Where knowledge resides, anxiety fails to exist. Anxiety loves the unknown. It thrives there like a rampant tangled rain forest. On the other hand, because there always is one, I’m sure you’ve come upon the tiniest weed pushing its way through a crack in the cement. It gives you hope because you recognize its power to survive. It fearlessly grows with the knowledge that it can. Knowledge is power. When you seize that power of knowledge, you create the crack in the cement. Be the weed.
This temporary chaos brings us a gift: the gift to acquire the grace of living in the moment. Anxiety is experienced by focusing on our past or trying to control our future. Of course, our past impacts where we are today. And certainly, we have hopes for the future. But we have the greatest opportunity now to reclaim ourselves and our humanity. To truly acknowledge our needs and value others. To understand that we are intricately linked to one another and to something greater than ourselves. In that, anxiety has no place. It is an immeasurable gift if we choose to take it. And in this single instance, re-gifting makes joyous sense. If anxiety is the fear of the unknown then you are in essence afraid of nothing. Think about how much sense that makes. Below I’m breaking down the foods that can help reduce anxiety.
Turmeric is at the top of the list. Turmeric’s most medicinal compound is curcumin. It’s known to reduce inflammation. Inflammation and anxiety are linked. Brew a pot of turmeric tea for the day. Simply simmer turmeric, ginger, a pinch of black pepper, pinch of cinnamon, freshly squeezed lemon juice, honey, and ginger. Traditionally known as golden milk, this Ayurvedic drink even sounds soothing. Its golden color can even remind you there is light on the horizon. Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest holistic medical systems, developed more than 7,000 years ago in India. For anxiety reprieve, I said not to live in the past. I did not say not to learn from it. In this moment of human reset, embracing knowledge from our roots is essential.
Anxiety is sometimes fueled by nutritional deficiencies or dehydration. So, ingest water and the purest supplements you can find. Over-processed supplements are as useless for your health as over-processed food.
As far as other foods that help calm anxiety …
If I said potatoes were good for anxiety, would you recoil in carb-starved horror or skip your way to a french fry? Both reactions would be wrong. It’s your satiating friend in a plant-based diet. A plant-based diet eases stress. Period. Foods high in magnesium and vitamin D, cooked leafy greens, omega 3s, fruits, the rainbow—you know the list.
How you eat is as important as what you eat. Eat with the seasons. Eat with your unique constitution in mind. Eat mindfully. And eat with pleasure. Why do you think so many important moments in our lives are made across the table? A marriage proposal, a business deal, an insight into your child’s mind. Because food nourishes the body and soul. When both are nourished well, there is calm. It’s difficult to refuse calm.
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Juhi Singh, MA, LAc, is an Oriental medicine specialist, acupuncturist, Chinese herbalist, integrative health specialist, and founder of The Juhi Ash Center. Singh is a thought leader in the field of acupuncture and Ayurveda, pioneering her Facial Rejuvenation Program and the Acu-Facelift, a nonsurgical natural alternative method for facelifts, as well as Therapeutic Yoga, using acupuncture and acupressure to promote healing.
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