How Supplements Can Improve Overcoming Anxiety

Zoloft and Lexipro - Not too many of you would think that I would start a newsletter off with these words, but it's very common to see these and other anti-anxiety drugs on a patient intake form. In many instances, these drugs may help people feel better temporarily, especially those with severe anxiety, but it is well documented that these drugs can cause other imbalances in the body, especially the malabsorption of minerals.

Proper mineral assimilation is very important to balance anxiety, and it is ironic that these drugs actually deplete the body of minerals. Side effects from these drugs can include constipation, weight gain, sexual problems, nausea, heart palpitations, and liver and kidney problems. The long-term consequences of being on these medications are unknown, and for this reason many people want  to come off of these medications, but fear having anxiety return.

I've worked with certain patients who have been diagnosed with mild to moderate anxiety and have made the decision to reduce and ultimately get off of their anxiety medications. I believe that whether a person goes the drug route, natural supplement route, or both, it is so important that they participate in anxiety lowering activities and also receive  some form of energy or body work.

I often recommend yoga, breathing exercises, meditation, chiropractic, neuroemotional technique, acupuncture, hypnosis, shamanic work, Reiki and many other mind body therapies. Just as the mind affects the body, it's a two-way street, as the body affects the mind.

If body work is performed the mind releases tension. Acupuncture, chiropractic, and yoga studies have revealed that endorphins are released with these modalities, which cause an anxiety lowering effect on the body. 

The body needs optimal support through nutrition and nutritional supplementation in order for the nervous  system to function at its optimal level. Eating non processed, whole foods are essential. Dark leafy greens, fruits, organic and natural meats, and a lot of good fats, such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil, olive oil, and avocado nourish the nervous system. Furthermore, it is important to cut out the sugar and caffeine.

In my many years of muscle testing,  I have consistently found that many patients who suffer from anxiety, tend to muscle test sensitive to chicken. Chicken is the most consumed meat in our country, and most of the chicken that we consume are trapped in very small quarters and in cages. When you consume the flesh of an animal that has lived a life trapped, scared, and in fear this energy can transfer to the consumer. I'm not saying this is the reason for anxiety, but why complicate the issue with the food we consume. Free-range chicken is better, but if a patient tests sensitive to chicken,  then it is all chicken they need to avoid, including free range. Energy is transferred from the foods we eat, whether it's good or bad. 

Through muscle testing, I can identify the best anti-anxiety natural supplements that will support the body and nervous system. This eliminates the guessing game of figuring out which supplements to take. Just because pharma-gabba worked for one person, it may not work for another person. It is important to identify what imbalances that a person has to figure out the proper nutritional supplementation protocol.

I had a patient relay to me that he tried natural supplements that a practitioner recommended without any form of testing, and they didn't help him. He felt that natural supplements wouldn't help him across the board.  He came into my office to find a a solution for his digestive problems, and he told me last week that his anxiety was better. He asked me how this is possible? I explained to him that by healing the gut, (which is where 90 percent - that's right 90 percent of serotonin is produced- it's not in the brain) serotonin is produced more efficiently, and this results in less anxiety. 

Proper functioning adrenal glands can be a key factor in many anxiety cases. The adrenal glands are the stress glands of the body, and if they are depleted and not functioning properly than anxiety can set in. The adrenal glands are responsible for excreting multiple hormones and are greatly affected by high-stress  levels, trauma, lack of sleep, and poor diet. I figure out what nutritional supplement support the adrenals require, and do an applied kinesiological adrenal reset protocol,  which helps the adrenals to heal.

Some of the many supplements that I test for patients wanting anxiety support include, but are no limited to, flower essences, homeopathic remedies, mineral and vitamin supplements, herbal remedies, and neurotransmitters.

Dr. Louis Granirer
NYC Chiropractor
www.holisticchiropracticcenter.com