Holistic Alternatives for Easing Anxiety

Talk To Your Inner Child

 

Your inner child is that part of you that remains a child and recalls your childhood memories. Your inner child is closely associated with your amygdalae. The amygdalae are two tiny, ancient organs in your brain responsible for managing your emotions. They are also responsible for the "fight, flight, or freeze" response. Whenever your inner child is frightened, it will let you know by triggering your amygdalae to release hormones that create feelings of anxiety. Your "little" self needs to feel safe. We all need to feel safe.

 

You have a pair of amygdalae. However, it's just one of them that creates an over-reactive stress response and opens the hormonal floodgates that cause anxiety, panic, and depression. I like to think of the amygdala as your inner child's pet. When your inner child is afraid, its pet gets defensive and aggressive, like a guard dog or a piranha (since I like to refer to the amygdalae as your inner fish).

 

Try talking to your inner child, the "little" you. Tell it that it is OK and that you appreciate the warnings it is giving you (the stomach ache, anxiety, panic attacks), but that there is nothing to be afraid of and that you are both just fine. Talking to your inner child or your amygdalae may sound and make you feel ridiculous at first, but it is essential. Your inner child believes everything you say, even lies. If your focus is always on fear rather than calming words, your "little" self remains fearful. While it may be challenging to provide calming words to your inner child as you sweat and feel as though you will pass out, do it anyway. Lies, like, "Oh my god! I'm going to die!" aren't helpful. Instead, tell your inner child, "I am fine. I'm OK." You need to be reassured.

 

So that you know, your inner child sees situations and relationships that consistently drain your energy as a sign that you are always in danger. If you get into a disagreement or feel that your rights have been ignored, your inner child and amygdalae may prompt a delayed reaction. You may experience anxiety a couple of hours later, the next day, or even the next time you see the violating person or situation, by having a panic attack.

 

By telling your inner child that you have a plan, that you are OK, and that you are working on making things better, it will begin to calm down. Sometimes, your inner child needs to know that you acknowledge something damaging to your very being. 

 

 

Stop Performing Mental Checks On How You Feel

 

Resist the urge to perform a mental check, a scan, on how your body parts are feeling all day long and whether you are OK or not. Reserve this scanning for performing relaxation exercises. Don't go looking for something to be wrong all the time. That makes your amygdalae nervous. If you are looking for something to be wrong, your amygdalae figure there must be a reason, and when it can't find one, it panics. Instead, shift your attention from scanning for fear, panic, and other symptoms to engaging in a physical activity. Get the litter box emptied, wash the dishes, or go for a walk (even if it's only around the house). Get down on the floor and play with the kids or the dog. By altering your emotional response to stress through positive sense-based (engaging your sense of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and spirit), you'll create a better energy balance.

 

Stress can alter your appetite, thereby affecting your diet. Consequently, it will be up to you to make an effort to eat right and eat often enough. Some sure signs and symptoms indicating a need for a change in your diet are anxiety, a headache, insomnia, moodiness, irritability, brain fog, chronic cough or hoarseness, muscle pain, fatigue, panic attacks, depression, digestive problems, including rectal leakage, recurring herpes outbreaks, and blood sugar problems.

 

 

Balanced pH is Crucial.

 

Within the body, food is converted into energy through the process of metabolism. Some foods are alkaline, while others are acidic. Alkaline foods and beverages create a lower pH level in the body, and acidic foods and drinks cause pH levels to rise. Your body needs a healthy pH balance for optimal wellness. Acidity causes anxiety.

 

 

Stay Hydrated

 

Dehydration leads to acidity, which causes anxiety, panic, and depression. The brain is the water bowl for your amygdalae. You are approximately 72% water. Hydrate your brain by drinking plenty of fresh water. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the best water to drink is at room temperature or warm. Ozonated, distilled, and mineral water are good bets for drinking water. Besides purchasing a machine that can purify your water, adding a little lemon juice to water and drinking it in the morning will also help balance your pH. Juice and tea help rehydrate you, but water is necessary to do the job completely. Alcohol and drugs (recreational or otherwise) contribute to dehydration, which causes anxiety.  

