3 Things You May Not Know About Anxiety

Anxiety is an area that holistic medicine can have great success in treating. Medicinal herbs which exert an anti-anxiety effect can achieve great results as they are typically non-habit forming and posses a number of additional positive indications that the individual can benefit from. Food as Medicine can play an important role in treating mild deficiencies of a number of key nutrients that have been linked to improving anxiety. I’d like to share with you 3 things you may not be aware of, when it comes to anxiety:

1. According to the World Health Organisation’s Stuart Tomc, there are more than 4 million people in Australia living with depression or anxiety, and research has shown a link to low levels of omega-3 fatty acids with a higher prevalence of mental health issues. The recommended intake to achieve optimum omega-3 levels is 3 servings per week of oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines.
2. Talking about anxiety can be a successful approach to dealing with feelings that are being experienced and could potentially reduce symptoms. Simply by talking to a trusted friend or family member, it shares the experience and can offer some perspective into isolated situations or even major issues that may be afoot. Talking can help reduce the distress and stigma around anxiety and could help bring relief, or a recommendation to a suitable professional if further guidance is needed.  There are amazing free resources you can access, in Australia we have Lifeline, a 24 phone and text support on 13 11 14, or check out their website 
3. The bark of Magnolia (Magnolia officinalis), of which is native to the mountains and valleys of China, has been shown to possess anti-anxiety properties. The bark, rich in lignans and alkaloids, have returned promising results in research both in laboratory and animal studies (Lee et al, 2011; Sarka & Maruyama, 2002). Magnolia is a relatively new player on the herbal field with regards to western society, however the bark has been used for over 1000 years in Traditional Chinese Medicine and in Japanese culture. It has other beneficial actions such being anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, antidepressant and anti-microbial.

Many of us may have at one time or another experienced anxiety; ranging from a mild, one-off episode or panic attack, or perhaps more on-going. Do you have a go-to remedy for anxiety?  I must admit I have a bottle of Bach Flower Rescue Remedy in my handbag, just in case the need arises!  Perfect to soothe toddler tantrums and super safe with any current medications.

Courtney Clark
Naturopath & Nutritionist

…using nature to nurture life… xx