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I’m sure most people have had times of anxiety in their lives. Whether it is just for a short time period, or if you deal with it 24/7, anxiety is an extremely uncomfortable feeling. It is also (to an extent) a NORMAL reaction in certain situations. If you are in actual danger then this is a normal reaction! It is when it because chronic and for seemingly no reason that it becomes an issue. There are many root causes of anxiety, and there is no ONE cause for it.
Anxiety is a very common symptom that people deal with when they have a chronic illness of any kind. Growing up, we all learned that anxiety and depression were “chemical imbalances” in the brain and that there was nothing to be done about them other than medication. Well, now we know how wrong that was!
Symptoms of anxiety include:
- Feeling nervous or powerless
- Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
- Increased heart rate
- Breathing rapidly
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Feeling weak or tired
- Trouble concentrating or racing mind
Common Root Causes of Anxiety
- Mold illness
- Lyme and co-infections
- An imbalance of the 4 main minerals- calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium
- HPA axis dysfunction
- Nutritional depletion
- Copper imbalance
- Emotional trauma that is unresolved
- Nervous system dysregulation (often due to trauma or underlying infections)
- EMF sensitivity
- Leaky gut
- Stress
- Constipation
- Heavy metal toxicity
- Parasites
ALL of the above can cause anxiety!
Anxiety for most people is a symptom of a much larger issue (or issues since many of the symptoms above can overlap). Instead of suppressing symptoms, we need to be listening to them. In order to do that we must work on healing the body as a whole. This is why I am a huge supporter of foundational care- work on the basics of health and you will be able to heal. As you heal you can learn more about why you experiences certain symptoms and what your body is trying to tell you.
Try to pay attention to your body when you are dealing with symptoms like anxiety. These will help you to determine if there is a specific action you can take to solve the anxiety at that moment.
Ask yourself questions:
- When did this anxiety start? Was there a trigger?
- Am I hungry? Low blood sugar can create anxiety for many people.
- Did I sleep well? Lack of sleep can create anxiety.
- Am I constipated? Toxins not getting out of the body quickly enough can recirculate and create anxiety.
- How is my stress level lately?
- Where am I in my cycle?
- Am I absorbing energy from people around me?
- Did I start a new herb or supplement, or go too quickly with introducing something?
Foundational Care is the Best Place to Start
No matter what health issue you are dealing with, there are several main steps that basically everyone needs to address. These steps create the foundation for our overall health and wellness. Gut healing, detox support, healing emotional trauma, and addressing minerals are a just some of the biggest steps to take to get on the right path.
Our HTMA program is focused on overall foundational care, and we’ve helped many clients over the years to heal their anxiety.
Nervous system dysfunction in one of the BIGGEST symptoms of anxiety. Click here to read more about how to support the nervous system.
Herbs Specific for Anxiety Support
While you are working on healing yourself from the ground up, you can absolutely look for helpers for symptom control. There are many herbs out there that can help with anxiety. Once you understand your triggers you can figure out what you need most in that exact moment.
- Oat seed is a nerve tonic, it helps nervous exhaustion and depression, and it works great for those that are overworked and undernourished.
- Lemon balm is used most for anxiety, depression, cold sores, insomnia and it helps digestion.
- Chamomile is another nerve tonic that is mostly used for anxiety and insomnia.
- St. John’s Wort is great for anxiety, tension, depression, nerve health, and menopause. It is also anti-inflammatory and a pain reliever.
- Ashwagandha – Immune health, combats stress, improves memory, anxiety, depression, brain cell regeneration, adrenal and thyroid health
- Lavender is one of the most common herbs used for anxiety and depression. Many studies have proven its benefit for helping stress.
- Rescue Remedy is an amazing brand that uses flower essences in their products. This brand was started about 80 years ago and has amazing quality products. They have special formulations for sleep, anxiety, and they even have pet versions!
- I highly recommend Earthley’s Anxiety Calm oil as well (formula C is my personal favorite)
Our favorite herbal support
Actions to Take for Natural Anxiety Support
While herbal support can be incredibly helpful, there are many other ways that you can help to regain control of your mind. Many of us get into chronic states of anxiety because of trauma or from dealing with health issues for many years. This puts us in a chronic state of fight or flight and it can be very hard to break. We often need to work on the subconscious to get ourselves out of these fear loops.
Other ways to help anxiety:
- Meditation
- EFT
- Frequency healing music
- Energy healing like homeopathy, Reiki, or acupuncture
- Creating mantras to help you through moments of anxiety- I am safe, I am calm, I am in control, I am healthy.
- Keep a journal to track your emotions, foods, and other important things so you can learn more about your triggers and what keeps you in fear
- Breathing exercises
- Stretch regularly through the day so you keep circulation moving
- Treat yourself- if you keep yourself on the back burner this can increase stress and anxiety! Learn that you need and deserve self-care.
- Make yourself laugh- watch a funny video and get yourself to laugh and release
- Let yourself feel your emotions. Many people find that they are holding onto really old trauma- crying can help to release this as well as meditation or journaling.
- For some, we need to get way more in-depth with healing long term anxiety. I recommend working with a homeopath for constitutional care or look into other emotional healing modalities.
The body is a whole and we must treat it as such! I have my Bachelor of Science in Natural Health Sciences, certificates in Herbal Studies from Herbal Academy, and I am constantly learning more about health to help my clients and followers.
My goal is to help you unleash your own inner healer! You already hold the power to heal inside you. My role is as a guide to help you realize this potential.