 

 

Use Sea Salt 

 

Keep your salt intake between 1100 and 3300 mg per day. Anything less is too low, and anything more is too high. Overeating salt can cause the release of calcium and other minerals, leading to high blood pressure, water retention, and other health issues. But do not consume ordinary table salt. Instead, use only natural sea salt, which is the type of salt your amygdalae crave.

 

 

Avoid Food Preservatives, Dyes, and Household Chemicals

 

Food preservatives, dyes, and chemicals cause acidosis, ADD, ADHD, and Autism, and exaggerate your stress response and feelings of anxiety.

 

 

Put an End to Addictions

 

Often, sensitive and anxious people become addicts, of one form or another, to distract themselves from their fear or to drown out their symptoms or senses. Reduce, or get rid of, addictions. Addictions cause changes in brain chemistry. 

 

  • Eliminate caffeine. It causes raised acidity and anxiety, depletes your body of calcium, is a diuretic, leads to arthritis and insomnia, and causes panic attacks. Some folks say their panic attacks end when they quit drinking caffeine.
  • Caffeine, sugar, alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drugs increase acidity and contribute to pH imbalance.
  • Are you a stimulation junkie? Are you a thrill-seeker, placing yourself in situations where you can get adrenaline rushes every chance you get? Do you gamble, shop, surf the internet, or play games excessively? What about sex? Things that get your adrenaline going consistently, such as gambling, overspending, pornography, or just sitting on the computer for hours, change your brain chemistry and adversely affect your amygdalae, which are in charge of managing your emotions. If you are addicted to anything, you are on edge, and so is your brain and your inner fish. 

 

 

Avoid Sugar, Like the Plague

 

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced in the brain and gut that promotes feelings of calm. When serotonin levels drop, you'll crave sweets or bread because they offer the fastest serotonin boost to the brain. However, the increase from these high glycemic foods is only temporary, and when consumed regularly, the brain shuts down some of its receptors to create a better balance. When the brain shuts down these receptors, we can't utilize all the serotonin our bodies have produced. The less we use, the more we have cravings for sugary foods, which becomes a vicious cycle, leading to insulin levels spiking too high and too often.

 

Insulin is a hormone that rushes in to regulate blood sugar levels. When overused, it can stop functioning correctly and cause hypoglycemia, diabetes, and issues with other hormones, such as thyroid hormones, which result in mood swings and anxiety. A little fat, meat, or dairy with each snack helps keep blood sugar stable and mood balanced. You can try eating 4-6 meals daily, including protein and fat, instead of just snacking or eating one big meal each day to improve blood sugar levels.

 

Eating the right foods can often lift moodiness, depression, and panic. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, boost serotonin levels. Start eating more meat, fish, turkey, eggs, seeds, and legumes, such as beans. 

 

If you are on a Paleo or Keto diet, you may want to avoid fasting for extended periods, as is sometimes recommended on these diets. Fasting is not a good idea, either, until your anxiety is under control. 

 

 

 Don't Consume Fake Sweeteners

 

Avoid using aspartame or other artificial sweeteners. They disrupt thyroid hormones meant to keep you calm. Fake sweeteners react in the body the same way as sugar, causing panic disorders. Stevia (a natural sweetener) and a bit of honey are acceptable choices. However, many brands of stevia are merely refined combinations of natural sweeteners that no longer resemble the plants from which they originated. If you use stevia, be sure to use a brand that uses the plant (green stevia). Additionally, most store-bought honey contains corn syrup and other added sugars, despite its label claim to be all-natural. It is best to buy natural, raw honey from the health food aisle or your farmer's market.

 

Do not drink diet sodas! The body reacts to diet sodas the same way as to the sugar in regular soda, but it has now been proven that diet soda increases your risk for diabetes by 33%. Diet beverages are responsible for 15% of all cases of obesity and diabetes in the United States.

 

 

Eliminate Foods Causing Sensitivities & Allergies

 

Food sensitivities and allergies can cause anxiety, panic, and depression. You don't have to be allergic to food for it to be harmful, and troublesome digestive symptoms can be caused by sensitivity to even the healthiest foods you eat, such as strawberries or certain nuts.

 

Additionally, some people are sensitive to oxalates and salicylates, natural chemicals found in plants. Oxalates and salicylates cause conditions such as kidney stones, Tinnitus, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bladder Syndrome, Vulvodynia, depression, panic attacks, headaches, rashes, and more. Why? Because they trigger the release of histamine in the body. Still, we hardly ever hear about them.

 

Foods and substances that trigger anxiety are caffeine, sugar, flour, processed foods, preservatives, gummy vitamins, nicotine, microplastics, prescription medications, and pollution.

 

 

Condition Your Brain With Healthy Fats

 

The neurons in your brain are composed of essential fatty acids. Cell membranes and receptors transmit signals in and out of your brain through fatty acids. To utilize your serotonin supply and other hormones, you need to consume healthy fats, such as omega-3s. Healthy fats promote calmness and relieve pain. 

 

It is essential to avoid fake fats and trans fats. Your brain will shut down receptors if you eat unhealthy fats. A small amount of saturated fat is acceptable and even healthy, so don't avoid lean, red meat, which also supplies a bit of iron. Iron deficiency causes anxiety, panic, and depression. If you avoid meat or are a vegetarian, ensure you get your healthy fat servings every day by incorporating coconut oil and avocados into your diet. However, avocados are high in arginine, which feeds the herpes virus. You can also take fish oil, krill oil, squid oil, or flaxseed oil, or eat more fish. 

 

So that you know, all no-fat and low-fat diets lead to anxiety, panic, or depression. 

                   

 

Boost Your Brain Calming Chemicals, Naturally

 

Again, serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain and the body that controls emotions and the desire for food, water, sleep, and sex. A healthy supply of serotonin keeps the amygdalae calm and happy. Tryptophan, norepinephrine, dopamine, and noradrenaline are chemicals in the body that help produce serotonin. When a doctor prescribes an antidepressant, it is often a Serotonin Uptake Inhibitor (SUI) to keep your serotonin in your system longer to keep you calm. However, it might interest you to know that studies show low serotonin is no longer a valid cause for depression. It's more likely to be due to an unhealthy balance of microbes in the gut microbiome. Low serotonin does, however, cause anxiety and panic. 

 

Tryptophan is an amino acid found in apples, bananas, beets, eggs, cheeses, and fish, which helps form your muscles and other body parts. Your body turns tryptophan into serotonin. Increasing the levels of tryptophan in your diet produces more serotonin, and you will have less anxiety and panic.  

 

Affection, intimacy, laughter, joy, exercise, prayer, meditation, and Yoga also help boost serotonin levels.

 

 

Causes of Serotonin Shortage 

 

Many of the following causes have already been stated, but are worth mentioning.

 

