THERE IS A REASON WHY YOU ARE ANXIOUS
As someone who used to deal with crippling anxiety, I now realize my past with anxiety was mainly due to lack of nourishment, my severely depleted state, and unresolved trauma.
You are not born with anxiety, you develop anxiety, and there is always a reason why you develop something. Your body doesn’t just go from feeling fine to not fine for no reason. Anxiety is a symptom of a stress occurring, and in my experience with clients, here are the main culprits:
🔹️Undereating which can look like not eating enough calories
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🔹️Lack of nourishment which looks like not eating enough carbs to raise blood sugar, or too much protein which causes blood sugar to drop
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🔹️Blood sugar dysregulation- going hand in hand with not eating enough or unfrequently. Blood sugar will drop, which will then force our body to break down some type of tissue to increase blood sugar. This will directly stress the adrenals as we start producing cortisol, which can lead to jitteriness, sweating, a faster heart beat, heightened senses
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🔹️Mineral imbalances that help calm the body down like magnesium, sodium and potassium are all required at regulating our adrenal response
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🔹️Gut dysbiosis such as an inability to breakdown carbs (which we need to regulate cortisol), or parasitic infections can sensitize us to feeling unwell
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🔹️Lack of sleep directly impacts mood and exacerbates our fight or flight response, influencing our central nervous system. Our CNS is constantly assessing to see if we are safe or in danger, and in times in which we may feel “weaker” or not as “responsive” anxiety is heightened to become more alert
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🔹️Lastly, if you have unprocessed trauma, this too will influence your CNS. We have memories not only in our mind, but our tissues, and if any of our 5 senses are reminded by something similarly to a trauma, our instinct is to react, thus again, becoming anxious as a protective mechanism

Almost a 1/3 of those suffering with disordered eating will develop some type of anxiety, and I don’t think this is a coincidence.
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Of the many reasons that one can develop anxiety is to either not eat enough, not frequently enough, or not nourish themselves properly.
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How does this work?⬇️
Well, If you don’t eat enough, your blood sugar will drop and this can cause a stress response within the system to supply it with some type of energy. In many cases, this stress response comes from the adrenal glands, shooting cortisol and adrenaline out into the bloodstream so one can regain some energy. However, because it is a stress, one may not feel stable per say and more jittery, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, etc.
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This goes the same for anyone who may not be eating frequently enough and going long bouts of time without food, whether it be a snack or meal. Conversely, it is important to note also that this same occurrence can happen if one isn’t pairing enough carbohydrates to protein and vice versa. Too much protein can drop blood sugar too low, and a meal/snack too rich in carbs can spike blood sugar too high with the drop feeling harder.
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Aside from meal frequency and caloric density, the type of macro and micro nutrients delivered in what we eat influences our state in developing anxiety as well. Making sure we are eating easily digestible carbohydrates like fruit, which are a rich source of fructose, is best for it doesn’t spike insulin and helps improve blood sugar. Pairing meals with all 3 macronutrients (Fat, carbs and protein) has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar, have the body slowly utilize fuel and keep one fuller and satiated longer.
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With less anxiety, one is less prone to binge and restrict, as well as approach stressful situations, such as a fear or preoccupation around food or their body, with more logic and patience.

OUR MINERAL STATUS IS ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU ANXIOUS
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Keep in mind, blood tests are poor markers to test minerals. If you’re looking to test, I recommend doing an HTMA which I offer to all my clients!
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Potassium and sodium: Sodium is an extracellular mineral, whereas potassium is intracellular. In most cases, we want sodium to be a bit higher than potassium, for it travels through the body more abundantly and is excreted more easily via sweat and urine. However, when sodium to potassium ratios are too high, meaning low potassium, this could signal there is adrenal dysfunction, in which can directly impact our production of corticoids, particularly glucocorticoids (substances that the body makes to fight inflammation and modulate the immune system). When the body is under stress, anxiety can develop as a protective mechanism to stimulate and protect itself. Note here that low potassium is synonymous with high or low copper levels as well.
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Magnesium and calcium: The ratio between these two minerals is usually linked to adrenal health, but also blood sugar dysregulation. As a rule of thumb, when any type of stress is present, one should acknowledge that magnesium will be one of the first minerals the body will “burn” through. That being said, stress spikes cortisol which increases osteoblastic activity (bone breakdown) that can lead to higher calcium levels being released from bones. On the flip side, if calcium is too low, our cells don’t become sensitized to glucose, which we NEED in order to absorb the body’s source preferred source of energy.
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Copper: There is usually a strong correlation to those high in copper on an HTMA with other altered minerals and heavy metals than can trigger anxiety. As a reminder, copper toxicity is rare, but rather it is “unbound copper” that would be appearing high on the test, meaning one isn’t producing adequate ceruloplasmin, a protein that helps activate copper and do its job.  Ironically, ceruloplasmin is made in a proper functioning liver and adrenal glands.
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See the correlation? Stress like blood sugar dysregulation, environmental factors, not eating enough, over exercising, etc it can all manifest.

