What is Anxiety?

Generalized anxiety disorder is a health condition associated with excessive worry about daily life events for no clear or rational reason. People with anxiety will normally worry too much about school, work, family, money or health. The worry is often out of proportion and unrealistic. Anxiety becomes a problem when it starts to interfere with the person's daily function at work and at home. His relationship with his family and friends will also be jeopardized. The symptoms of anxiety includes sleeping disorders, being startled easily, frequent trembling, tiredness, nausea, difficulty in focusing or concentrating, excessive and frequent sweating, headaches, muscle tension, irritability and unrealistic views of common problems. Anxiety is also often linked to other more serious conditions like depression, certain phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder and even alcohol and drug abuse.

There are different theories as to the cause of anxiety. Medical experts suggest that some people are more genetically inclined to develop anxiety. Studies show that a person's family history can play an important role in the development of anxiety and researchers found that the condition can be passed on from generation to generation. Brain chemistry is also linked to the risk of developing anxiety. Environmental factors like stressful events, trauma, history of abuse, divorce, problems at work, home and school, and the death of a loved one can also lead to anxiety.

What is Fatigue?

Fatigue, in general, is characterized by the lack of energy to perform daily tasks both physically and mentally. Though different from drowsiness, fatigue can also result to a desire to sleep even during at work, or while performing important tasks. According to statistics, around 20 percent of Americans are diagnosed with fatigue that is serious enough to interfere with living a normal and healthy life. There are two main classifications that causes fatigue. Around 40 to 80 percent of fatigue is due to mental or emotional causes while 20 to 60 percent are caused by physical factors. The common causes of fatigue are metabolic and endocrine problems, infection, pulmonary and cardiac disorders, certain medications, psychiatric problems, sleeping disorders and many others.

What is Depression?

Depression, on the other hand, can be a more serious case of anxiety and fatigue. The common causes of depression include sleeping problems, health conditions like hypothyroidism, cancer and chronic illnesses, certain medications, and tragic life events. The symptoms are: excessive sleep or the lack of it, suicidal thoughts, withdrawal from usual activities, self-pity and feelings of self-hate and worthlessness, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, lack of energy, easy fatigability, difficulty concentrating, change in appetite that results to weight gain or weight loss, irritability, restlessness and agitation.

The advice of medical health professionals is needed to find a suitable treatment for anxiety, fatigue and depression which will often include a combination of medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy. But besides this, numerous studies had found natural ways to treat anxiety, especially advantageous because it doesn’t have side and adverse effects. A study conducted by Swiss researchers found that meditation can treat and relieve the symptoms of anxiety.

Meditation Against Anxiety, Fatigue and Depression

A study conducted by researchers from Switzerland found that meditation can help alleviate anxiety, fatigue and depression in patients with multiple sclerosis. Mindfulness meditation has been recommended by medical experts as an alternative treatment for people suffering from chronic conditions. In practice, mindfulness meditation aims to develop and improve the person's perception of the now; the practice is commonly described as the objective awareness of moment-to-moment experience.

The study was conducted at the University Hospital Basel and lasted for a period of 8 weeks. The researchers randomly selected 150 patients to receive either standard medical care or mindfulness meditation program for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, the researchers found that the patients who practiced meditation had lower levels of depression and fatigue compared to those who received medical care only. Around 50 percent of patients with multiple sclerosis report that fatigue is the most disabling symptom of their health condition. The participants of the study reported improvements in fatigue, depression, anxiety and their overall quality of life. Author of the study, Paul Grossman, said that their mindfulness meditation program received a high attendance rate of 90 percent.

Natural Ways to Alleviate Anxiety, Fatigue and Depression

Anxiety, depression and fatigue can be controlled by eating starchy foods. It's common knowledge that eating carbohydrate-rich foods can give a temporary feeling of calm. A study conducted by a team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that a certain amino acid, which increases in production with the intake of carbohydrates, can stimulate the production of serotonin, an enzyme responsible for creating a sense of calm. Carbohydrates also supply the body with its much needed energy to overcome fatigue.

A study conducted by the US National Institute of Health in 2003 found that eating fish can reduce depression and anxiety. Fish like herring, mackerel, sardines and salmon are rich in EPA or Eicosapentaenoic acid, a long-chain unsaturated fatty acid which promotes brain health and improves its response to stress. Food supplements containing high concentrations of fish nutrients are also available for people who are not fond of eating fish.

Herbs like St. John's Wort, valerian root, peppermint and lemon balm had also been found to be beneficial in alleviating anxiety, fatigue and depression. Though these herbs help increase the levels of serotonin in the body, medical experts discourage the use of these herbs, especially St. John's Wort, for people who are already taking antidepressants and other medications for anxiety and fatigue. Try to ask for the advice of a naturopath or herbalist before taking any herbal medication.

Proper nutrition can greatly help in alleviating anxiety, fatigue and depression. Eating foods rich in vitamin B complex can help stimulate the creation of new neurotransmitters to improve mood and control the communication between the nerve cells of the brain. Foods rich in vitamin B complex are oranges, beans, wheat, nuts, and cantaloupe. It is also available in supplement form.

Certain relaxation practices like yoga, aromatherapy, getting a massage and mindfulness meditation have also been found to help overcome these conditions by reducing stress and improving the person’s response to stressful situations.

Sources
naturalnews.com
emedicinehealth.com
alternativementalhealth.com
medicinenet.com
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
alive.com
epigee.org
bukisa.com