Natural Remedy for Anxiety & Your Skin

Anxiety can have a huge impact on you and your life, it can also cause problems with skin irritation and break outs.  In an article from Jan 2017 Psychology Today talks about how our skin conditions can flare up when we don’t feel safe or in control. The Anxiety Centre also addresses skin anxiety symptoms, stating the body’s response to elevated stress levels as the likely culprit.

Explore Natural Ways to Minimize Anxiety

The best way to help your skin recover is to lessen the level of stress you are feeling, but this can be difficult to do. Some people don’t want to use prescription medication for treatment because of side effects or bad reactions, and for others medication simply doesn’t fully resolve the problem.

So, let’s look at some do’s and don’ts for coping with anxiety using natural remedies and lifestyle changes to help you feel better and look better too!

Natural Remedies for Anxiety

If you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, you might want to look for treatment options that don’t involve taking medication. While you should still consider anxiety medication if your doctor suggested it, the following natural remedies can also be a huge help.

Essential Oils

One of the top ways to treat anxiety naturally is with essential oils. Oils are extracted from flowers, herbs, and plants, and then used to calm you down and keep away the panic and anxiety. Certain essential oils are better for anxiety, creating a calm environment and reducing the number of panic attacks you experience. Here are some essential oils to use for stress:

• Lavender
• Chamomile
• Frankincense
• Bergamot
• Vetiver
• Rose

You can add some drops to your bath at night, use an essential oil diffuser, or even make tea with some of these oils.

You probably already know that proper nutrition is essential to treating your anxiety naturally. One of the more important nutrients to make sure you get each day is your omega-3 fatty acids. Try to aim for 2-3 grams of omega-3s every day, as they will help you to lower stress chemicals, which can then reduce your anxiety and panic. You can take a supplement, but it is better to get nutrients from natural food sources. For omega-3 fatty acids, this means fish like salmon and tuna, as well as whole grains, flax seeds, and walnuts.

Get More Vitamin D

Another nutrient you need to treat your anxiety naturally is vitamin D, but you don’t have to take a supplement or even eat a lot of foods with this vitamin. The best way to get more vitamin D is through sunlight. Try heading outside for 15-20 minutes a day to soak in that vitamin D, and you will start feeling a lot better. It will not only help with your anxiety but improve your overall happiness and can even make you feel more energetic. There are a lot of ways to fit in some extra sunlight, whether you take your lunch break outdoors, or you go for a walk in the afternoon before the sun goes down.

Start Exercising

An excellent way to combine sunlight and exercise is to go for a walk outside, go hiking, or find another outdoor activity. Even if you don’t want to exercise outside, getting more physical activity is great for anxiety. You get your blood pumping, distract your mind, and can de-stress as well.

Things to Avoid

Being Around Negative People

The people you choose to spend time with can make a bigger impact than you might imagine. If you already struggle with anxiety, such as with generalized anxiety disorder, you are prone to panic and worry daily. If you are spending a lot of time with pessimistic and negative people, their negativity can trigger your anxiety. It makes it harder to be around them and every time they are upset or venting about something, it causes those panic symptoms. Try to surround yourself with positive people that uplift you

Consuming Stimulants & Depressants

Stimulants & depressants can also be bad for you if you are prone to anxiety and panic attacks. Try to cut back on food and drinks that contain caffeine, sugar, and alcohol. These all will add to the number of anxious feelings you have and can even lead to more frequent panic attacks. Start out slowly, gradually decreasing the amount of coffee you drink each day and trying to cut back on sugar. With alcohol, the sooner you can quit or cut back, the better off you will be. Talk to a doctor if you are struggling with quitting stimulants & depressants.

I can’t guarantee this as a cure for anxiety, but these steps will help to decrease the intensity of your reactions. Less stress means a better life for you and ll the people that matter to you.  Oh, don’t forget about your skin, that’s going to get better too!