This information is provided for educational purposes and guidance ONLY and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prevent any disorder/disease. I encourage you to make your own health care decisions in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
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My Experience with Anxiety
I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety disorder by three different professionals when I was in my 20’s. Today, I know I didn’t really need those official diagnoses to tell me I suffer from anxiety. I often describe my personal experiences as having my darn emotions highjack my system and steal my inner peace. I worry about insignificant things and go into a “fight or flight” mode, which disrupts my daily life and has a harsh my health.
Well over 3 million people go to the ER with anxiety issues each year. We are not alone! Any form of anxiety can be nearly debilitating at times. I’ll be the first to admit that I am on a low-dose medication through my doctor to help with the reducing the effects of anxiety.
As I age, I have learned to make extra efforts in reducing anxiety attacks. I often avoid situations that may increase my anxiety levels. I have learned to somewhat control my environment. Also, in an effort to better the effects it has on my overall health, I have researched many different avenues to help me work my way through life without letting the anxiety monster take over. Luckily, my doctor is well studied in anxiety and the different medications and methods used in reducing anxiety. She has recommended and taught me so much over the last few visits. Thankfully, I am on a journey that I know will take me to where I want to be in life.
SELF CARE IS SO IMPORTANT! So many moms put their needs as the lowest priority. I fell into that trap too! The main purpose of self-care is to restore energy and learn small practices that can seriously help you thrive in this busy, social and complicated world we live in. We all NEED to make ourselves a priority!
Let’s look at my practices in self-care that tremendously help in reducing anxiety. …the obvious, the researched and the doctor-advised. It is my hope to help others that experience anxiety in any form big or small!
Self Care is SO Important!
When it comes to true self care (which is wanting the bet for ourselves), the easiest way to care for others is to learn to take care of ourselves first. Yes, I’m talking to all of you moms out there! Self care plays a vital role in our own emotional wellbeing and our overall health!
Reducing anxiety is all about finding the right tools, plans and tendencies! With a lower stress level, we can fight the aging process, our immunity and so much more!
Anxiety can be managed through a mixed approach…think of it as tools you can use whether it be medications, supplements, mindset shifts or lifestyle changes.
Want to Change Your Overall Wellbeing?
8 Tools for Managing Anxiety
1. SLEEP
Getting the amount of sleep you need (I’d suggest 6-8 hours but everyone is different!) is SO important when it comes to your overall health! I tell my children that it is during sleep that the body does the work of taking care of the brain and body. It’s a “reset” that leads to increased energy, focus and productivity in your day. Not to mention your mood!
I use a natural supplement each night with great scientific studies behind it that can help you achieve quality sleep each night. My sons swear by it too!
*Email me at kasuallykly@gmail.com for more information on the natural sleep product I use. I’m happy to help!
Another thing that we need to consider when getting quality sleep is the effects your phone/computer can have on your body’s ability to release natural sleep-inducing melatonin. This reduces both the quantity and quality of your sleep. The blue light emitted from these devices can severely alter your body’s internal clock (or circadian rhythm) to a later schedule. The very first thing my doctor recommended to me when I complained of my sleep patterns was blue-light blocking glasses.
I purchased this in September and wear them every day…all day–> BLUE LIGHT BLOCKING GLASSES
2. EXERCISE
This is so important for overall health and longevity! Exercise optimizes your blood flow allowing enough oxygen to reach all vital organs. It also releases those VERY important feel-good endorphins upping your happiness scale and giving you a zen-like feeling. You should try to move every day but, HELLO, I’m a mom of six and know that is not possible sometimes! I do try! These days I am happy getting in a challenging exercise for at least 45 minutes 3x/week in order to stay strong physically and mentally.
Grab a yoga mat, a set of weights, booty bands (so effective!) and get busy! Strengthen your body to strengthen your mind and live a longer happier life!
Here’s a great workout I found that would be easy to incorporate booty bands to give added tension. I love the format of this workout! You can choose one from each section and go down the list to make it a full-body circuit workout!
