How Do You Manage Anxiety?

A Self-Help Article
by Zoe Davis

How Do You Manage Anxiety?

If you suffer from anxiety, you need to learn how you can allow peace into your life and build up your kidney energy. Why? Because in Chinese Medicine,  the emotion that rules the kidneys and bladder is peace but also its opposite, fear and anxiety.

​Weak kidney energy is a prime cause of anxiety, when the kidneys are stressed they stimulate the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline, which causes the flight or fight reaction, that's great if we have to run from a burning building or a wild savage animal, but on a daily basis we generally don't need to be in survival mode. 

Exercise is a good start to calming anxiety, it runs the adrenaline out in a more healthy and controlled manner. So rather than lying in bed or sitting in the car worrying about what you might have to do or not do, it's much better to put your runners on and get out and about.

Diet is a big contributor to anxiety too. If you've been anxious for a long time, it's probably worth looking into taking herbs that support kidney and adrenal function. If you are feeling anxious all of a sudden maybe look at what you have or haven't eaten, avoid sugar, coffee and all caffeine products, including chocolate. If you have eaten anxiety producing foods, drink plenty of water, chamomile tea, do some kind of physical exercise and eat beans (beans are shaped like kidneys), fresh vegetables, root vegetables are particularly good because they are very grounding, which is what anxiety really needs. 

Meditation is excellent for anxiety, however if you can't sit still, hit the gym, go for a walk, run or do some yoga. Sitting still will probably be easier after that.

Visualisation can help you focus your attention on how you want to feel. Spend a few minutes taking long breaths and visualise beautiful calm water, a lake or ocean perhaps. You can even focus your gaze on a glass of clear drinking water and imagine your emotions as calm and peaceful as the water. You can repeat the mantra 'peaceful emotions' and breathe evenly until you feel a shift.
 
The most important calming aspect of anxiety is to get out of survival mode, ask yourself is what you are worrying about really a life or death situation? If not, put it into perspective and move on. Do whatever you can to slow down and not be racing around in a future focused mindset, if you can be safe, calm and happy in this moment now then that's all that matters.

Peace and calm to all,
Zoe xox
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