  • Eating a diet too low in protein can lead to a deficiency in serotonin. One of the results of eating too little protein can be Iron deficiency, which can cause anxiety, panic, and depression. But not eating enough protein, in general, sets you up for anxiety because your body does not have what it needs to repair itself. Therefore, there's always this state of anxiety just below the surface.
  • Protein, which is made up of amino acids, is necessary for rebuilding the muscles and tissues of your body. Amino acid supplements are available over the counter. However, the supplements do not contain every amino acid your body needs to function correctly. If you are a vegetarian, supplementing with amino acids can be beneficial, but you will also need to incorporate various protein-rich foods into your diet for dietary balance.
  • Eating a diet too high in sugar and refined carbohydrates is a cause of serotonin deficiency. Fats and sugars are "flight, fight, or freeze" foods. Meaning they are used for energy but do not repair your body. Protein does that.
  • Eating a diet too high in acid-producing foods (sugary, junk foods, and prepackaged foods) is a cause of serotonin deficiency.
  • Junk food used to be the occasional treat that families had. Now it has become a steady diet lacking in nutrients that boost serotonin.
  • Stimulants include caffeine, tobacco, cocaine, alcohol, and other drugs.
  • Eating plastic (fake) fats, such as Trans-Fat (TFs) or Interesterified Fats (IFs), is a cause of serotonin deficiency.
  • Eating anything with high-fructose corn syrup, which is found in 98% of all prepackaged foods, depletes serotonin and creates cravings for more. These cravings can be as intense as cravings for drugs or alcohol. Other sugars don't do this as much or in the same way as corn syrup. 
  • Chronic emotional stresses increase acidity, which depletes serotonin in the brain. Again, we are talking about emotions.
  • Lack of sleep depletes serotonin levels rapidly, as it causes stress and disrupts the balance of other essential hormones. 
  • Menstruation and menopause create hormonal changes that can also cause low serotonin levels. 
  • Dental fillings containing mercury cause neurological problems, anxiety, and disease. Mercury is a poison. 
  • Allergies to foods, chemicals, and additives may also cause symptoms of nervousness and anxiety because allergies use up serotonin supplies.

 

 

Eat Genetically Appropriate Foods to Calm Your Inner Fish

 

Until one hundred years ago, we did not consume processed foods. We hunted, gathered, and picked the foods we ate. We also ate according to the availability of food during each season. Our ancestors ate primarily fish, eggs, meat, nuts, vegetables, and low-sugar fruits. Our bodies have not undergone further evolution since these times. Refined sugar, chemical additives, and synthetic hormones did not exist, and these things are killing us. When considering eating genetically appropriate food, think back to simpler times, which will help you make informed food choices. Eat like our ancestors. Our genetic makeup is still like theirs. It just makes more sense. And your amygdalae will love you for it! 

 

 

Serotonin Boosting Foods

 

  • Fowl (turkey, game hen, chicken, duck, etc.)
  • Meat (90% lean, red meat, including pork and lamb) 
  • Fish, cold water
  • Shellfish
  • Albacore tuna
  • Mollusks
  • Eggs whites
  • Heated whole milk, dry non-fat milk, soy milk 
  • Cottage cheese (low fat, 1%), Gruyere, Swiss, mozzarella, Colby, Parmesan, cheddar cheese (low fat) 
  • Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, soybean nuts 
  • Pumpkin seeds (roasted), sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds
  • Baked potatoes (the skin and parts close to the skin)
  • Beans (winged, kidney, mung)
  • Lentils
  • Rice
  • Cooked oat bran 
  • Bananas 
  • Kelp
  • Spirulina (raw)
  • Broccoli
  • Pumpkin leaves
  • Spinach
  • Watercress
  • White mushrooms
  • Asparagus
  • Turnip greens
  • Chicory greens
  • Red leaf lettuce
  • Basil
  • Parsley
  • Amaranth leaves 
  • Soy protein and tofu
  • Yogurt 
  • Honey 
  • Hummus
  • Tabasco sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Horseradish
  • Brewer's yeast 

 

Seafood that may pose a health risk to adults and children due to mercury contamination is grouper, swordfish, crab (Blue, Snow, and Tanner), Yellow-Fin tuna (canned or long-line caught), Chilean sea bass, orange roughy, farmed salmon, and shark.

 

Note: If you are deficient in the mineral magnesium, you will not be able to restore your serotonin level through your diet alone. Temporarily taking a supplement is required to reestablish healthy levels.  

