even though such anxiety may be common, it’s taking its toll on you, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
What Causes Anxiety
Essentially, anxiety is part of the "fight or flight" mechanism, a carry-over from our ancient ancestors. They were hunters, but they also were the hunted--their instincts readied them to attack or run from an attack. Anxiety kept them alive, as it caused adrenaline (肾上腺素) to be released into the bloodstream. When that big bear was breathing down our ancestor’s neck. his adrenaline surged as a warning, causing his liver to release energy-stimulating sugars into his system to ready him for the fight.
That warning system is still necessary for today’s emergencies. Trouble is that we experience the manifestations of the "fight or flight" mechanism even when it’s not really appropriate to our modern stressors. You could run from your job or your doctor, and you could physically fight your mother-in-law, but the results would not be as helpful for you as they were when that ancestor outran a lion or knocked out a bear!
Certainly, your mother-in-law’s visit may not be pleasant, but it’s not life-threatening either. You may feel your muscles knot up at the very mention of her name, but that. in itself, isn’t a problem--the problem is the body’s response to such stress. When anxiety is severe or prolonged, the powerful "fight or flight" chemicals can damage your body’s organs. ually, anxiety can cause a full-fledged illness, such as headaches and high blood pressure.
While stress is most often at the root of anxiety symptoms, they can be caused by physical problems as well. If your anxiety symptoms are persistent, get checked out by your doctor so that you can rule out the following:
· Hyperthyroidism, which may produce symptoms that resemble those of anxiety
· Heart disorders, which can cause rapid heartbeat, often associated with anxiety
· Caffeine, which can produce nervous symptoms even in moderate amounts
· Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
· Diet pills
· Anemia
· Diabetes
· Hypoglycemia
So now that you know what anxiety can do, it’s time to learn what you can do to control it. Mild anxiety can be treated successfully at home with a little calming music, a little quiet time, and some soothing remedies from the kitchen.
Remedy Treatments for Anxiety
While a certain amount of anxiety will creep into everyone’s life, there are some easy home remedies you can employ to help your body relax.
Remedies from the Cupboard
Almonds. Soak 10 raw almonds overnight in water to soften, and then peel off the skins. Put almonds in blender with 1 cup of warm milk, a pinch of ginger, and a pinch of nutmeg. Drink at night to help you relax before going to bed.
Baking soda. Add 1/3 cup of baking soda and 1/3 cup of ginger to a nice warm bath. Soak in the tub for 15 minutes to relieve tension and anxiety.
Oil. Sesame oil is great, but sunflower, coconut, or corn oil will work, too. For a wonderful, anxiety busting massage, heat 6 ounces oil until warm, not hot. Rub over entire body, including your scalp and the bottoms of your feet. A small rolling pin feels marvelous! Use the oil as a massage before the morning bath to calm you down for the day’s activities. If anxiety is keeping you awake, try using it before you go to bed, too.
Remedies from the Refrigerator
Celery. Eat 2 cups of celery, onions, or a mixture of the two, raw or cooked, with your meals for a week or two. Both vegetables contain large amounts of potassium and folic acid, deficiencies of which can cause nervousness.
Orange. The aroma of an orange is known to reduce anxiety. All you have to do to get the benefits is peel an orange and inhale. You can also drop the peel into a small pan or potpourri burner. Cover with water and simmer. When heated, the orange peel will release its fragrant and calming oil.
Orange juice. For a racing heart rate associated with anxiety, stir a teaspoon of honey and a pinch of nutmeg into 1 cup of orange juice and drink.
Do Remember
Keep a diary to track and then eliminate s that might trigger anxiety. Also make note of foods, as some of the things you eat may be responsible for the symptoms.
Indulge in noncompetitive exercising, such as walking, bicycling or swimming. It’s good for you, both physically and emotionally.
Meditate, pray, or indulge in a mental flight of fantasy. Do whatever it takes to give your mind a break.
Breathe in, breathe out. Slowly, deeply. This is relaxing.
Chat with a friend, a psychotherapist, a clergyman. Talking about your anxiety can relieve it.
Make a mental list and check it twice. It doesn’t matter what’s on the list. This is simply an exercise in repetitive thinking that can distract you from what’s causing the anxiety.
