Presents for the Mind

Panic attacks are quite intense and have a detrimental effect on one’s ability to deal with daily proceedings. The usual approach to treat panic disorder cases is by prescribing anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medications, but the cure of panic attacks can be accomplished naturally through exercise, behavior modification therapy and the right diet.

The first step to cure panic attacks is to identify the cause such as depression, panic disorder, social phobias, borderline personality disorder, etc. Then acknowledge that it is “only” a panic attack and not a heart attack. It is not fatal, you are not going to die, try to calm down. Some relaxation and breathing exercises help in calming down. These exercises which includes taichi, yoga and other breathing and stretching exercises can help you reduce stress.

Having a positive attitude also helps to cure panic attacks. Work to remove negative thoughts from your mind, and then fill your mind with positive, encouraging and energizing thoughts. Avoid being stressed. Take long and deep breaths. Inhale through nose and exhale through mouth.

Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and sugar as they can make you feel more irritable and anxious. Improve eating habits by removing foods with lots of fats from your menu. Eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, nuts instead. Stop smoking and alcohol. Learn to maintain a balance between potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium. The best way to increase potassium in your body is by eating bananas, oranges, peaches, tomatoes, almonds, etc.

B-complex vitamins and herbal supplements such as valerian root, evening primrose oil, and flax-seed oil can be helpful as well.  The sedative qualities of Hops, Scullcap, Valerian can be beneficial to the nervous system, and do not cause dependence or tolerance. Start out with a small dose, and adjust the amount as needed, to get the right combination of relaxation without over sedation. Passionflower is useful for severe daytime anxiety. Most anti-anxiety herbs are compatible and enhance each others effect, however, do not mix herbs with prescription anti-anxiety drugs, the results can be unpredictable at best. For cases of mild to moderate anxiety try the following soothing and nourishing herbs like Chamomile ,Linden and oatstraw for a herbal tea break. These herbs are safe and effective is for anyone whose nervous system feels frayed or stressed.

Increase Vitamin D intake and learn to spend more quality time under the sun. 15 minutes 3 times a week is beneficial to your overall health. Magnesium deficiency affects the central nervous system; symptoms of magnesium deficiency include insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks. The best way of insuring enough magnesium is to eat a variety of whole foods, including whole grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables, preferably food grown on naturally composted soil. The green color of green vegetables is due to chlorophyll, which is a molecule that contains magnesium. Many people do not even get the RDA of 350 mg of magnesium daily. A therapeutic dosage could easily run between 400 mg and 1000 mg daily of elemental magnesium in divided doses.

As shown above, there are many ways to help cure panic attacks without medication.