# Struggles and Support > Nutrition, Supplements and Exercise >  >  Foods To Eat, Foods To Avoid...

## MobileChucko

For those that suffer with an anxiety disorder, like myself, here is a list of foods to eat, and foods to avoid...


Foods to avoid would be:

caffeine
too much salt (you only need between 1.5 to 3 teaspoons a day)
chili or spicy powders
alcohol
refined sugar and wheat aka "gut glues" (baked goods, cakes, cookies, white bread, pasta, granola, muffins, etc)
refined soy (soy milk, tofu, soybean oil)
industrial seed oils (canola oil, rice bran oil etc)
dairy if lactose sensitive
too many legumes, nuts and seeds - avoid peanuts
junk food 
fast food
candy


Foods to eat (these contain GABA, theanine and tryptophan boosters):

Water (even the slightest dehydration triggers anxiety warning bells)

Low carbohydrate, alkaline-forming vegetables eg. asparagus, bamboo shoots, beets, bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbages, capsicum/bell peppers, carrots, celery, cauliflower, chard, chicory, choy sum, collards, cucumber, eggplant/aubergine, en choy, endive, escarole, gai lan, garlic, green beans, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, New Zealand spinach, okra, onions, peas, pumpkin, radish, rutabagas, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, tatsoi, turnips, and watercress.

Low carbohydrate, alkaline-forming fruits eaten “just ripe” are best for anxiety, such as apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, cherries, coconut, currants, grapefruit, grapes, guavas, kiwi fruit, kumquats, lemons, limes, loquats, lychees, nectarines, oranges, passion fruit, peaches, pears, persimmons, rhubarb, sapotes, strawberries and tomatoes.

Nori (seaweed) is great for iodine and potassium, calcium, vitamins A, B1, C and E.

Lemon balm, rosemary, thyme and sage are natural anxiety and stress relievers in terms of herbs. Ginger for spices, and chamomile, lavender and dandelion in terms of edible flowers.

Mushrooms are great for B vitamins, selenium, copper, and potassium.

Meat with fat (not lean) and offal (livers!) are awesome for zinc, vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorus, niacin, vitamin B6, choline, riboflavin and iron. A number of forms of meat are also high in K2. Grass-fed is best.

Seafood provides high-quality protein, including oil-rich fish like salmon as great sources of Omega-3 oils as well as shellfish being particularly good for zinc.

Healthy fats and oils to use for cooking include avocado oil, butter, coconut oil, ghee, lard, macadamia oil, olive oil, schmaltz and tallow.   

Bone broths (or soups with bones, especially marrow bones) are great for those suffering anxiety and from acid reflux, IBS, or FODMAPS intolerance. The glycine found in bone broths is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning that it helps you relax and improves sleep quality.

Eggs provide several vitamins and minerals, including vitamina A, B, D and E, choline, iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. Especially high in Omega-3 fatty acids, they are an excellent source of energy for anxiety sufferers.

Raw, fermented, full-fat dairy is probably best, such as cultured butter, yogurt, kefir, clotted milk, and aged cheese (gouda, cheddar). Full-fat, organic dairy would be next best while avoiding homogenised milk if you can.

Fermented foods and drinks to try out are sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, coconut yogurt and tempeh. While helping balance your gut flora, many fermented foods increase the amount of B vitamins present, which is especially beneficial to anxiety sufferers.

Some nuts and seeds that are good are almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, chia seeds, flax seeds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pepitas, pine nuts, pistachios, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and walnuts.

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## L

Why spicy foods. Spices can be really good for your health. Depending on how it is prepared of course.

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## MobileChucko

Hi "L"...

Spicy foods are considered to be a stimulant to both the physical body, and the mind, and stimulants combined with anxiety disorders is not a good mix.  People with anxiety disorders also tend to have digestive problems.  Spicy foods tend to stay in the stomach longer, so they are more difficult to process.  This can lead to other problems such as acid reflex causing heartburn which also can trigger anxiety.

Spicy foods do indeed have some good properties, "L", but for a person with an anxiety disorder and a sensitive stomach, they can be nothing but trouble...

The very best to you, "L"!...  Chuck :;):

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## Total Eclipse

Why the soy? I'm vegan-- so soy is a stable for me, at times.... For me, I have a complicated health issue.. I'm told to put half a teaspoon of salt in all the water I drink.  Also avocado oil is amazing in cooking!

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## Lunaire

> Why the soy? I'm vegan-- so soy is a stable for me, at times.... For me, I have a complicated health issue.. I'm told to put half a teaspoon of salt in all the water I drink.  Also avocado oil is amazing in cooking!



I don't think I could live without my tofu! Mmmm  :riot:

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## lethargic nomad

Screw that.  Those are my favorite foods- coffee, tofu, curry, peanut butter, alcohol, soy milk.  No way I'm eating meat and bone broth, gross .

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## Aliya_12

I know those should-be-avoid food are not good, but still can't resist  ::(:

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## Otherside

> I know those should-be-avoid food are not good, but still can't resist



Tell me about it. I know caffeine and an anxiety disorder don't mix, but I need something to wake me up at 7AM.

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## fetisha

its going to be hard giving all that up -______-

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## whisperingzombking

I'm on a low carb diet. 
No chocolate,  sweets, ( candy) crisps(potato chips),  biscuits( cookies),  juices or alcohol,  definitely no bread , pasta , rice, cake, etc all the sugary stuff . No coffee or tea also.
It was easier than I thought it was.

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