5 Solutions to Fight Anxiety Naturally

Life is a series of teachable moments. Without conflict or challenges, life really isn’t living if you think about it. For instance, you could be sitting down with a glass of red wine, about ready to do some work on your laptop, when suddenly your hyperactive cat slams into the coffee table, and there’s red wine splattered all over your beige carpets. (Trust me, this just happened.) Your initial reaction is to stand there paralyzed and take in the whole mess with a “Oh my gosh, there goes my productive evening and my carpet,” and anxiety takes hold. Anxiety, loosely defined, is the inability to accept the things you cannot control and allow them to passively control you. Now, when you have red wine stains all over your carpet, the one thing you need to do and must in order to prevent further damage is to act and sop up the mess. If you’re anxious, this may not happen.

The first thing you need to realize is the source of the anxiety. In this case, it’s red wine. In other cases, it could be more generalized. You can’t control everything; in this regard, something you can depend on, such as a routine, can help. Exercise is one regimen you can employ to clear your head and regulate your thoughts while giving your body the endorphins it needs to heighten your sense of well-being and give you the motivation, a plan of action, if you will, to tackle those tasks you need to do to get you back on track. Repetitive exercise, such as jogging or a stationary bike, is ideal, especially if you use music as an accompaniment to your activity. Treating exercise as a reward, instead of a chore, will give you an appreciation of the activity and a sense of purpose.

Exercise can be considered a form of meditation. In fact, yoga, as a practice, includes asanas (positions) to bring the physical into the mind/body dynamic, especially considering the fact that the brain is the largest muscle in the body. This doesn’t mean that you suddenly sit down in the lotus position when you should be running to get the carpet cleaner; but a few deep breaths and centering  yourself can keep you from completely losing it with the cat or giving up before you begin. Consider taking a hatha yoga class, which combines the physical with the mental regimens to achieve self-realization and enlighten you as to what deserves enough attention to worry about.

Kava kava, a South Pacific pepper plant, gained widespread popularity in the late 1990sas a treatment for anxiety. Gaia Herbs makes a capsule formula in a vegan-friendly formula that can calm you down in a safe herbal supplement. Another  dietary supplement, in capsule form, is from Vital Nutrients and  its Kava Kava Root.  For an easy-to-take liquid form, consider Gaia Herbs’ Kava Kava extract. NOW offers its Kava Kava Extract to keep you relaxed and stress-free in a vegetarian formula. 
 

Believe it or not, Valium, the 1970’s miracle prescription drug for nervous housewives nationwide, is derived from valerian. You can get this ingredient naturally from NOW and its Stress Plus tablets that also contain a full range of B vitamins. Nature’s Way offers their Valerian Extract in capsule form; you can take it during the day to take the edge off or at night for a restful sleep. For an easy-to-take liquid form, consider Herb Pharm’s Valerian, available in both an alcohol or alcohol-free tincture form that can be mixed in water. 

According to the National Institutes of Health, St. John’s wort is an herb useful as a natural treatment for anxiety and depression.  To get this recommended supplement in your diet, consider Enzymatic Therapy’s St. John’s Wort Extract in tablet form made from the herb’s flower heads. NOW has their Mood Support capsules in a vegan-friendly formula, along with B vitamins, folic acid, magnesium and the energy enhancer taurine. Herb Pharm offers their St. John’s Wort Extract in an easy-to-take liquid form, as well as an oil that can be applied topically. 

For an excellent selection of high-quality supplements to relieve the symptoms of anxiety, please visit the Mood Section at CAMFormulas.com!

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