Foods to Avoid

• When you suffer from anxiety, it is important to cut out stimulants such as coffee, soda, chocolate and tea. These products contain caffeine, which increases feelings of anxiety and interferes with efforts to feel calm and stress free.
  
  Sugar and processed foods also deplete the system of valuable nutrients and antioxidants, which promote stress-free living. To limit feelings of anxiety, avoid foods that contain preservatives, MSG, saturated fat and sugar.
  
  Alcohol should be limited, since it increases emotional sensitivity, prompting anxiety symptoms. Alcohol also requires the body to need extra vitamins and makes it harder for the body to use oxygen.
  
  

Foods to Eat

• To help manage anxiety symptoms, make healthful changes in the diet. Drink at least 64 ounces of water to prevent dehydration, which causes the body to feel tired, weak and not fully alert.
  
  Carbohydrates and protein are important to the diet because they regulate blood-sugar levels. Eat foods high in protein such as lean meat, nuts, beans and tofu. Fresh fruits, whole grains and raw vegetables are also good sources of vitamins and minerals, reducing the chances of deficiency in the body.
  
  Omega-3 oils from fish are beneficial to the body to reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. Fish oils lower cholesterol levels and also relieve tension and stress on the heart and body to function. Other beneficial nutrients include zinc, calcium, vitamins C and B, and magnesium.
  
  

Suggestions

• Eating habits may play a role in anxiety symptoms. To reduce daily stress levels, eat food slowly so that it has time to digest without causing a feeling of bloat or indigestion. Stress through eating is directly related to stomach cramping or other digestive ailments, as well as indirectly to lack of absorbed nutrients.