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Here are some sobering statistics for you today:

A whopping 40 million adult Americans are affected by varying degrees of anxiety. 

That’s just under one out of five of us!

And as if that number wasn’t startling enough, the prevalence of anxiety is increasing, especially over the last decade or so, and it’s affecting people and younger and younger ages.

Current estimates show that 50 percent of mental health problems are established by age 14, and 75 percent by age 24!

And among teens and children, anxiety disorders now affect up to 25 percent of young people between the ages of 13 and 18!

Now the begging question here is…

What’s going on?

There are various triggers for anxiety that include:

• Stress due to life problems. Worries such as demanding jobs, working long hours, job loss, financial problems, death of a loved one and divorce.
• Trauma including physical or mental abuse, being the victim of a crime or witnessing violence.
• Excessive alcohol intake or drug use.
• High caffeine or sugar intake.
• Hormonal issues.

But arguably, these concerns have been with us all throughout history, so why would anxiety rates be going up now?

Well, you can answer that question by turning on your TV. 

The mainstream media have gone from conducting real journalism—in other words, objectively reporting factual stories without bias or emotion, and letting the listener make up their own mind about the subject—to carrying out Academy Award quality performances, loaded with opinion, drama, and fear mongering 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Don’t think for a minute that that doesn’t have an effect on your state of mind.

COVID-19 is a perfect example here.  Can you remember the last time you turned on the news and DIDN’T hear any gloom and doom about COVID-19?  Keep in mind, by the way, that their current focus now is “new cases” because the hospitalization and death rates are plummeting, and they need something new to scare you with.

Note that they never mention the fact that most of these “new cases” are primarily the result of more testing and many are completely asymptomatic and/or recovered!

Similar comments may be made about social media outlets like Facebook.  Plus many people are lured into believing everything they see on Facebook, and get the perception that their friends’ lives are much happier and more successful than their own, which can also trigger anxiety and depression. 

Lastly, there’s the fact that people are eating less healthy diets than they did even just a few decades ago, as well as taking more medications than ever before (thanks to the constant barrage of drug ads on TV), both of which can trigger health problems of all kinds, including anxiety. 

The pharmaceutical solution

Unfortunately, many people with anxiety turn to medications which may temporarily relieve your symptoms, but ultimately worsen your problems.

For example, benzodiazepines (such as Valium, Xanax, Klonopin and Ativan) can cause drowsiness, dizziness, change in sex drive/ability, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, slurred speech, loss of coordination and memory problems! 

Plus, they can produce a VERY strong physical dependence in as little as 14 days, and cause life-threatening withdrawal seizures. 

SSRI antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro) are another common treatment.  They can cause stomach upset, sexual problems, fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, weight change, and headaches, as well as impaired liver function, pancreatic problems and decreased white blood cell count (aka weakened immune function).  They can even spur the development of tics!

But thankfully there are…

Other, safer answers!

Thankfully there are safe, natural remedies for anxiety that have been shown to be very effective, without the possible deadly side effects of medications.

Here are 10 of the best:

1- Get enough sleep

Sleep and anxiety create a vicious cycle.  Anxiety can cause you to lose sleep, but at the same time, lacking sleep can trigger anxiety!

Strive to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.  If you’re having trouble falling asleep, taking a warm bath with Epsom salts can help, as well as sipping chamomile tea.  Avoid sugars, caffeine and alcohol in the evening.

2- Supplement with vitamin B12

Deficiencies in vitamin B12 have been linked to symptoms of anxiety.  Vegans and vegetarians are particularly vulnerable, as B12 is only found in animal foods.

Plus B12 is not easily absorbed in the GI tract, so the elderly, people with digestive problems, people who have had gallbladder or gastric surgery and people taking acid reducers also frequently run low. 

To make sure your body has enough of this vital nutrient, supplementation with an oral B12 spray like Hydroxaden 2.5 is the perfect solution.  The B12 is absorbed in the mucus membranes of your mouth, thereby avoiding any absorbency problems in your digestive tract.

3- Try acupuncture

Acupuncture aims to balance the body’s energy flow and can be tremendously helpful with anxiety (as well as chronic pain and many other health issues). 

4- Get some exercise

Exercise is a win-win—it floods your body with feel-good endorphins, plus it encourages better sleep too!

Studies show that just 21 minutes of exercise is all it takes to help reduce anxiety!

So, get your doctor’s OK (I’m sure he or she will be very pleased) and get moving.  Brisk walking is a great activity and just about everyone can do that. 

5- Support strong gut health

There is a network of chemical and electrical signals called the “brain-gut axis” that continuously pass between the central nervous system (your brain and nerves) and the gastrointestinal system (your gut).  What affects one directly affects the other.

The brain-gut axis is the reason why you feel butterflies in your stomach when you're nervous, or on the flip side why people with Crohn’s or IBS often develop anxiety or depression. 

So truly a healthy gut can help encourage a healthy mind!

For strong gut health, concentrate on fiber-rich fresh vegetables and tossed salads, eat fermented foods like sauerkraut, avoid refined carbs and supplement with a full-spectrum, multi-strain probiotic formula like Super Shield. 

6- Try lavender essential oil

Studies have shown lavender oil is associated with decreased symptoms of anxiety. 

You can try putting a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow or in your bath. You can also dab a few drops right on your skin, as lavender is one of the few essential oils that can be applied directly.

And if you are looking for a top-quality, pure product, check out our Ocean Lavender essential oil.     

7- Have a diet of wholesome real foods

A nutrient-poor diet of processed and fast foods, as well as lots of sugars and refined carbs, not only deprives your body and mind of the nutrients they so desperately need to function properly, but it can also trigger many anxiety symptoms, including moodiness, fatigue and abnormal blood sugar levels that cause nervousness and the jitters.

Choose real foods—fresh vegetables and fruits, meats, poultry and wild-caught fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, real butter (never, EVER margarine) and avocado.

8- Get enough vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency can trigger anxiety and depression, and unfortunately, low levels are common in our society today due to fears about skin cancer and avoiding direct sunlight.  Also, food sources of vitamin D are limited.

Most people can safely spend 20 minutes in the sun unprotected to allow your body to manufacture vitamin D.  Also, an outstanding supplement like Optimal DK Formula with FruiteX-B can help ensure you consistently maintain health-supporting levels of this crucial nutrient.

9- Help create serenity from within

You can help achieve inner calmness through meditation, prayer, deep breathing, visualization or listening to relaxing music.

Remove sources of anxiety around you as much as possible.  Avoid TV (especially the news!), don’t be glued to Facebook 24/7, and if it’s a job or relationship that causes you anxiety, it’s time to consider making a change.

10- Avoid artificial sweeteners

This is yet another reason to avoid those chemical concoctions that are nothing but a health abomination—they have been associated with anxiety, depression and headaches!

Remember that artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose and Ace-K are hiding in many processed foods, so read labels carefully (or better yet, avoid processed foods as much as possible!).

Ease your anxiety naturally and start feeling better fast!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia