Treating anxiety with food/supplements

[Kaloobear]

A few years ago I had a bad spate of anxiety and stress and the GP put me on anti ds. They worked well and I was only on them for a few months. I was having a really bad time at work and put the symptoms down to that.

For the past three months I've been feeling really anxious a lot again, plus massive mood swings and generally low mood. I keep bursting into tears at nothing and generally feel crap. I'm on maternity leave so work stress is not the cause! DD is 7 months and I don't have to go back to work till September, so though I'm a bit worried about it, I don't think it's particularly related to that either. I'm not sure where it's come from.

I'm reluctant to go back on anti ds-I've worked really hard recently to lose weight and don't want to hamper that, plus I feel like they're for more serious conditions while I just feel sad and crap. There's nothing wrong in my life, I just need to cheer up somehow!

I was wondering whether anyone has any experience of addressing mood/stress/anxiety issues with food or supplements. I've heard of 5-HTP as a serotonin supplement, but can't find much about how well it works. I eat pretty healthily already-are there dietary changes people have found useful? I don't drink often and do occasional exercise but am upping it at the mo as I know that's supposed to help.

Any ideas gratefully received, thanks for your help.

I am bumping this as I am interested to hear replies to your thread too. I started to take AD s on a low dose about a month ago but I have been reading stuff on the net that is putting me off.
I would much rather try natural mood boosters. Obviously soaking up as much sun as possible is one of the best ways to raise serotonin.
Also writing a gratitude diary things that you are grateful about or things that have made you happy during the day.
Personally I like to read self help books as they help to remind you about look at things in a fresh way.
I do feel my anxiety is more physical though (linked to my cycle) but am going to talk to a doctor on friday.

I have found a vit D supplement to be hugely helpful this last year. (And a light box in the winter - SAD sufferer)

Vit D is biggish news at the mo so lots of googalable info around if you wanted to find out more.

A few years back, I recall, I had a healthy phase of porridge and banana for brekkie and read later that these are serotonin boosters.

St Johns wort is great! Others may say it is no good for anxiety but I would disagree. You need a quality supplement though and take a big enough dose. It will intefere with certain medications such as the contraceptive pill though. I found 5 Htp made me drowsey. Tryptophan is the substance in bananas that helps the body make seratonin and I also found this helpful at night to help sleep.
Hope this helps

Hm, ok thanks all-will do some more research on vitamin D and St John's Wort. I already eat porridge for breakfast

topsi was the 5 HTP recommended to you or prescribed or did you just give it a go?

I was told recently that a big stimulus for anxiety is refined sugars (and obviously, caffeinated drinks). If you can cut down / cut out those ingredients in your daily diet, it can help - so you can reduce anxiety by changing what you might normally overlook as a symptom agitator, before looking at things to add into your diet to help you feel the balance you need. I agree, bananas are good, the potassium will perk you up too.

I don't drink tea or coffee but I do drink a lot of diet coke-I'd never considered the caffeine might be an issue before...

Is it possible you might be low on iron ? I get the worst symptoms linked to my cycle so am wondering if anaemia might cause anxiety symptoms.

Get a good vitamin B complex. That is good for nerves. I find a nice banana smoothies helps too (banana, yoghurt milk and honey zizzed up). I am sure there ae some good nutrients in there.

Avoid fatty and sugary foods as they can affect mood. Bach flower remedies are used by loads of people - they do a few different types and also do sweeties in a tin (I find them too sweet for me though).

I think I possibly am low on iron kerstina - I am often dizzy when I stand up and I have really heavy periods, but I do eat lots of spinach etc. I'm normally allowed to give blood and occasionally turned away, so I guess my levels are low-ish. I didn't know that could affect mood though-that's interesting.

I'm wondering if maybe I should just buy a multi vitamin and take that as it seems like their could be quite a few things that could make a difference. Does anyone know whether there's any benefit to taking these things separately to in a multi-vit?

Frontpaw I don't know why I didn't think of rescue remedy, I used it by the bucketload when I was pregnant!

YY, Iwas on ADs for a while, then had another bout of depression but did a bit of reading up and got bloods done. I was borderline anaemic, also low on Vits D, B12 and magnesium. I took good doses for a while to boost my levels, now must take half the recommended daily amount and try to eat very well.

Also walk a bit every day, even if it's 15 mins (I work from home so need to get away from the computer anyway). And yes, I use a lightbox whenever the sky's been grey for more than a day most of the bloody time

just take

Dizzy sounds like blood pressure. The liquid iron is good, especially when you pop it into orange juice. I can't remember the brand name but they sell it in Boots? Bit B is good but don't take mega huge doses as it can make you red and blotchy and itchy.

I find that tying to regulate sleep has a big effect. Even if you need to go to bed at 9pclock with a book and cup of herbal tea.

I recently went to the GP with symptoms similar to the ones you describe and, because I flatly refused AD's, she did come up with some useful advise.

Evening primrose oil - this has really helped me

St Johns Wort - I don't rate it but I know many do

Vitamin B6 - get a good quality one, you shouldn't have to pay through the nose.

Give up caffeine I have half given it up - in my case I turn into a fire breathing dragon two weeks before my period so I have given up caffeine in these two weeks and it does help.

Don't just take multivits and assume that it will all be fine. There is some recent evidence against this - mild increase in cancer risk according to my GP

HTH

The liquid iron is called Floradix I think, it tastes like shit but it is bioavailable (easy for the body to absorb)

The one I took came in long thin plastic pouches. It wasn't too bad, and if you put it in prune juice, wasn't bad at all!

I suffer from pretty bad anaemia and pretty bad anxiety - why hadn't I thought of them being connected before?

Thanks for this thread, OP. I'm going to take advantage of some of the advice being given.

I would avoid the diet coke if I was you:
www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html

Patrick Holford has some interesting ideas re treating mood disorders with food and supplements:
www.amazon.co.uk/The-Feel-Good-Factor-motivate/dp/0749953160/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1334845721&sr=8-5

Mollified did you take evening primrose and st john's wort together?

Thanks for the iron suggestions all.

Food for thought...

Omega 3-6-9 supplements are quite good too. It's best to try to avoid anything that's processes - so try to eat food/drink things that are as close to their 'natural' state as possible (so a bean salad rather than baked beans, or make a jacket potato rather than oven chips). I won't go as far as to say eat raw,but it does work for some people

kotuku Fuck. I mean...fuck. I drink at least 2, if not 3 cans of coke a day. My mind is properly boggled right now.

I was consuming it at that level and had side effects coming off it - headaches, cravings etc but it was worth it, felt much better after it. If you can't live without caffeine you are much better off with coffee or tea.

Also how did you lose the weight? Fat is essential for mental health, make sure you are getting plently of good fats from fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, etc. I also take fish oil supplements.

ANother vote for Vit D - most of us are deficient in this country most of the year - DH has put us all on it, and definitely less depression in this house now.

I lost the weight on WW so it's been pretty healthy. I eat a fair amount of mackarel, nuts, seeds etc. I tend to use fry light rather than olive oil but I do use it on potatoes and other things going in the oven.