Alright my friends, today is the first time that I am explicitly digging into MENTAL HEALTH on ze blog.

And I didn’t wait this long to talk about because I don’t think it’s important… Quite the opposite, actually. I believe mental health to be one of theeeee most crucial aspects of overall wellness. But I waited because I wanted to speak to the topic authentically, properly, and responsibly.

Because, the truth— while I do have a medical background as a nurse and doctorate of integrative health, I’m no therapist, psychiatrist, or psychologist— so I obviously can’t give you medical advice or dig super in-depth here!

However, I kept finding myself wanting to write this post: holstic hacks & natural remedies for anxiety. Becaaaaaause THIS is something I can speak to authentically— my own personal experience.

what anxiety can look like:

The truth? Anxiety can take sooooo many different forms. From the “obvious” like a physical panic attack, fast heart rate, dry mouth, tightness in chest, etc.— but also the more subtle, feeling overwhelmed, an inability to relax, an incessant need to plan, changes in your sleep habits, a general sense of restlessness, etc.

Reading over this, I feel like my descriptions of anxiety are a little vague and “all over the place”, but that is just the reality of how anxiety presents itself in all of us as individuals. I think it really comes down to knowing *yourself* & recognizing when something feels “off” and just not dismissing those feelings.

my personal experience with anxiety:

As I’ve spoken to in previous blog posts, I can sometimes struggle with anxious thoughts, feeling exceedingly “on edge” and just a general feeling of “restlessness”, for a lack of a better word.

….To be honest, it never even occurred to me that this could be anxiety. I used to think anxiety only happened when people would have full-blown anxiety attacks, buuuuuuut (with time) I’ve realized anxiety can show up a lot of different ways and it can be really sneaky— with awareness, I’ve come to realize that this what anxiety looks like within me.

Sometimes I wonder if I’ve always been a little tightly wound and more anxious-leaning??? As a child, I was SUCH a worrywart. For example, if my mom said she’d pick me up at 3:00 PM from school and hadn’t arrived at like 3:04, I would be BAWLING and genuinely convinced something bad happened to her. I would also be PARANOID (not just a “little scared”) about something bad happening to me/my family, being home alone, running late, etc. I know this seems so random, but it’s little moments like that sprinkled throughout growing up that has shown me that maybe I’ve alwaaaaays leaned a little bit to the more anxious side of things???? But (thankfully) it never was really an issue outside of those small little moments.

Most of my life, I felt just fine mentally. Great even! And even in present times— on the average day— I wouldn’t really call myself all that anxious. However, anxiety does surface for me.

For example, the first time I remember feeling truly anxious as an adult was when I started working in the Pediatric-ICU at Mayo Clinic. While I looooooved the science, physiology, and “knowledge” behind these patients, I was SO OVERWHELMED with the weight of truly having life or death responsibility in my hands every. single. day. Whenever my work shift would be coming, I’d get like a deep pit in my stomach and genuinely pray I’d get called off. I dreaded going to work. I could not detach from work— I would dream about my patients and have nightmares that I missed a sign/symptom and that they had a bad outcome. I was so paranoid 24/7 that I could make a mistake and cause harm to one of these beautiful little kiddos. And while (thankfully) that never happened, I took that deep feeling of anxiety (that was so NEW to me) that I was not in the right job for me. (And I was right).

When I left the PICU, I felt that anxiety leave too.

…But just a few years later, I felt anxiety surface in a new way— when I was in grad school. Now, this surface of anxiety was not really the “dreading” feeling I felt in the PICU. I truly felt like I was in the “right” place with my DNP, but my anxiety did show back up (hello, old friend *eye roll*). However, this time it was in a new way. During this season of life, my anxiety manifested as just a general feeling of stress, restlessness, and overwhelm. Kind of an inability to relax???? The truth is, being in grad school, starting a business, working as a TA, and working as an RN was just straight-up too much, but I refused to “pull back” on anything. I was convinced and committed to “do it all”. The reality? I was productive *literally* from the moment I woke up until I went to bed— and I’d still have tasks on my to-do list. And the anxiety showed up again; the feeling that I could never “catch up”. I felt irritable, on edge, incredibly obsessed with managing my time, overwhelmed, overcommitted and extra perfectionistic.