3. BREATH & RELAX!
It is so important to develop a daily relaxation practice. I found the Relaxing Breathing technique and it definitely works for me when my heart feels like it is going to pound out of my chest. I even do it in the middle of the night sometimes! 1) Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whooshing sound. 2) Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose for a count of four. 3) Hold your breath for a count of seven 4) Exhale completely through your mouth for a count of eight (I try to think of a fun/sweet moment in my life and smile as I exhale each time…seriously, try it!) 5) Repeat three to four times.
Just remember…inhale calmness and exhale stress!
4. MEDITATION
I will be honest with you. I have just recently ventured in to taking meditation seriously. My mind is constantly running so it is very difficult to pause and take a few moments beyond my normal breathing techniques. However, I was gifted this book from a friend found it to be very helpful in beginning my much needed escape into meditation. I tried apps in the past but this book truly helps you understand the importance and ease of incorporating a few moments of tranquility when you need it!
5. GRATITUDE
No matter what kind of situation you find yourself in, it is up to you to choose your reaction. Find the positive or perhaps the lesson learned from the situation! Find something to be grateful for.
A gratitude journal is an amazing thing! It has gotten me through so many rough times in my life! I love this one (linked from amazon) because it “helps to cultivate an attitude of gratitude” and that is so very important when you suffer from anxiety or depression!
6. QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS
As I said, my doctor has studied the long-term effects anxiety has on individuals both mentally and physically. She has made it her mission to help ease her patients into a better understanding of anxiety and how we can naturally train our brains to think in a more positive way. The benefits of this are tremendous and help to ease the dreaded aging process and build our immunity.
She believes that several supplements can truly help relieve symptoms and improve our overall wellbeing while we take the previous steps I have mentioned to work on an overall mindset makeover.
Here are the top supplements that I have found in my personal journey to help ease my mind and help my bodies aging process. You can click on the name of supplement to take you to the brands my doctor researched and recommended to me.
*Of course, you should always check with your doctor to make sure there are no interactions with your current medications.
- Ashwaganda 400mg daily. This works by lowering cortisol release from the adrenal glands, which helps reduce anxiety and the associated harmful effects of stress on the body. Recents studies have shown this this product not only relieves anxiety but also clinical trials indicates its helpful in fighting inflammation and cognitive/neurologic disorders!
- N-acetyl-L-cystein (NAC). This normally comes in 600 mg capsules, so you would need 4-6/day. This supplement is crucial to reduce high levels of anxiety including OCD, PTSD generalized anxiety disorder and depression.
- Vitamin D 5000 IU daily. Studies have shown that people suffering from anxiety and depression have Vitamin D deficiencies. If you can’t get enough natural Vitamin D from the sun or your diet, supplements can help!
- Curcumin from Turmeric Root 1000 mg daily. This is an anti-inflammatory and neuro protective agent. It prevents cognitive decline and has immediate benefits for working memory. It improves mood and memory by at least 17% and reduces pain related to inflammation.
- Coenzyme Q 10 100-200 mg twice daily. This enzyme helps to improve the resilience and overall function of nerve cells. It offsets the effects of aging (cell death from free radicals and oxidation) and is extremely important to lower risk of suffering from severe medical diseases.
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids. DHA and EPA combination 2200 mg daily. There are many forms to choose from including fish oil and plant-based products. It is extremely important to include this in your daily regimen as it exceptionally improves overall brain function, cognition and mood. Significant improvements in executive function and risk reduction for dementia are additional benefits.
7. AVOID TRIGGERS
You may be surprised by the number of triggers in your life that cause stress. It is so helpful to try to eliminate those that you recognize to have an effect on your stress.
- Learn how to say “no.” Only you know your own limits whether in your personal or professional life. Avoid taking on more than you can handle!
- Avoid people who stress you out. Limit your time with people that are always bringing stress into your life. Often called toxic friendships…just limit your time or end the “friendship” completely. I can honestly say this has helped me in the past.