THEY SAY YOUR GUT IS YOUR SECOND BRAIN…
and in a way, it’s true, because many of our neurotransmitters that affect our mood are produced there.
Have anxiety? You’re not alone. Almost 1/5 people suffer with anxiety, and almost 25% of those are women. Of the many reasons one can develop anxiety, gut issues are one of them, and it could due to 5 main reasons:
1. Dysbiosis: Did you know that the bacteria in your gut can influence the way you feel? You can either have an overgrowth (too much) or a lack of particular bacteria that can present with similar symptoms. Many of the Lactobacillus bacteria like Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus farciminis have been shown to be helpful with anxiety, as well as Bifidobacterium infantis. Granted, overgrowths that can cause anxiety are opportunistic ones such as prevotella, ruminoococcus and even yeast overgrowths like those of the candida albicans family. To know for sure which bacteria may be causing your anxiety, one would need to test with something like a GI Map, but I would recommend to simply start eating according to our physiology to strengthen the metabolism in which should then take care of the imbalance on its own. Most reasons people end up with overgrowths of opportunistic bacteria and low levels of beneficial bacteria is due to over use of antibiotics, stress, low stomach acidity, lack of bile production, and/or too much fiber in the diet that has over crowded other key foods that help with keeping the metabolism strong enough to control the eco system of bacteria in the small intestine.
2. Parasites: Examples such as tapeworms, roundworms, pinworms, whipworms, hookworms all can affect the intestine and cause a series of symptoms including anxiety. Most people contract them through handling animals (pets), eating undercooked meat/fish, contaminated produce or even swimming in something as simple as a lake or walking barefoot. They use one’s organism to feed off the material in the body and reproduce. Keep in mind that we live with parasites inside of us, but there are some that are more detrimental than others. Conversely, if we have a robust immune system and digestive system (particularly stomach acid), we should be able to eradicate parasites easily or at least maintain them from overpowering us.
3. High serotonin: An elevation of serotonin production can impair glucose control (which can be stressful on the body and cause anxiety), blunt our ability to experience pleasure and slow metabolic function which can directly influence our cells from utilizing energy properly. If we lack the ability to make energy, our body gets stressed, and boom, anxiety.
4. Lack of digestive enzymes: If one suffers from poor digestion and production of pancreatic enzymes, this can directly result in nutrient imbalances that can affect our mood and even blood sugar. For instance, if one isn’t capable of breaking down carbohydrates in producing adequate amylase, one is at risk of not lowering stress levels when the body needs the energy to do so, for carbs help lower cortisol. An inability to digest food and produce enzymes I usually linked to a mineral imbalance.
5. Poor vagal tone: Our vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the autonomic nervous system linking our brain and bowels, connecting to other organ systems in the middle, thus creating the gut-brain axis. It plays a pivotal role in influencing our nervous system, for it helps to signal to our bodies when it should shift to a more “rest and digest” state to a “fight or flight”. Poor vagal tone is a term in which we use to identify a poor connection between the brain and gut, presenting itself in ways such as digestive issues, fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, GERD, food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies, and yes, even anxiety. Causes of poor vagal tone can he physical trauma, mental trauma, or even chronic illnesses.

The vagus nerve is the longest nerve connecting your brain and gut, representing the connection between the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Your PNS is your rest and digest state, but can also influence mood, the immune system, heart rate and digestion.
Vagal tone is the strength in which our vagus nerve can send signals and switch from SNS to PNS when necessary. Low vagal tone is associated with a higher risk of depression, anxiety, mood disorders and even inflammation in general. This is due to the fact that the vagus nerve helps regulate stress responses. High vagal tone on the other hand has been correlated to better mental and physical health and stronger immune system.
When it comes to anxiety, people like to look at this as a gut issue because they have what we call “low vagal tone”, when in reality it is a nervous system issue. Our central nervous system (CNS) is CONSTANTLY assessing our environment if it is safe for us. It stimulates our 5 senses and other bodily functions to do so and this requires tons of energy (glucose) and nutrients-especially if your body is stressed.
Heightened anxiety is a result of an over stimulated and stressed CNS, sending one into a sympathetic state. The influx of anxiety is a result of the body running off of stress hormones, suffering from nutrient deficiencies (like low calcium or magnesium), and/or the body is reacting to a memory that has been stored within tissue (yes, stored trauma, both physical and mental).  The body stops normal function and seizes other responsibilities, such as sending enough nutrients and blood flow to digestion, thyroid, reproductive organs, etc., all to PROTECT you from the perceived stressed even if there isn’t one and it’s just a memory.
The vagus nerve plays a pivotal role here where if the CNS is sending danger signals to the brain, it will directly influence how the vagus nerve reacts and communicates to the rest of the body.
Interestingly enough. Only 20% of the vagus nerve’s job is to receive signals from the brain to the body, and that 80% of it works off of sensory fibres, meaning it carries information from body to brain most of the time!
This means you have CONTROL over how you stimulate your vagus nerve to CALM your CNS because it is primarily influenced by your SENSES. So all that saying “it’s all in your head” about anxiety is complete bullshit. You have the power to influence your body’s reactions.