 

 

Drink a Calming Beverage 

 

Certain teas have significant calming effects. Have a cup before bed or whenever you feel anxious. Specialty teas containing herbs, such as passionflower, lemon balm, and chamomile, should be limited to no more than three cups per day. Take as directed on the label. Rose hips or valerian tea may be another excellent choice for added calm. You can also try herbal capsules if tea causes you to run to the bathroom at night. Refer to Medicinal Teas for recipes. 

 

Again, alcohol will never relax you. I haven't had a drink in more years than I can count, but when I did, I used to wonder why I felt so moody afterward. Because of how it metabolizes in the body, alcohol induces anxiety, panic attacks, and depression in sensitive people. 

 

 

Take Supplements to Ease Anxiety

 

  • Magnesium: Magnesium deficiency is the number one cause of low serotonin levels and the first supplement of choice to relieve anxiety-related disorders. Magnesium plays a crucial role in numerous bodily functions, and even a minor shortage can lead to muscle and sleep problems. Magnesium citrate works best. Magnesium is found in almonds, avocado, bananas, black-eyed peas, cashews, kidney beans, lentils, oatmeal, peanuts, peanut butter, pinto beans, potatoes (with skin), raisins, soybeans, and spinach.
  • Vitamin C: Vitamin C is found in leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, cauliflower, cranberries, kiwi, mango, papaya, and peppers (green and red), raspberries, spinach, and strawberries. 
  • Vitamin E: Vitamin E is found in broccoli, spinach, tomato, and peanut butter. One of the symptoms of vitamin C and vitamin E deficiency is being easily startled. 
  • Essential Fatty Acids: Healthy fats in vegetables and seafood calm the brain.
  • 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP): A precursor to serotonin, which converts to melatonin in the body and may help reduce anxiety.
  • Arginine: Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid that reduces anxiety. However, it feeds the Herpes Simplex Virus. Do not supplement Arginine if you live with herpes.
  • GABA: A naturally occurring neurotransmitter in the brain that reduces the activity of specific nerve systems.

 

 

Burn Up Excess Adrenaline

 

One way to ease anxiety and depression is to use up nervous energy. Adrenaline is one of many hormones that readies us for a "flight, fight or freeze" response. It enters our muscles and prompts us to move. Use it up. When you find yourself in panic mode, use it up. If you are standing in line somewhere or in a meeting and can't just up and leave, flex the muscle groups in your body. Start with the large ones first. Flex and tighten your thighs, calves, feet, and rear-end wherever you feel a sensation of wanting to move. So move! You can do this without anyone noticing, and it helps relieve anxiety and the rush that comes over you in a panic attack. If you have had a panic attack (and can get away for a bit to somewhere private), jump up and down, and swing your arms or shadow-punch.

 

 

Try Muscle Relaxation Techniques

 

This muscle relaxation technique is a simple exercise to perform when you are in bed at night and struggle to relax or fall asleep. I've used this relaxation technique to alleviate tension, backaches, and headaches.

 

Lie on your bed perfectly still. Now, relax your toes, feet, knees, thighs, buttocks, pelvic region, and stomach, and continue to move higher and higher. Relax your back, chest, upper arms, hands, shoulders, neck, head, and face. Let your mouth hang open and lie there as limp as a rag doll. If any of your parts start to tense back up, relax them once more.

 

If you don't have any concerns about "Charlie Horses" (muscle spasms), you can tense up each part of your body right before relaxing, which creates more blood flow to oxygen-deprived muscles, but don't push it. Just a little squeeze will do.

 

You can also do this to specific muscle groups while working at your desk. But, again, no one will ever notice, and it can help relieve stress within just a few minutes.

 

 

Exercise to Relax

 

Exercise is scary for some of us because it mimics panic. Our hearts speed and skip beats, we sweat, and we are pushed to breathe harder. Exercise may feel as though you are having a panic attack and make you feel like a fish out of water, but this is beneficial for you, as it teaches you that your body will return to normal without causing harm or embarrassment.

