Introduction
Social anxiety can be a difficult condition to manage, but there is hope. According to recent scientific research, there is one food that can help reduce the symptoms of social anxiety. This article will discuss the #1 best food to help social anxiety, as well as provide tips on how to incorporate it into your diet. Eating this food can help you feel more relaxed and confident in social situations, so read on to find out what it is and how to make the most of it.
The #1 Best Food to Help Social Anxiety, Says Science — Eat This Not That
If you suffer from social anxiety, you know how difficult it can be to manage your symptoms. But did you know that certain foods can help? According to recent research, there is one food in particular that can help reduce social anxiety: salmon.
A study published in the journal Nutrition found that eating salmon can help reduce social anxiety symptoms. The researchers found that people who ate salmon regularly had lower levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress and anxiety. They also had lower levels of the stress hormone norepinephrine.
The researchers believe that the omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon are responsible for the anxiety-reducing effects. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, which can help reduce stress and anxiety.
If you suffer from social anxiety, adding salmon to your diet may be a good way to help manage your symptoms. Try to eat salmon at least twice a week for the best results. You can also get omega-3 fatty acids from other sources, such as walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds.
Anxiety is the intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations, and can be caused by a number of factors. There are several types of anxiety a person can face, one of them being social anxiety. Social anxiety, or social phobia, involves high levels of anxiety, fear and avoidance of social situations because of feelings of embarrassment and self-consciousness, as well as concern about being judged or negatively viewed by others.
Luckily, there are methods to help conquer that fear, food being one of them. According to a study done by the Psychiatric Research Journal, the #1 best type of food to help social anxiety are fermented foods.
Fermented foods are foods that are produced through controlled microbial growth–an increase in the number of cells– and the conversion of food components through enzymatic action– the conversion of the starch to simple sugars. Fermented foods provide a lot of health benefits, including balanced blood sugar levels, healthy skin, and a mood boost.
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For the research, a sample of young adults completed self-report measures of fermented food consumption, neuroticism—a broad personality trait dimension representing the degree to which a person experiences the world as distressing, threatening, and unsafe—and social anxiety. There was also an interaction model that controlled the demographics, general consumption of healthful foods, and exercise frequency. It showed that exercise frequency, neuroticism, and fermented food consumption significantly and independently predicted social anxiety.
Further results also showed that eating fermented food helped with neuroticism in predicting social anxiety. Specifically, for those high in neuroticism, a larger intake of fermented food was associated with fewer symptoms of social anxiety.
The research also suggests that the results of this study plus previous studies advocate that fermented foods containing probiotics may have a protective effect against social anxiety symptoms for those at higher genetic risk if they have neuroticism.
While additional research is further needed, these results propose that consuming fermented foods that contain probiotics may serve as a low-risk intervention for reducing social anxiety.
The Nutrients Journal says that high-fermented foods and drinks that contain natural or additive probiotics include yogurt, kefir, pickles, sauerkraut, kombucha, tempeh, miso, kimchi, and sourdough bread.
Exercise is another method to try if you’re looking to incorporate more than just fermented foods into your daily routine. The Cleveland Clinic also suggests trying these techniques:
- Practicing public speaking
- Trying cognitive behavioral therapy – therapy that involves making changes to the way you think and feel about a situation, which, in turn, can help you modify your behavior
- Slowly making your way into anxiety-inducing situations, such as small group activities.
- Asking for help
- Being kind to yourself
Would you like more information on anxiety? If so, try reading These 5 Foods May Naturally Lower Your Anxiety, New Study Suggests.