(Throughout my life I’ve always blamed these thoughts or moods on short-term stress, but after time I realized that they were more anchored in anxious thoughts and unnecessary worry. Even though it may have been more environmentally induced because of everything that was on my plate, it was still real. )

It wasn’t until I heard about “high functioning anxiety” that I was like WHOOOOOOA. This is me in so many ways. (here’s a quick overview— if you’re interested). While it’s important to note that this isn’t a “real” medical diagnosis, and you should always work with a mental health provider to get your specific condition, I deeeeply related to this description. In so many ways, it perfectly described those overthinking, overplanning, over-eager aspects of myself. Even though I WAS getting a lot done & “showing up” well for my responsibilities, I began to realize that this everyday general sense of restlessness, insatiable work ethic, and busy mind during grad school maybe were the manifestations of anxious tendencies and not just my baseline super productive & overthinking personality.

Because most of the time? These positive aspects of “high functioning anxiety” serve me well (I’m driven! I’m organized! I’m productive!), but during periods of intense stress (grad school, for example), these “positive” characteristics ramp wayyyyyyy up and all of a sudden I’m compulsively productive, absolutely anal about my schedule, and increasingly stressed, worried, and overwhelmed. Basically, I feel like I’m living in a constant “fight or flight” mode during these seasons of life, and need to be productive or “doing something” 24/7.

And while I have never been formally diagnosed, that’s kind of the trend anxious thoughts have taken in my life— it becomes more noticeable and pronounced at certain times of stress/disbalance, and I feel a bit out of control of it. Because the times it “surfaces” are typically when something is out of balance in my life— either the job is wrong for me or I’m filling my plate too full or I have too many tasks, responsibilities, and stress on my plate. (and that’s just my personal trigger for it— for many people it could be chemical, situational, physical, etc. Again, we are ALL different. This is just my personal experience with seasons of anxious thoughts)

So in order to manage my own anxiety as well as I could, I doubled down on things that were in my control to bring myself more peace, clarity, and calm.

I wanted to reduce these anxious feelings as naturally as possible. I wanted to do it safely. I wanted to do it holistically. I wanted to do it in an evidence-backed way. So I started researching & experimenting & implementing these small hacks in my day, and i DID notice a shift. That “everyday” sense of uneasiness lessened like crazy. And I wanted to share the things I focused on during that time so you can find your own moments of peace in times of overwhelm….

a note about this list of natural remedies:

While I am so excited to dig into the meat of this blog post with you— I truly think this list could be INCREDIBLY helpful in helping manage/reduce your anxiety naturally, I also want to be clear that you may need outside assistance outside of the things on this list.

While my anxiety is more mild & low-grade & situtionaly, I want make sure to be sensitive to everyone’s unique mental health needs. For some people, anxiety is much more extreme, constant, or debilitating. Anxiety can require medication or professional support, and I am alllllllll for that if it’s what you need (like, truly! I know so many people who have benefited from going on medication)

By listing out these “everyday” approachable hacks, please know that I am in no way condemning medication, therapy, or more involved treatment. I encourage you to work with your health provider, therapist, or a trusted professional to find your own, individualized path of anxiety management.

But…. I also think the items in this list CAN help your anxiety even if they don’t “solve” it. if you have mild to moderate anxiety and you’re looking for natural hacks to help you soothe your anxious thoughts, bring more ease to your life, and find peace (even in stressful moments), I am confident you’ll find a few items on this list that may help you! Even if they aren’t the full “solution”, they could be a helpful tool :)

And that brings us to the bulk of the post: a list of natural remedies for anxiety! Many of these items are free, and the ones that do come at a cost I believe are worth it. I personally use, stand behind, and believe in every single thing on this list...soooooooo without further ado, here are some holistic hacks for managing anxiety!

1.a deep breath & mini check-in.

Okay, we’ve all heard the saying “just take a deep breath!!!”. Like, yeah, okay, I’m SURE just ~breathing~ will solve it *eye roll*

But, really….. don’t underestimate the power of your BREATH, my friend…. When breathwork is TRULY approached with intention and consistency, it physically makes our body feel safe and brings us to a more calm, relaxed space (by activating our parasympathetic nervous system).

