6 Foods to Calm Your Nerves

It may sound surprising but you can actually make some changes in your food habits to help calm your nerves. There are some foods that not only fuel your body, but can help you deal with stress and anxiety head-on.

6 Foods that can help calm your nerves:

• Salmon – Salmon contains Vitamin D and Omega-3 Fatty acids. These nutrients help promote brain health and regulate your Happy hormones called ‘Dopamine’ and ‘Serotonin’, making you calm and relaxed. For Dinner, you can swap your Chicken and Steak with Salmon.
• Nuts – Almonds are loaded with B vitamins, Vitamin E, Healthy fats and Magnesium. These nutrients are involved in the production of the Happy hormone ‘serotonin’. Cashews are rich in zinc, an essential mineral to reduce anxiety. Eating a handful of these nuts while you are stressed can help regulate your mood and make you feel calm.
• Seeds – Flax seeds, Pumpkin seeds and Sunflower seeds are packed with Magnesium, which helps you get rid of fatigue and irritability. Chia seeds are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help calm your nerves. You can pack a handful of seeds in a bag and carry for snacking on the go.
• Yoghurt – Yoghurt that contains probiotics or healthy bacteria may help reduce inflammation in your gut and increase production of mood boosting ‘serotonin’, a calming brain chemical. It helps balance good and bad bacteria in the gut. It is important to choose a yoghurt that contains probiotics to ease stressed nerves in the brain and help calm you down.
• Berries – Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries are all rich in Vitamin C and other antioxidants. They have the ability to improve brain health and relieve irritability and anxiety by reducing Cortisol levels and inflammation. You can add some berries to your oatmeal and smoothies for breakfast.
• Turmeric – Turmeric is a spice mostly used in Indian foods, containing a substance called curcumin. Curcumin is an antioxidant that is anti-inflammatory, promotes brain health and relieves anxiety. Try including it in your diet either by adding some turmeric to a hot cup of milk or take it as a wellness shot.

Over to You:
Reducing foods that are high in added sugar, salt, caffeine and fats especially trans fats may also help reduce episodes of anxiety. Add some of the above stress relieving foods to your diet and enjoy better quality sleep, better mood, and help calm your nerves.