SO YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM IS A WRECK…
Don’t panic- it’ll make it worse haha
Here are some tips below that can help rebalance it!
Mineral balancing: Calcium + Phosphorus are an important ratio to keep an eye out. Calcium in itself is a calming mineral, but too much can be a sign of catabolism and tissue breakdown. On the flipside, a high phosphorus level is over stimulation and the body in a sympathetic state, leading to nervousness. Then we have Calcium + Magnesium which is important to maintain because it not only maintains nervous system balance but also energy expenditure. As mentioned, calcium helps calm the body, as magnesium does too, but calcium in particular sensitizes our cells to insulin. A high ratio between the two can create blood sugar issues and a sensitivity to sugars. Conversely, an imbalanced ratio can also impact adrenal output and our stress response, affecting our next set of minerals which is potassium and sodium. Potassium + Sodium are the two main minerals that govern our adrenal glands. It’s our first lien of defense against any stress, thus if we start using up a lot of these two minerals, we will start producing an excess of cortisol, over stimulating the nervous system and we then have a dominoes effect.
Eating enough: Your nervous system needs ENERGY in order to work efficiently and not be over burdened, so eating enough calories, particularly enough carbs because our cells run off of glucose, as well as frequently enough is imperative.
Sleep routine: Don’t over work yourself. Your body needs REST and your nervous system will get overly tired if you don’t recharge yourself. Ideally you want to aim for 8 hours of sleep and be in bed by 10pm. Our circadian rhythm works off of a particular inner body clock, and 10pm is the time of the Triple Burner, associated with our thyroid. This means our metabolism kicks in, and we are preparing energy for the NEXT day and must replenish what we have put out.
Feelings: Remember your nervous system is constantly assessing danger. If you bottle up your emotions, disallowing yourself from releasing thins, it will get stored in muscle, tissue and your skeletal system where it can then manifest into disease.

Lastly, here are some tips below that will help you stimulate your vagus nerve back into working. Remember that this is a practice that you must apply simultaneously in calming our nevous system down as well (yesterday’s post). As they say, if you don’t use it, you lose it.
Deep belly breathing: Taking deep breaths that you feel within your belly, in through the nose and out through the mouth, helps lower heart rate and blood pressure, calming the system down. Engaging in belly breathing helps the vagus nerve connect as one focuses on filling the stomach with air and engaging the core, rather than mindlessly breathing.
Humming/chanting/singing: Any type of voice exercise helps with the stimulation of the vagus nerve as it connects from the brain down. Rather than reducing hear rate as breathing, this helps increase it, and has been shown to release oxytocin, a hormone that enhances a feeling of connectedness and pleasure.
Gargling: This action helps stimulate the muscles of the pallet and literally tickle the actual vagus nerve, helping it “wake up”
Cold water exposure: A bit shocking for some, but splashing cold water on one’s face, jumping into a cold shower, or exposing oneself to the cold for a few seconds or minutes helps dampen the fight or flight response, increasing the rest and digest as it habituates itself to the varying temperatures.
Meditation: This help calm an over stimulated vagus nerve, stuck in fight or flight. Focusing on the present moment or an intention is what is helpful.
Exercise: Increases heart rate, blood pressure, and stimulates digestion, which helps with touching the vagus nerve.
Laughter: Like singing, this helps release endorphins, as well as increases heart rate, blood pressure, and directly touches the vagus nerve at its end point near the bowels as we laugh.
Sunlight: Exposure to sun, just like with our circadian rhythm, helps signal to the body to “wake up” and output energy, and as the day goes by, our body prepares itself for rest. Every cell in our body is stimulated by light, so sun exposure early on during the day is ideal to stimulate our vagus nerve and have it literally wake up with you.