Setting aside a few moments to take some slow, deep, beautiful breaths is free and easy...plus you can do it anywhere! It sounds simple, but taking deep breaths is an instant way to activate our parasympathetic nervous system!

One thing I often do to ~boost~ this little breathing ritual is repeat mantras to myself (like “I inhale peace, I exhale doubt” or “I inhale joy, I exhale worry”) for an extra dose of peace while I’m breathing.

It can also be helpful to call out and NAME your anxiety with doing this. For example, when I can feel myself getting worked up, I will literally tell myself “This is anxiety talking— not reality.” It may sound silly, but by calling it out and breathing through the feeling, I truly can feel a tangible shift. There’s power in controlling your thoughts instead of just letting them run rampant.

I know it can be easy to skip over small steps like this, especially with something as simple as BREATHING, but actually *setting aside* time and reminding yourself to take a few moments can be sooooo helpful in calming worried thoughts.

2. CBD

To be honest, I used to be really skeptical about CBD. I felt like it was EVERYWHERE, and I tend to be wary of any “trendy” products that are making health claims. Not to mention, I didn’t really understand it—

But after looking into the research behind it, I learned that CBD can be an INCREDIBLE tool at managing stress, anxiety, decreasing inflammation, and promoting sleep. It also comes from a different part of the cannabis plant than THC, so it has a calming effect without getting you high. CBD is the most tangible thing I “take” for anxiety and i gennnnnuinely notice a difference. Like, truly. It is such a nice tool to take on a regular basis for more anxious seasons of life and then to supplement extra with it on the days where I am feeling especially on edge.

(It’s important to note that all CBD is NOT created equal. Unfortunately, there's a lot of sketchy stuff out there— fillers, synthetics, pesticide-covered hemp, so when I was trying to find an option that met my strict standards, I happened upon equilibria . I was drawn to them because 1) they are women-owned small company, 2) they adhere to medical-grade production standards (so rare!) and 3) it’s produced on their ORGANIC farm from start to finish (so, so rare!), and 4) every customer gets a free dosage call to find how to properly and responsibly take it (so, so, SO rare!). As a medical professional, I am SO refreshed to find a CBD company that is doing it responsibly. After I’d been trying Equilibria’s products for a while on my own, they actually ended up reaching out to me to be an affiliate for them, and I was all too happy to say yes since I was already using and loving them myself (even before they reached out!).

For anxiety, I’ve tried several of their products at this point, and I love how I now have multiple routes of ingestion in my CBD arsenal (the CBD capsules are slower release and last longer which are better for anxiety maintenance, and the droppers are more quick-acting to address more sudden bursts of anxiety.)

I have genuinely noticed that on the days I take CBD, not only do I sleep better (which can ALSO help with anxiety) but my mind is juuuust CALMER for lack of a better word. I just feel really beautifully centered, and I can better handle life’s stressors. I know there are many choices out there, but Equilibria is the only one I use (and actually trust). Annnnnnd, bonus! now, until October 25th, 2021 my normal 15% off coupon “kateeskuri” is actual good for 25% (!!!!) off all orders. Enjoy!

3. take a good (honest) look at your diet

While it can be nice to help with anxiety in the moment, I am passionate about getting to the ROOT. Several studies show that there is a connection between our nutrition and mental health, psychology, and behavior. It can be hard to accept— but your dietary choices DO affect how you feel, both mentally and physically.

EAT ENOUGH (BUT NOT TOO MUCH): One thing to be aware of is that consuming too few calories or too many calories can increase anxiety. Make sure you are eating so that you are nourished and fueled.
AVOID SUGAR & PROCESSED FOODS: Okay this is MAJOR. Studies demonstrate that eating a diet with a high glycemic foods can significantly influence anxiety. With sugar and refined carbs, you may see blood sugar imbalances which also can contribute to anxiety. From a physical standpoint, processed food and high sugar can cause inflammation and alter neurotransmitter function. (source) To keep healthy blood sugar levels (and subsequently help your anxiety) stay away from heavily processed and refined food and high sugar snacks, drinks, etc. I know this is easier said than done, but just know food is POWERFUL in your mental health.
LIMIT ALCOHOL: Studies show that excess alcohol can increase anxiety symptoms (source) To reduce anxiety, consider limiting alcohol or cutting it out completely.

