Natural Alternatives to Alleviate Anxiety
Mental health is taken seriously in current times due to many factors. However, it seems as if there are too many people with mental health issues. Reasons can vary from irregularities in a person’s biochemistry, overstressed, or other variables. The concern is that in many places physicians prescribe medicine such as antidepressants as if it is a complete solution to an individual’s problem. Common names for antidepressants are Zoloft, Prozac, and Paxil. They all come in different levels of strength, and some of them may provide energy or drowsiness.
The complication with antidepressants has side effects such as confusion, fatigue, indigestion, and others. Even with side effects they are still being prescribed. As it seems it has not solved the primary cause of mental illness (People tend to stay on meds long-term). So why even prescribe such medicine? There could be a number of reasons why they are prescribed. Pharmaceutical companies tend to have a big market and more importantly the lack of education on what causes mental health problems. Implementing alternatives can solve many of these predicaments. There are a number of methods a person can approach this. So, in this post there will be examples with some recommended processes an individual can experiment with.
Simple tasks that anyone can do!
- Yoga.
- Meditation/Breathing.
- Gut healthy foods.
- Spend more time in nature.
- Unplug for sometime.
- Be active.
Yoga
Yoga is an ancient practice that has been going on for thousands of years. Yoga offers people a great experience and has many benefits because of all the inhaling and exhaling. Yoga in the west is viewed as only stretching and twisting the body. If done properly the individual will feel in a blissful state. Yoga means union to bring together the body, mind, and spirit. The yoga practice I recommend doing is Upa yoga provided by the Isha Foundation. They have several easy and quick videos on yoga. I highly recommend watching the directions first before attempting. Another tip is to do yoga with an empty stomach since it enhances the experience. (wait 1 and a half after eating so the food can digest).
Meditation/Breathing
Meditation does wonders for the mind if done correctly. It really clears your mind and one important tip is to naturally focus on your breath. From time to time your thoughts will wander off to somewhere else. But all you have to do is concentrate on the breath and the rest will work on it’s own. Breathing keeps us calm and alive of course. A technique for breathing can be inhaling in for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, and exhaling for 4 seconds. Repeat as many times as needed. As there are many types of meditations out there, one I often do is isha kriya. Again, do this with an empty stomach since it enhances the experience. (wait 1 and a half after eating so the food can digest).
Gut healthy foods
Foods that are good for the gut can put you in a good mood. Since every human has something called microbiome in the gut. If inflamed it can affect your brain which can potentially cause anxiety and other illnesses. Some foods with probiotics can help you like yogurt, kimchi, miso soup, broth, and tempeh. Any foods that are great for digestion and also avoid overeating since it will cause inertia in which the body will take longer to digest the food (You will be tired because the body is using energy to break down food). Avoid foods that make you gassy which can lead to stomach problems.
Spend more time in nature
If you spend more time in nature you would feel much better in a short time. There is research that shows that when a person views or surrounds themselves around nature it reduces stress. It gives a person a calming experience and increases their well-being. Usually, around fresh green environments and seeing water (Ex. Sea, Lake) makes a person feel peaceful. If one regularly involves themselves around nature it makes a positive impact in their lives. Some examples can be a park, beach, or going on a hike in natural environments. If you are interested in reading the article I’ll leave a link at the bottom of the post.
Unplug for sometime
Stepping away from your devices can make a difference in your day to day. Popular sites like social media can be quite distracting with posts, articles, and news. Now it may not be terrible looking at it, but excessive scrolling does not help a person in any way. A person is absorbing so much information it fatigues the person which can lead to stress (Cortisol levels go up). Some techniques can help by putting your devices in a different room or downloading an application that can block you from using them for a certain period of time. Examples could be Zen mode if you have a OnePlus phone. Alternatives can be forest, Offtime, or others. You are eliminating distractions which can lead to some peace of mind.
Be active
Being active is crucial for the body and the mind. “When your body moves the brain grooves” Jim Kwik stated this. I believe this to be true since moving your body makes you feel great and there’s blood flow to the brain which activates Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The benefit of this are reducing the risk of depression, and protects the brain from neurodegenerative diseases. Some activities a person can involve themselves are sports, strength training, dancing, or anything that gets you moving. A minimum of twenty minutes daily is enough.
Conclusion
There are many alternatives to reduce the risk of mental health issues. The idea is to steer away from medicine since there are side effects to them. More or less being dependent on medicine seems to be risky since the individual will always need it. The best course of action is to always be alert and understand how the human mind and body operate. In other words, being mindful of certain patterns occurring within.
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Link: Nature article.
