We all have anxiety times. An annoying relative pays a visit; a slave-driving boss ruins your weekend plans; a traffic jam doubles your usual commute time. Occasional incidents like these aren't likely to hurt you, but chronic and ongoing anxiety is a different story.

"Prolonged anxiety becomes extremely destructive to your metabolism, body composition, and overall health," says Natasha Turner, ND, a prominent Canadian naturopathic doctor and best selling author of The Hormone Diet (thehorrnonediet.com).

Elevated cortisol (the anxiety hormone) blocks thyroid hormone and depresses your metabolic rate, she explains, boosting belly fat, robbing lean muscle, and increasing water retention, It's a perfect storm for weight gain, energy drain, reduced sleep, and had moods.

Fortunately, specific supplements can help. These are Turner's basic picks:

Relora

A mixture of herbal extracts Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron ra has been clinically proven to reduce anxiety and anxiety, says Turner. "It's often the best option for people who tend to wake up throughout the night, for highly anxiety individuals, and lot menopausal women who experience hot flashes that cause sleep disruption," she says.

Take two capsules (300-3.75 mg per capsule) before bed and one in the morning. Expect to notice a difference in about two weeks.

Rhodiola

In addition to alleviating anxiety, this herb enhances learning capacity and memory while reducing fatigue and depression. Research suggest: increases the body's production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. A more stable mood, less anxiety, fewer food cravings, more energy, and improved attention are some other documented benefits.

Take 200-400 Mg daily in the morning, without rood, for at. least six weeks.

Phosphatidylserine (PS)

PS is a building block of cell membrances, especially in the a supplement. it alleviates night-time worrying and protects the brain from the negative effect of cortisol overproduction, such as reduced memory and attention. Take 200-300 mg before going to bed.

Ashwagandha

In Ayurvedic medicine, this herb is a general tonic used to decrease anxiety, tension, anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, and fatigue; and to enhance physical performance, attention, and learning ability. Along with reducing cortisol, it increases thyroid hormone, revitalizing a sluggish metabolism. Take it if you feel overworked.

Look for supplements standardized to 1.5 percent withanolides. The typical dosage is 500-1,000 mg twice daily for at least one month.

B vitamins

Two B vitamins are especially important, says Turner: [B.sub.5] helps the body adapt to anxiety and supports a healthy adrenal gland (which Makes cortisol). [B.sub.6] taken at bedtime, corrects abnormally high cortisol production that can wake you up during the night.

B-complex formulas are a good option, but you may also need to take individual supplements to reach these totals: 200-500 mg daily of vitamin [B.sub.5] and/or 50-100 mg daily of [B.sub.6] For more restful sleep, try extra [B.sub.6] before bedtime, but take other B vitamins early in the day as they generally increase energy.

 

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