 

It is best to do circuit training, where your body exerts itself and then rests, and then exerts itself again, repeating the process during exercise. This can be achieved by alternating between activities like walking, then running, and then walking and running again, or by walking uphill and downhill. Circuit training enhances your body's nerve communication and promotes calmness.

 

Additionally, when our bodies are in better shape, they return to normal status during panic episodes much more quickly than when we are out of shape. Studies show that exercise is just as effective as medication, with no side effects.

 

Stretching in the morning while lying in bed helps eliminate some of those anxious thoughts that seem to float up and immobilize you before your day begins. Create a daily stretch routine. It only has to last a few minutes. Hold each stretch for 7 seconds or until you feel the muscles start to relax. If you can't feel the muscles relaxing after 7 seconds, you're stretching too forcefully. As you condition your muscles, they will be able to accept more stretch. Other ideas are Yoga (a form of stretching and strengthening), Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Qi Gong, and swimming.

 

 

Schedule Some Downtime

 

A type "A" personality (those who never slow down), lack of sleep, a poor diet, and no exercise lead to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion and increased sensitivities. Exhaustion also leads to GAD (General Anxiety Disorder). Exhausted individuals often find themselves worried and anxious about bodily sensations they do not understand.

 

Pencil in some downtime for yourself between activities. This downtime is not to be spent doing laundry or playing video games on the sofa. Those things are fine, but not for scheduled downtime. 

 

Scheduled downtime is for quality time spent going to dinner with an upbeat friend, taking a class you enjoy, meditating or praying, soaking in seaweed bath salts, or reading a great book. Develop a plan for scheduling downtime. Your amygdalae need to relax, and so do you.

 

 

Your Amygdalae Sleep at Night, So Should You

 

Your amygdalae are a tiny pair of organs in your brain responsible for managing your emotions and your "fight or flight response". 

 

The hypothalamus is a relative of your amygdalae and has direct communication with the nerves in your eyes. This particular part of the brain is called the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN). It becomes less sensitive when you expose it to too much light. Too much light can cause it to lose its influence over your body's natural circadian rhythm. In other words, your entire system can become completely unanchored when you lose your natural rhythm between the light of the day and the darkness of the night, which can alter moods, trigger anxiety, and cause normal activities to become irregular. For example, most homes are furnished with artificial light. When you watch TV or on computer screens until well after dark, you take in too much light, making you feel like a fish out of water.

 

Nighttime is peaceful. I understand the desire to stay up at night. I tend to be a night owl myself. Although it may feel relaxing, this habit is self-defeating because it disrupts your normal circadian rhythm and your body's natural sleep-wake cycle. Staying awake after 11 PM disturbs the balance of your hormones and body chemistry.

 

Additionally, if you work nights, you will experience a disrupted circadian cycle. Studies prove that it can add years to your life. If you work irregular shifts, try to make your room as dark as possible when you sleep. Consider purchasing lamps with built-in timers that simulate sunrise when it is time to wake up.

 

If the idea of going to bed and trying to sleep causes you anxiety, don't force it. When you go to bed, it can be helpful to shift your intention from sleeping to resting. Accept that you may not sleep. Otherwise, you will become angry and upset. Use reverse psychology. Some people say they fall asleep quickly when they tell themselves they are not allowed to fall asleep.

 

If you still have trouble sleeping due to racing thoughts (hopefully not from consuming caffeine), sit up straight in bed and write down your random thoughts until you feel relaxed. Then, tell your inner child (or inner critic) that you'll look over the list tomorrow.

 

Try to avoid taking a Melatonin supplement regularly. Melatonin is a hormone, and over time, it can disrupt your internal clock, causing headaches, especially if you sleep irregular hours.

 

 

Use Your Nose to Calm Down

 

Have you ever been stopped at a traffic light and become anxious when someone else's car exhaust started invading your personal space? Some of us can become faint when confined to areas with bad or strong smells. Smells can bring on panic attacks. It's the prehistoric, instinctual self (again, the amygdalae) reacting to preserve you. The opposite is also true. It is proven that a wonderful scent can immediately calm you down. Keep one of your favorite scents close at hand whenever you need an instant lift or some calm, such as sweet orange or vanilla essential oils.