So, what should you eat? You can find my WHOLE outlook and personal nutrition approach here, but in general, go for whole foods that are anti-inflammatory in nature (anxiety can be a reaction to inflammation in the body). You want veggies, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and quality sources of protein.

4. consider implementing these supplements

In general, I don’t really like to recommend supplements as you should ALWAYS work with your personal health provider before implementing new supplements. But here are a few different supplement ideas that you can discuss with your provider in terms of managing your anxiety. These are natural, non-pharmacological supplements that could help in managing feelings of anxiety, mood, and stress.

Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that helps minimize stress and keep the body in a calm state. And the data supports this, one study found that ashwagandha significantly helped anxiety symptoms compared to placebo! (sou rce)
Kava Root: In addition to ashwaganda, you could consider introducing kava root. Studies show that those taking kava root had significant improvements in anxiety compared to placebo. (source)
Magnesium L-threonate: Magnesium is cruuuuucial in our health and is a vital aspect in so many bodily processes, buuuuut MANY of us are deficient. *womp womp* Magnesium is a major player in anxiety because it helps modulate the stress response by calming the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and increasing GABA. If you face anxiety, you may want to consider a magnesium supplement as magnesium helps to relax muscles and calm the body (it can be really helpful for sleep!) All of that said, start small! Too much magnesium can cause diarrhea so you’ll want to be tentative to begin and slowly titrate up as tolerated.

5. do something with your hands

Okay, this trick is a little different, but I just find it SO helpful in getting out of my mind and into my body. Whatever it is for you— baking, making art, journaling, doing a puzzle, coloring, gardening, escape in a good book, doing pottery, organizing, knitting, etc.— it can be SO calming just to use your hands, be present, and engage with a task. It’s amazing how much we can find a state of calm, but being actively involved with a task, hobby, or creative project!

6. positive affirmations.

The words we say MATTER. I really, truly believe in speaking truth over your life and about how you want to feel (even if you don’t currently feel it). There’s actually science behind this! If you speak positively to yourself, your neurons take shape to these positive thoughts. Positivity can rewire your brain: if you believe you are confident and calm and capable, your body follows suit. I want you to speak light over your life — try repeating these affirmations to yourself:

I am safe. I am secure. I will be OK.
I trust and TRULY believe that everything in my life is aligning in my favor.
Today, I will choose peace.
There is no need to rush. I have time. I have time. I have time.

Looking for a little dose of positivity in your day-to-day? The Daily Affirmation Ritual is my text club where I will text you a unique affirmation every single day, 365 days per year, giving you a moment to pause for a mental shift to gratitude, empowerment, and reflection. It’s pay what you can and open to anyone! I’d love to have you join :) Click here to sign up!

7. therapy

Therapy can be an incredible way to feel supported, have accountability, a safe space to just vent, and the opportunity to see some things in a new way! There is NOTHING wrong with going to therapy— you don’t have to just white-knuckle your way through. Working with a trained professional on managing your anxiety can be incredible helpful! Therapy can be a powerful place for reflection, self-care, and a safe space to process emotions. Therapy can be an amazing support for mental health!

8. reducing caffeine

Personally, I’ve noticed that the days I overdo it on caffeine are the days my mind starts racing and I have a hard time focusing — I usually do well with processing caffeine, but I also notice that it impacts that “on edge” feeling when I have too much. (The data supports my experience— research shows that consuming too much caffeine can induce anxiety symptoms)

This is something I talk about a lot on my isntagram and in my coffee reset blog post— but many of us just drink coffee on autopilot and have NO CLUE that our daily cup of joe could be contributing to our anxiety. It’s worth considering!

I challenge you to just experiment! Play around! Take a week where you limit your caffeine and see if you notice your anxiety-reducing alongside it!

