Coping with anxiety: Can diet make a difference?

Anxiety symptoms can make you feel unwell. Coping with anxiety can be a challenge and often requires making lifestyle changes. While changing what you eat won’t cure anxiety, it may help.

Try these steps:

• Eat a breakfast that includes some protein. Eating protein at breakfast can help you feel fuller longer and help keep your blood sugar steady. That means you’ll have more energy as you start your day.
• Eat complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are thought to raise the amount of serotonin in the brain. This can have a calming effect. Eat foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains. Examples of whole grains include oatmeal, quinoa, whole-grain breads and whole-grain cereals. Stay away from foods that contain simple carbohydrates, such as sugary foods and drinks.
• Drink plenty of water. Even mild dehydration — when the body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids — can affect your mood and make you more anxious.
• Limit or avoid alcohol. At first, alcohol may calm your body. But as your body processes the alcohol, you may feel edgy. Alcohol also can affect how well you sleep.
• Limit or avoid caffeine. Stop drinking caffeine at least 10 hours before bedtime or don’t drink beverages that have caffeine. Caffeine can make you feel jittery, nervous and more anxious. It also can affect how well you sleep.
• Pay attention to the foods you’re sensitive to. Certain foods or food additives can cause physical reactions that are not pleasant. These physical reactions may lead to shifts in mood. These shifts can include irritability or anxiety.
• Try to eat healthy, balanced meals. Healthy eating is important for overall physical and mental health. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and don’t overeat. It also may help to regularly eat fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon.

Changes to your diet may improve your general mood or sense of well-being, but they’re no substitute for anxiety treatment. Lifestyle changes, such as sleeping better, getting more social support, using techniques that lower stress and getting regular exercise, also may help. Be patient, as it may take some time before these changes affect your anxiety.

If your anxiety is bad or gets in the way of your daily activities or how much you enjoy life, you may need some counseling. This type of counseling is known as talk therapy, also called psychotherapy. You also may need medicine or other treatment.