About Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are the most common form of emotional disorder and can affect anyone at any age. Lifestyle changes can be an effective way to relive some of the stress and anxiety you may cope with every day. Most of the natural “remedies” consist of caring for your body, participating in healthy activities, and eliminating unhealthy ones. Here are some ways to lay down a strong foundation for your health, and in the process experience less stress and anxiety: Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night. Sleep is important for restoration and healing. Getting enough sleep helps to reduce inflammation, curbs cravings for simple sugars and refined carbs, and helps you think more clearly & creatively. Drink 12-16 ounces of water upon waking (and plenty throughout the day). We are very dehydrated when we wake up in the morning - having gone 8 hours without any water! Drinking warm lemon water (with just a pinch of sea salt) before your coffee can help replenish lost electrolytes and stimulate your digestive system (it also sets you up for remembering to drink more water throughout your day!). Spending time outside first thing in the morning helps to reset your circadian rhythm naturally. If you’re someone who has trouble falling asleep at night, this is an amazing tool to get better sleep! Taking a break for each hour of work to stretch or move your body (walks are my favorite). Breaks are essential for our minds to work optimally. Breaks are often seen as disruptors to our productivity, but quite the opposite is true. Research shows that we need to take a break at least every 60 minutes of working on something, and should never multi-task. Our gut health influences everything from our weight, to our mood, to our cognitive ability. It can be the reason for our back pain, the root of our depression, and of course, the cause of our digestive issues. Trillions of microbes are living in the digestive tract, with at least 400 species of bacteria in the gut. This means that there are more bacteria in the gut than the cells throughout the body. These microbes are essential in digesting food, warding off potential pathogens or harmful microorganisms, and synthesizing vitamins. Adding a prebiotic or probiotic supplement to your diet may be a great way to improve your gut health. Prebiotics provide “food” meant to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, while probiotics are live good bacteria. People with bacterial overgrowth, such as SIBO, should not take probiotics. Not all probiotic supplements are high quality or will actually provide benefit. It’s best to consult your healthcare provider when choosing a probiotic or prebiotic supplement to ensure the best health benefit.