- Take control of your environment. Take the time to get your house organized if chaos stresses you out. Make lists to schedule your day. Take a different way to work if traffic stresses you out. If the news makes you anxious, turn it off.
- Reduce your toxic load and your exposure to free radicals. On average, Americans are inundated with about 80,000 chemicals in our daily life…fillers, food dyes, harsh chemicals in our cleaning products, processed foods. All of these can be severely toxic to your body and lead to stress, lower immunity and aging.
8. GUT HEALTH
Here’s the area that I have become extremely passionate about and believe it’s the root of all evil…our gut health! “Gut Health” has become such a buzz word recently and I hear from so many of my followers that they are interested in learning more about it so I dove deep into the trenches to learn about this topic in order to help.
To put it simply, gut health can influence your overall health and wellness beyond just your digestion. Research has shown that our digestive health influences so much more than just our actual digestion. A healthy gut can influence heart health, brain fog, skin health, mood, lung health, weight levels, autoimmune diseases, and ANXIETY levels! The hormones responsible for our moods are neurotransmitters, including serotonin. There are many neurotransmitters in our brain, but it turns out that 95% of our body’s serotonin is produced in the gut. Often referred to as our 2nd brain!
Our gut contains more than 50 trillion bacteria referred to as the gut microbiome. The bacteria in our gut work to digest food and extract the vitamins and minerals we need. The also fight against toxins, infections and bad germs.
In order to achieve optimal gut health, we NEED to have the correct balance of gut bacteria. This is done by feeding the good bacteria and decreasing inflammation.
Solutions to Improve Gut Health
Harsh chemicals can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin, destroying your gut’s good bacteria. Not to mention there are higher rates of asthma and breathing issues among those who are repeatedly exposed to toxic chemicals in their cleaning products.
What to do instead? Use a cleaner, greener, toxic free brand that is still just as effective! So many options here but I did my research and found an amazing company that I believe has the best products in the business with PROVEN results.
Our Diet is so important! The best thing to do is try and optimize your diet so you can meet your nutritional needs for vitamins and minerals. I have this book (The Anti-Anxiety Food Solution) that helped me better understand how the foods I eat can help calm my mind and lead to better health in my gut. Basically, you need to eat REAL food. It is fairly common these days to have a diet that is extremely processed, pumped with additives and high sugar/low fiber/high fat. The modern diet is craving nutrients. Many of us are too busy to try to meet the demands of a perfect diet. You are not alone when it comes to this and the anxiety that stems from this can be a serious issue!
This mission of learning about gut health, has led me down of path of intense research. I have learned a great deal and am sold on the idea that supplementation helps a great deal in improving gut health.
One company stands out when it comes to HIGH QUALITY Gut Health products and supplements. They offer a bundle of products that includes three important components:
Fiber Drink which contains a unique blend of multiple fiber sources along with vitamins, antioxidants, soothing herbs, and probiotics. Next in the bundle are the extremely important
Probiotic – One daily dose of this formula contains 10 BILLION colonies of acid-resistant flora from seven diverse strains, including Lactobacillus acidophilus (which targets your small intestine) and Bifidobacterium lactis (which works in your colon). So effective in my experience!
Digestive Enzymes – Divised to withstand the extreme and changing pH levels in the digestive tract, releasing 18 diverse digestive enzymes to the right locations throughout the stomach and small intestine to provide the ideal digestive aid for a broad range of foods. I swear by these enzymes as part of my every day schedule. They break down the foods I eat so nutrients can be absorbed so much more effectively.
Again, I am not a nutritionist or a doctor. This is simply my story that I wanted to share with you. I have done a fair amount of research and tested products for years to naturally bring relief to my anxiety. Luckily, I have been able to manage it pretty well. I truly recommend each of these products for your wellness journey! However, I do advise you to consult with your doctor or a licensed therapist before taking any supplements.
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have! I’m happy to help people find relief!
My main website, https://kasuallyklyn.com is a lifestyle blog showcasing style, wellness and home decor deals with occasional inspiration thrown in. Please check it out if interested and sign up below for my newsletters!
