5 Foods Not To Eat If You Have Anxiety

I am someone who deals with anxiety and it's not at all fun. I have dealt with this for many years now. Could be because, I've been mugged twice:(

I came across this article by rootedblessings.com that pertains to foods that actually help cause someone's anxiety to spring. Unfortunately, it's everything I enjoy:)

Not only are anxiety and depression disorders very common in the US today, but they are also very expensive.  Anxiety disorders cost the US right around $42 billion each year.  Yowsa!

What you may not know is that anxiety can often be treated with a change in diet.  Ditching certain foods from the diet and adding others back in can bring many sufferers much relief.  There are also some key nutrients that can be added back into the diet in order to help the body continue towards optimal healing.

Refined Sugar - Refined sugars not only deplete the body of much-needed nutrients, but they also cause your body to be on a blood sugar roller coaster which can further deplete your endocrine glands and wreak havoc on your body.  This depletion of the endocrine glands is what will cause feelings of overwhelmedness, depression and anxiety.  Once your endocrine glands are so depleted this can not only cause increased anxiety, but it can also disrupt your sex hormones and cause a deceased libido.  Not only that but decreased sugar intake is also known to increase your chances of getting heart disease by causing an imbalance in your blood sugar and depleting your body of essential nutrients.    Sugar is also known for feeding cancer cells.  Run away from any refined sugars.  Run far away.

Caffeine - Coffee, a drink that so many fine glorious (I am not a coffee drinker) stimulates the adrenal glands which sends the body’s fight or flight mechanisms into action.  This can exhaust the adrenal glands which can cause the endocrine system to become exhausted.  When your endocrine system is exhausted it is difficult for it to handle stress.  Feelings of overwhelm will come easily, and loud noises will put a person over the edge who has exhausted adrenals.

Fat - Didn’t think you’d see this here did you?  I am a big advocate of fats, especially animal fats from pastured raised animals and wild caught fish, cold pressed nut and seed oils.  I don’t mean to stay away from those.  Actually, fat is a big factor in healthy endocrine function.  However, we do live in a world with horrible rancid fats that can cause free radicals to exist in the body and harm it.  What oils should you stay away from?  Canola oil, refined oils, margarine, and anything that you might find in a fast food restaurant. Never touch olive oil that is in a clear container or any nut or see oils that have not been cold pressed.

Refined Flours and Wheat – Breads, Pasta, Bagels and cookies can all be sources of refined flours and wheat products.  Many people who struggle from depression also struggle from a dysbiosis of the gut.  Other grains such as Rye, Oats and Barley can be culprits as well if they contain gluten which can irritate the digestive tract.   Once the gut is inflamed the digestive tract is not able to absorb essential nutrients to keep the body properly balanced. Many studies have indicated that people with a gluten intolerance have very low levels of serotonin.  Serotonin is a chemical needed in the body to reduced anxiety and depression.

Soy - This food is a hormone and endocrine disruptor and is almost always of the GMO variety. Soy has a very depressing effect on the thyroid and can cause the body to have trouble absorbing iodine, iron and zinc.  All these nutrients are essential to a healthy immune system. Soy is very difficult to digest especially when it is not fermented.  This protein can also damage the digestive tract.  According to The Mood Cure, “Soy contains mineral-blocking phytates, acknowledged even by the soy industry as interfering with the absorption of antidepressant thyroid hormones as well as the thyroid- and brain-crucial mineral iodine, iron and zinc.”