Feeling particularly anxious or depressed lately? It might be due to lack of nutrients your body is receiving.  While mental health therapy and/or the use of medication is certainly helpful in some cases, looking into your nutritional states might also prove to be helpful. One way to start is getting blood work done to determine your body’s exact nutritional needs.  This is particularly helpful in that you are not throwing darts blindly.  But, if needles aren’t your thing- no problem- you could certainly try adding in one vitamin at a time for a week or so and noticing any improvements.  If you do start to feel better, you likely were deficient in that area.

Vitamin B-Complex

• Helps with nervous system functioning.
• Stress depletes level.
• Depletion can lead to anxiety, fatigue, and mood problems
• Studies have found Vitamin B helpful in treating anxiety, agoraphobia, and obsessive compulsive disorder.
• Most common source of Vitamin B is from animal sources.
• If you are vegan or vegetarian really need to check Vitamin B levels.
• Some good sources are meat, turkey, whole grains, potatoes, bananas, and legumes.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid

• Reduces inflammation and plays a critical role in brain functioning, especially memory and mood.
• Body can’t make Omega-3 Fatty Acid so it’s important you supplement it.

Magnesium

• Regulates the release of stress hormones.
• Plays a part in more than 300 of the body’s biochemical reactions.
• Studies have shown a strong connection between magnesium levels and anxiety and depression.
• Magnesium rich foods include dark leafy vegetables, spinach, pumpkin seeds, whole grains, and fruits such as watermelon and figs.
• Herbs are a great source of magnesium including cayenne pepper, parsley, fennel seed and paprika. Herbal teas are also great.

Vitamin D

• The main source of Vitamin D is sunshine.
• Research has linked low levels of Vitamin D to depression and anxiety.
• Vitamin D enriched foods include fatty fish, fortified products such as milk, juice, and cheese, egg yolks, avocado.

Calcium

• The nervous system needs calcium in order to operate effectively.
• Mood issues can be the result of deficient levels of calcium.
• Physical symptoms of calcium deficiency include shaking, heart palpitations, tingling sensations and numbness.
• Calcium rich foods include dairy and soy products, tofu, almonds, oatmeal and green veggies.

Tryptophan

• Although not a vitamin, it’s an essential amino acid that helps with stress and anxiety.
• Tryptophan produces the compound 5-HTP, which converts into serotonin. Serotonin is often called the “feel good” drug and plays a pivotal role in the regulation of sleep, mood, and appetite.