Hello,
Today I’m going to write about how I’ve changed my lifestyle in order to reduce my anxiety. This has helped me a lot, but it does take a lot of hard work. I’m not the most patient person, and I like to see results instantly, but I had to persist with this for long term effects. Obviously I didn’t completely get rid of anxiety with these tips, but I did reduce it a lot.
As you may know, there are plenty of foods that help your mood and also reduce anxiety. http://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/treatment/7-foods-that-fight-anxiety This website goes over how eating can effect anxiety.
I’d already had a fairly healthy diet prior to my lifestyle change. I wasn’t eating bad food, but I also wasn’t increasing the good food in my diet such as greens and lots of fruit. I try to minimise the amount of sugar I eat and rarely touch a soda drink or a packet of chips. I always pack my own lunch to uni, saves money and allows you to eat what you want.
I started to exercise more. I go for a run/walk around 2-3 times a week, depending on how busy my week is. Even if it means just taking my dog for a stroll, it’s still doing you good to be out in the fresh air. It doesn’t have to be a huge fat burning session.
I try to lift weights 3-4 mornings a week. After reducing my anxiety, I’ve discovered how exciting it is to slowly transform my body. I don’t have an issue with how I look, but it is always exciting to have a little project in your life. I find this a really beneficial thing to do. I can slowly see how my body is transforming as a result of hard work, and that’s always really rewarding. It means that there is more to life than just anxiety and fear.
I also love to bush walk. I’m very blessed to live in a place where there are many scenic walks nearby. In 2009 I hiked for 4 days in New Zealand on the Milford Sound track. This involved carrying all your sleeping equipment, clothes and food for 4 days. My Dad and I have planned to do this hike again toward the end of this year. This has given me something to look forward to, and I’m so excited that this time I can share the experience with my dear Dad. Bush walking allows you to get back to your roots. Sometimes we get too caught up in technology, stress of society, money issues, relationship problems etc. It’s always a good thing to experience just being in the bush without all that.
Another lifestyle change has been to have more time for myself. I now set aside time for myself to just have a break. It could be as simple as reading a magazine, doing some photography (my favourite) or going shopping.
I’ve found that diet change and lifestyle change has allowed me to reduce my anxiety and discover what is important in life. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’re only going to keep getting the same results that simply don’t work.
Thanks for reading, any suggestions for the next post about emetophobia would be very welcome. 🙂 Enjoy your day. 
em
Respire 