(If you think caffeine may be contributing to your anxiety, you could work to limit coffee, cut it out completely, or trade your current brew for a lower caffeine option like Four Sigmatic coffee (this is what I personally use!). Four Sigmatic also includes adaptogens and healthy mushrooms (I know what you’re thinking, but it doesn’t taste like mushrooms — I promise!) that are less stimulating to the body than just straight-up caffeine. I’m a Four Sigmatic SUPERFAN, and I’d personally recommend the Ashwagandha coffee blend (remember how we just talked ashwaganda, ;)) as a healthy substitute for fully caffeinated coffee to potentially reduce anxious thoughts. Coupon KE10 saves ya 10% :)

I have had SO MANY people message me that they had no clue that their caffeine was contributing to their anxiety, but once they reduced it, they noticed suuuuch a shift!

9. a good night’s sleep

You know what we’re all about here at The Foundation Blog — laying foundations for health in your life. It’s easy to go for quick fixes with worry, but if you aren’t sleeping well, anxiety will follow suit. If you’re feeling anxious, take a good look at your sleep. Studies show that low amounts of sleep can increase anxiety— this means that poor quality sleep and low sleep can increase anxiety, excessive worry, and that people that restored good sleep saw reductions of feelings of fear, worry, and tension.

Are you getting enough sleep? Good quality sleep? Is it deep? Restful? Enough hours? Do you wake up feeling rejuvenated or do you end up going into the day exhausted?

And we alllll know the drill— poor sleep can end up becoming a cycle of anxiety. Sleeping poorly? You may reach for more caffeine. More caffeine could lead to an increase in anxiety, which, in turn, can lead to poor sleep. You should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep every night for your mental health. If you’re looking for a holistic and peaceful way to improve your sleep, you’re in the right place, m’friend! I put together a free, downloadable guide with 14 hacks for the best sleep of your LIFE. Snag it here!

10. meditation.

Studies show that a regular meditation practice has beneficial impacts on anxiety symptoms and improved reactivity, coping mechanisms. I’m sure you’ve heard that meditation is good for you, but sometimes it can be overwhelming to even know where to start.

…..And honestly, if we all actually meditated as much as we talk about meditating, our anxiety would probably be in a MUCH better place!

Well friend, I just want to comfort you today: meditation does NOT need to be complicated! It doesn’t have to be 20 minute sessions, or sitting cross legged, or listening to chanting (although I often do some or all of those things!). Meditation can really be as simple as taking 90 seconds in your desk chair to breathe, observe your thoughts, and shift your mindset. Simple moments of meditation can help you release anxious thoughts and reframe your mindset, allowing you to take a step back and be an observer of your life instead of being in the worried thoughts. If you’re looking for more tips on how to get started with meditation (I PROMISE it doesn’t have to be intimidating!) click here for my meditation deep dive blog post.

11. journaling

I TRULY think journaling is one of the most underrated modalities for mental health. I am truly so passionate about it. While journaling may seem “fluffy” and just “cute”, it actually highly supported by research as being an effective method of reducing stress and anxiety.

Often when we write things down, it allows us to release those things from our minds. For me, writing my anxious thoughts down in a journal makes me feel like I’ve put them aside and addressed them, and then I can kind of just sort through and read my thoughts.

When I’m especially overwhelmed I usually do a brain dump and write down EVERYTHING that’s worrying me. This allows me to put them in order of priority and see what can wait until later, as well as ask myself if the worries themselves are even true and valid. Getting it all out there can be so therapeutic.

(If you are someone that has trouble letting thoughts flow and not knowing what to write about, a guided journal may be a great solution for you! I’ve put together 6 unique journal workbooks that will help you find a safe space to take some time for yourself and find peace + grounding—even if only for a few minutes a day. And, especially for you, here’s a coupon code! Use “BECALM” for 15% off the journal bundle and get alllllllll those thoughts out on paper.)

that’s a wrap!

That’s it, my friends! A few holistic and natural hacks for managing anxiety, worried thoughts, and moments of overwhelm. I hope you’ll be able to turn to one (or a few...or all!) of the items on this list the next time your thoughts are getting away from you. Until then, be well and find peace.

-Kate

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