The Ugly Feeling of Anxiety

Oh that horrible feeling of anxiety. I know it all too well. We have all experienced anxiety at some time as it is a normal response to stresses in life. My last bout of anxiety landed me in the ER with heart palpitations and very high blood pressure.

The symptoms of heart attack and stroke were very real. Numbness in my face and left arm, very dizzy, my heart doing flip flops, chest pains, very pale, tired, etc. During one of my dizzy spells and chest pain, everyone believed I was going to have a stroke, and that is how I ended up at the ER.

After about 8 months of cardiologists and doctoring, it was concluded my heart was fine and in good shape. So what was my problem? I was not ready to take high blood pressure pills. As a natural health provider, I needed to know why I had high blood pressure. Then, I could work at healing the cause of my high blood pressure.

It didn't take me long to figure out what was going on. My high blood pressure was due to anxiety. Who knew anxiety symptoms can feel like your heart is freaking out to the point of serious chest pains and symptoms of a stroke.

We are all able to handle occasional bouts of unreleased anxiety. If the anxiety doesn’t go away or recurs frequently, it can lead to serious health problems.

SYMPTOMS

Many people suffering from anxiety have reported the following symptoms:

• high blood pressure
• insomnia
• digestive problems
• skin disorders
• mood swings
• depression
• extreme states of nervousness (panic attacks)
• existing health problems worsen
• cold sweat
• tingling extremities
• dizzy
• weak
• feel like they are having a heart attack or stroke
• rapid or difficult breathing
• intense terror

I pretty much had all of these symptoms except for the last one.

CAUSES OF ANXIETY

Sometimes people feel the symptoms of anxiety even when they are not facing a serious challenge or danger. There are many causes that lead to anxiety. You must always rule out underlying physical causes. Some of these include:

• low blood sugar
• thyroid problems
• heart problems
• clinical depression
• nutritional deficiencies

Always check with your medical doctor to make sure it is not a medical condition. There are many more medical reasons for feeling anxiety. Certain substances may also cause feelings of anxiety. Here are a few:

• caffeine
• sugar
• food allergies
• alcohol (I find white wine causes me to feel anxiety, which keeps me up and uncomfortable at night)
• environmental toxins and allergens

The most frequent causes of anxiety include:

Stress of all kinds—death, divorce, marriage, new baby, new job, stressful boss, trauma, emotional issues, etc. I believe my anxiety came from wanting my own natural healing practice (which I now have) and desperately wanting to get out of the corporate world (which I eventually did).

NATURAL REMEDIES

Once you have ruled out any medical issues with your doctor, there are some natural remedies to help you through your anxiety. Here are a few ways you may find relief:

Ashwagandha

I love this remedy. It improves anxiety symptoms, improves focus, reduces fatigue and eases feelings of anxiety.

Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B6 helps boost mood and balance blood sugar levels. Vitamin B12 helps the body fight stress, depression and other mood disorders.

CanPrev Adrenal Pro

This is another supplement I love. When the body is stressed for an extended period of time, the adrenal glands become fatigued and cannot keep up making the fight or flight response hormones (adrenalin & cortisol). This makes you feel exhausted and unable to cope with life’s stresses.

This supplement supports the adrenal glands, provides anxiety relief, and provides a boost of renewed energy.

Lavender Essential Oil or Roman Chamomile Oil

Lavender has always been the calming soothing oil with many other uses as well. Roman Chamomile Oil may also be used. For anxiety mix 1 drop lavender oil or Roman Chamomile Oil and 7 drops almond oil (or carrier oil of your choice) in palm of your hand. Rub together and use on neck, wrists and temples.

Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods

Sugar and artificial ingredients contribute to anxiety and depression.

Reiki Energy Healing

Energy healing works amazing for anxiety. It helps release the emotional energies trapped in the body’s cells and organs by removing blocks and allowing your life force energy to move freely through you. In the energy world, we believe that physical and mental symptoms and diseases begin in the energy field. This is the best way I know to help heal anxiety.

Anxiety can ruin your quality of life. If you are struggling with anxiety, please seek help. Begin by making sure it is not due to a medical issue. If your doctor gives you a clean bill of health, try some of these remedies. If you don’t know where to start, ask for a consultation and I will see what’s best for you. Find me at my website!