If it seems like everyone’s feeling anxious these days, you’re right. The National Institute of Mental Health reports 40-million adult Americans are struggling with anxiety, making it the most common mental illness in the U.S. And according to some experts, managing your diet could help manage your anxiety, too.
So what should we eat? Try these foods to help ease your anxiety:
Leafy greens - Studies have shown that not eating enough magnesium can lead to more anxiety, so foods with a lot of it - like spinach and Swiss chard - may help you feel calmer.
Chamomile tea - According to a study from the University of Pennsylvania, this tea can “significantly decrease” anxiety symptoms.
Wild Alaskan salmon - Lots of studies have shown a link between a diet high in omega-3s - found in wild Alaskan salmon - and lower rates of depression and anxiety.
Oysters - It’s the zinc in oysters, cashews, beef liver, and egg yolks that’s associated with lowered anxiety in studies on both rats and humans.
Pickles - You’ve probably heard that there’s a link between the bacteria in your gut and your general health, well there’s also a link between a diet rich in probiotic foods, like pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, and lowered anxiety.