 

 

Meditate & Imagine

 

There was a time I wasn't crazy about meditating. Just the thought would make me antsy. That was before I realized I could meditate on anything I wanted to. I didn't have to chant or listen to weird background music or even try to clear my mind of everything, which is still difficult for me to do at times. No. Meditation and I were not friends until I learned to think of my favorite spot, which is the corner of my sofa. It's comforting there. I feel safe. I am at home in my "spot". And my "spot" is where I find myself calm and relaxed most of the time. Sometimes, when I feel stressed, I imagine I am on my sofa in my "spot," no matter where I am. It instantly reduces my stress level by more than half and puts a smile on my heart.

 

However, this meditation would not have worked when I was suffering intense spasms from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. For that, I had to go somewhere in my mind that didn't exist in my world. For terrible bouts of pain, I would use my imagination to go to a pristine beach, where I could sit in the warm sand and let the turquoise water lap at my feet, while a large palm provided shade, and a lone seagull called to me from overhead. In my mind, I would focus on every sound on that beach and everything I felt there. Using my imagination was my only escape. 

 

My point is that meditation doesn't have to be complicated. It can be whatever you want it to be. An effortless meditation to try is simply sitting quietly somewhere and focusing on your senses for a few moments (what you hear, smell, and feel). Take the time to live in just this moment without any concern for the past or future.

 

 

Listen to Music  

 

Listening to meditative music is an excellent way to relieve stress, broaden your perspective, foster creativity, and improve sleep.  

 

 

Positive Affirmations

 

Positive affirmations are words and sentences that encourage optimism and motivation, such as "I'm OK. I can do this!" or "I deserve to be happy." Here's the thing. You need to place these words where you can see them every day to soak them up into your mind and heart, begin to believe in them, and act on them. Positive affirmations can be written on sticky notes and stuck to your bathroom mirror or your car's dashboard. Paint an affirmation on a rock and place it beside your front door. Consider displaying lovely artwork that features beautiful wording in your hallway. Alternatively, consider purchasing a positive affirmation mug to see every time you sip your favorite beverage. Just know that positive affirmations alone won't be of much help without living a lifestyle that backs your positive thoughts and intentions.

 

 

Engage Humor

 

Watching the news, shows, and movies focused on negative emotions will only worsen your anxiety. Make a serious effort to limit watching anything that contains extreme negative emotions, such as fear, anger, and rage. Avoid the thriller and killer-type shows while learning to manage and erase your anxiety. You may enjoy this type of entertainment, but your amygdalae don't. They don't like the news channel either. Remember, they react to and remember everything you are afraid of, including what you watch on the screen. Watch comedy shows, go to a play, or watch nothing at all.

 

 

Deep Breathing 

 

Certain feel-good chemicals are released into the body when you breathe deeply, which helps calm and relax you. Taking a few deep breaths throughout the day also helps remove toxins from your body. While counting to 5, inhale light and love (positive energy) through your nose. Expand your belly and fill your chest. Hold and Count to 3. Then, counting to 5 once more, exhale fully through a slightly parted mouth to release all negative energy.

 

 

Singing Bowls

 

When the parts of your body are healthy, they create specific sound frequencies in harmony with one another. Conversely, whenever a part of your body is in a state of dis-ease, a different sound pattern is established in that part. The harmony is restored when sound is projected into the area by listening to singing bowls.

 

 

Other Therapies to Consider

 

  • Biofeedback – Devices can measure and provide feedback on biological responses to stress, such as the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) or Aura Video Station.
  • Acupuncture – Helps to balance and heal your energy field.
  • Tuning Forks – Every living thing has its unique vibration. Tuning forks help to restore yours.