I’ve had anxiety since I was 7 years old. I presented an almost stoic, rock solid demeanor in the face of actual danger, trauma, or upheaval. That ignored stress would then manifest itself as an all-out meltdown / panic attack if something small happened, like I couldn’t find a matching sock or if I accidentally broke a dish. The doctors gave my mum Valium to stop the crying, shaking, and heavy breathing, and we went on our way.

When I was 16, I was in a terrible car accident. The anxiety got worse; I began to develop strange phobias (sharp objects, corners, deep/dark water) and OCD-like habits (washing the doorknobs, no one could sit within a 6 ft radius of my bed or I would wash EVERYTHING in bleach, I became afraid of “contamination” from the outside world). They put me on antidepressants, which I hated, and I just dealt with my phobias by mostly staying inside.

When I went Gluten-Free, I also noticed that my anxiety would only return when I would (accidentally) consume Gluten. Does Gluten cause anxiety? Many doctors would say YES.

At the time of my diagnosis, I was dating someone who had been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. He would get this arm rash that looked similar to mine, and got tested for Celiac Disease. He had no other symptoms of it, just this horrible rash. Turns out, he had it too! We also noticed that the symptoms of his BD were exacerbated by ingesting Gluten, and he thrived on a Gluten-Free diet. We again did research, and found out this is again VERY COMMON.

Not to sound like a broken record, but giving up Gluten changed my entire life, and I can’t stop telling people about it. I’ve had friends tell me about random things in their life that have cleared up, such as acne, random aches and pains, or even acid reflux. Removing Gluten (along with my other allergens) helped me clear up random patches of cystic acne, dark circles under my eyes, helped with my migraines, and even made my endometriosis more manageable!

MANAGING ANXIETY IN STEPS

So step one; remove Gluten. I know it’s not very simple, but you can check out my other articles on how to start cutting it out of your diet.

Step two; remove the other horrible inflammatory things like corn, soy, and dairy. For some people, soy isn’t a trigger. I’ve found that I can have small amounts of sheep, goat, and buffalo dairy, so not all hope is lost on that front.

Step three; caffeine, alcohol, and sugar. I don’t drink alcohol often (maybe like 6x a year), so it’s easy for me to say no alcohol. I also don’t drink soda because I don’t like it. But try and take my coffee away and I’ll hurt you, so I’ve tried to moderate it by having one cup in the morning (okay… maybe two), and if I want any more after noon I make it at least ½ decaf. Sugar is also hard for me to give up (since I can’t eat ANYTHING else), but I try to eat dark chocolate as a treat, and limit myself to only eating sweets after my meals.

Step four; get exercise. This doesn’t have to be 2 hrs at the gym lifting heavy weights or taking an hour of spin class. Do small, incremental bursts if that’s your thing. Giving yourself a reward system for small tasks will make them more bearable. Go outside for a 15 minute walk before you eat that piece of chocolate. Do some gentle yoga stretches while watching that trashy TV show. Do 30 jumping jacks while you wait for your food in the microwave. Set a timer, and do 5 burpees for every 30 minutes of video games. Do calf raises while your coffee is brewing.

Step five; find things that are calming for you and save them for when you’re feeling a bit tense, anxious, and/or stressed. For me, the smell of lavender is super calming, and when I am stressed, I burn some incense, light a candle, or take a bath with lavender drops. Turning my overhead lights off with my Himalayan salt lamp on, drinking some chamomile tea, reading a good book, playing a calming game like Sudoku, and/or watching a silly TV show help me unwind. If I’ve had an interpersonal issue, also like to call my brother or a close friend to talk it out.

Step six; get a supplement or medication that works immediately for emergencies. The shock of a death in the family isn’t going to be mitigated by tea. Trying to go to focus when you’re having anxiety before a big job interview isn’t going away because you lit a candle. Or, sometimes panic attacks creep in out of NOWHERE. My last resort is Valium, but currently I’ve had a LOT of success with CBD Oil. (I haven’t found a brand that I like “the best” but I’ve been trying out quite a few, so that will be a future post!)

Helpful Supplements:

• Everyone should be taking a Magnesium Supplement. I have found that a topical oil, like Art Naturals Magnesium Oil Spray, is the best way to “take” Magnesium. Every night, after I shower and put on lotion, I put some sprays in my hand and rub it into a muscle I’ve recently worked out because also soothes soreness. Protip: Magnesium WILL loosen your bowels if you take too much, so start S L O W L Y.

• A B-Complex vitamin is also helpful for people with anxiety, and just humans in general. I take the ones from Megafood about 1-2x a week, and a B-12 spray from Garden of Life. I get a lot of sunlight in the desert, so Vitamin D is not an issue, but most people also have a deficiency there. Again, Megafood makes a good one.

• HempCeutix™ Stress Capsules are AMAZING (I don’t get any money for promoting these + you’ll have to find it in a local shop). When I feel really anxious or have a large stressor, I take 2 of these babies and I feel SO much more calm, without the sedative effect like with Valium. Basically they’ve replaced my Valium intake (which was about 1-2x per month, usually when I eat Gluten). Personally I’ve found that they’re not as fast-acting as straight CBD oil, so you can take both if you need immediate relief + lasting effects.