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Ever since I was diagnosed with anxiety a few years ago, I’ve tried to do everything I can to balance it. And one of the things that has helped me are supplements, and I want to share them with you today. So here are 3 natural supplements to ease your anxiety.
First of all, I want to start by saying I’m not a medical professional. Please read my disclaimer here. I’m here sharing what works for me personally in hopes that it could help someone else as well.
So, a few years ago my doctor diagnosed me with anxiety. And if you have it too, you know that it’s important to manage it how you can.
A lot of anxiety management comes from understanding my emotions. I have a post about identifying common emotions here.
One of the things that I’ve noticed that gives me a gentle relief to my anxiety are supplements. While I don’t believe that there are miracle cures out there, I do believe in trying natural options that could possibly help me!
So, I want to share what I’ve found to work for my anxiety with you today.
First, I love taking Relora to calm my anxiety.
Relora is a plant-based Chinese medicine that’s a mix of magnolia and phellodendron.
It’s most known for how it can lower cortisol levels. But it’s also shown the ability to decrease stress, reduce sugar cravings, improve sleep and aid in weight loss.
Also, I love that it’s not very expensive. You can get 120 capsules for about $20 here.
Personally, I take it 1-3 times a day, depending on how anxious I’m feeling. Earlier in quarantine, I was taking it about 3 times a day since I was feeling more anxious. But I’m currently taking it just once or twice a day since I’m feeling pretty good at the moment (yay!).
Honestly, I don’t notice any side effects from it. But I’m not currently taking any regular prescriptions that could coincide with it (although I do take some on occasion when I can’t sleep). So, you’d have to check with your doctor if you’re concerned about that.
All in all, I’ve been taking Relora over the last 10 years and it’s always one of my go-to’s for calming my anxiety.
Next, I’ve noticed positive benefits from taking ashwagandha on a daily basis.
Ashwagandha is an Indian Ayurvedic herb that grows in the form of a plant with little yellow flowers. You can get it in a few different forms, including powder or capsules.
As you can read in this article, there are some scientific benefits of ashwagandha. Some of them include lowering blood sugar and cortisol levels, and possible reduction of stress, anxiety and depression.
I actually tried ashwagandha off and on for many years and couldn’t ever get it right. I tried drinking it in powder form and that didn’t work for me. It was difficult to get to a dosage that my body liked.
And I also experienced side effects. Specifically, I couldn’t sleep when I took too much or too late in the day (this might be different for you).
BUT I finally found a form that feels really good for my body! Now, I take a probiotic every morning that has 350 mg of ashwagandha in it. I take two capsules 20 minutes before I eat my breakfast. And that’s seemed to work really well!
Since I was having lots of stomach and digestion problems, I turned to this probiotic for women. And I have to say that since I’ve been taking it, my stomach doesn’t hurt as often. And another big one- my sleep is a lot better. I’d say that’s probably because of the ashwagandha helps my body handle stress better.
Altogether, I’d say to be careful with this one. It’s possible that it feels good for me because I’m taking it in the same form at the same time each morning. But I DID experience side effects when I wasn’t taking it regularly, and possibly in a dosage that just didn’t agree with my body.
An oldie but a goodie, I like taking magnesium to help with my anxiety.
Magnesium is a mineral that’s found in lots of healthy foods (like avocado and leafy greens), and can also be taken as a supplement.
There have been studies that show how magnesium can possibly help with anxiety because it regulates brain functions.
Personally, my anxiety tends to increase in the evening when I’m getting ready for bed. So, I like to take a serving of magnesium to help me relax.
Usually, I’ll take it around 8 p.m. when my husband and I are watching TV together and unwinding for the day. I do try to take it an hour or two before bed because then it gives my body time to digest it before I actually get in bed.
Again, I’m sensitive so if my stomach is full or I’m still digesting, it makes it harder for me to sleep.
As far as side effects go, I haven’t actually experienced any with magnesium. But I also take the recommended daily dosage, so I’m not popping magnesium all day.
I’ve personally found a lot of relief by taking natural supplements for my anxiety. While I don’t think anything is a miracle cure, I do believe in trying to find things that help me feel better personally.
What do you take that helps calm your anxiety? Tell me in the comments.
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