Anxiety Triggers

June 29, 2022

AS THE WEATHER HEATS UP, AND IT FEELS LIKE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOREVER FOR THE WARMTH, THE LAST THING WE NEED IS TO BE STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY. IF ANXIETY IS AN UNWELCOMED VISITOR IN YOUR LIFE, READ BELOW FOR SOME TIPS:

While nervous system dysregulation, and psychological/emotional stressors can certainly cause anxiety or trigger panic attacks (a qualified therapist can help), sometimes there are some other physical reasons that someone might feel anxious or panicky or can exacerbate anxiety in those who may be prone to it.

Blood Sugar Imbalance: drops in blood sugar can create physical symptoms that mimic anxiety – Shakiness, feeling faint, lightheaded, brain fog, and increased heart rate. When blood sugar drops, your stress hormone cortisol goes up to help balance it. Sensitive systems can interpret that as anxiety. Eating regular balanced meals is key to balancing anxiety. High levels of cortisol/stress can also affect blood sugar levels.
Mineral Imbalance: Deficiencies or excess of certain minerals can lower stress tolerance, increase muscles tension, and possibly contribute to physical sensations of anxiety. Eg. Magnesium is a common one. There are ways we can test for this using a simple hair sample.
Toxins: for sensitive individuals, exposure to things like paints, fumes, perfumes, etc. can trigger headaches, brain fog, and possibly trigger anxiety.
Histamine: for some, high histamine foods and excess histamine from allergies can create symptoms similar to anxiety or panic.
Hormone Triggers: Imbalances in hormones can trigger anxiety (eg. Many women find that their anxiety gets worse the week before their period. Low progesterone levels can contribute to this.
Caffeine: This one may seem obvious, but I have patients whose anxiety improves significantly when we reduce or completely discontinue caffeine. There are ways to wean off caffeine and address the underlying causes of fatigue strategically to make this easier.
Adrenal Fatigue: Imbalances in cortisol/stress hormone over time can create panicky anxiety feelings. If you feel wired but tired often, have trouble sleeping, jittery, have had prolonged periods of stress in the past, some lab work, nutrition and supplement support may help with this.

The good news is, when we work together, our Wellness Programs look at all of these potential triggers and help you re-balance to reduce anxiety and panic.

Acupuncture is also extremely helpful for regulating the nervous system, getting the body out of fight or flight, and training the system to stay in "relaxed mode" even in stressful moments. Often, a combination or our Wellness Programs which address the nutritional and lifestyle imbalances, and Acupuncture can be the perfect combination to get to the root of anxiety and panic.