social anxiety

Quiet: introverts on the job – pyroluria, low blood sugar, gluten?

October 22, 2013 By Trudy Scott 13 Comments

In a recent blog post I discussed a possible connection between introversion and pyroluria, especially if you also have social anxiety, inner tension and a preference for interacting with a few people rather than a crowd.

This nice infographic gives us some of the useful facts and stats:

introverts make better one-on-one connections
introverts sometimes experience anxiety when speaking to large groups of people
introverts are prone to social anxiety disorder
the percentage of introverts in the U.S. is about 50%
the percentage of people in the U.S. who are estimated to have social anxiety disorder is 7%-8%
the percentage of adults in the U.S. who are estimated to have an anxiety disorder is 18% [I added this one]

I like that this infographic is suggesting more comfortable work environments and jobs that may suit introverts better.

BUT …and this is a BIG BUT….I feel we can do better if you are one of those introverts who still feel anxious or nervous despite all the tips and tricks.

It’s important for you to also address some of the possible biochemical and nutritional imbalances:

low blood sugar can make you feel anxious, irritable and depressed – eating protein at breakfast helps so much
pyroluria can cause social anxiety and inner tension, especially in crowds and when under more stress – zinc and vitamin B6 can make a world of difference
gluten intolerance can cause anxiety and depression and can lead to nutritional deficiencies – do an elimination and challenge
low GABA or low serotonin can lead to physical tension/anxiety and worry/anxiety in the head – consider a trial of GABA or tryptophan supplements

This is just a few factors that may be contributing to your anxiety. I encourage you to investigate and address ALL the possible causes of your anxiety and/or social anxiety. You don’t have to live with it, tolerate it and force or “extrovert” (a new verb!) yourself in social settings. You can feel comfortable, relaxed, calm and be a “Social Butterfly” – really!

Do also check out my book for in-depth protocols and research: The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings (New Harbinger, 2011).

Source: BestMastersPrograms.org

How to get a great night’s sleep

August 31, 2012 By Trudy Scott 26 Comments

“A 2009 poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that only 28 percent of those surveyed regularly got eight hours or more of sleep a night. The average was around six and a half hours on weekdays and seven on weekends. Those who slept less than eight hours a night typically had mood problems, including worry and anxiety, ate more sugar and unhealthy food and drank more caffeinated beverages!”

~ Trudy Scott, The Antianxiety Food Solution

It’s amazing how many people don’t get enough sleep and there is so much we can do from a nutritional point of view to change this. Here are six things to consider:

One of the first things I think about when a client can’t sleep is low serotonin. Low serotonin symptoms include insomnia, depression, negativity, worry and anxiety, irritability, PMS and afternoon and evening cravings. And low serotonin can be boosted with tryptophan, taken as a supplement and/or in food sources.
Research has actually shown that a medical or functional food made with pumpkin seeds improved sleep, due to the good sources of tryptophan and zinc. In another study this same functional food was also shown to reduce anxiety and social phobia.Pumpkin seeds can be soaked in water overnight and then lightly roasted with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, turmeric and ginger. Food-wise, pumpkin seeds are a favorite of mine for a healthy snack and my clients love them. Here is an blog post that discusses the benefits of soaked nuts and a roasted pumpkin seed recipe
When tryptophan is taken as a supplement, some is converted to serotonin and some to melatonin. Melatonin is fabulous for resetting your circadian rhythm so your sleep cycle gets back to normal. If taking tryptophan doesn’t quite get you sleeping through the night then taking additional melatonin may help. Sublingual melatonin helps you fall asleep and the timed-release form helps you stay asleep.
Other factors that should be considered when sleep is an issue: low blood sugar, addressing low serotonin levels, addressing low GABA levels, checking for parasites and dysbiosis, and making sure you don’t have high cortisol.
Other nutrients that may be helpful: vitamin B6 (which helps improve mood and reduce anxiety too), zinc (which is also important for skin health, reducing anxiety, improving mood, helping with blood sugar balance and PMS), and magnesium (which is also calming).
Of course, it also helps to use a comfortable soft eye patch to keep the room dark and to use earplugs to keep things quiet. Also, keep clock radios and cell phones away from your head and don’t use an electric blanket! Having a warm bath with essential oil of lavender is also a great help to help you wind down at the end of a hectic day.

Try some of the above tips and get those eight hours of sleep and you’ll have less mood problems, experience less worry and anxiety, eat less (or no) sugar and unhealthy food and drink less (or no) caffeinated beverages! Sweet dreams!

Bubble gum flavored apples anyone?

July 2, 2012 By Trudy Scott 9 Comments

Guest Post by Mira Dessy, Certified Nutrition Educator and holistic health columnist helping others eat well to be well.

fakeapples — fake apples | photo: LeemanS

One of my readers, sent in this picture and comment/question about these apples.

“We came across these apples at Stop & Shop here in town. We could not believe our eyes when we saw flavored apples!! I told my husband to take a pic to send to you because I wasn’t sure you would believe me when I tell you that they had bubblegum flavored apples. I believe there were four flavors total to choose from.

I’m curious what your thoughts are. I walked away all kinds of confused. Was this an attempt to help kids with poor eating habits cross over the healthy eating or the other way around? How exactly did they alter this apple to make it flavored? And of course the obvious…yet another example of FAKE food.

Oh and as you can see it’s was placed right next to the apples and the packaging says ready to eat snack. What’s so difficult about preparing an apple for eating? hmmm you wash it?!?!”

Good eye, and good thinking. This is very similar to something I just saw in my local grocery store called grapples. Research indicates that the flavoring comes from “natural” (read possible MSG ingredients) and artificial flavoring. It seems that the apples are marinated for several days in an undoubtedly chemical concoction which allows the apple to soak up the flavor. This process has apparently been approved by the FDA.

The Grapple company website assures the consumer that the product has not been genetically modified and there are no added sugars or calories. Unfortunately there is a huge chemical load, not just from the flavorings, but one assumes these are not organic apples and therefore potentially high in pesticide residue.

The Crazy Apple company website says they can’t tell you how they do it but I assume it’s the same sort of process. They do however assure you that their apples are gluten free (duh!), dairy free (again, duh!), and contain no soy or nuts.

I believe this is seen as a way to market apples to kids but I’m not really sure why this sort of adulteration is seen as a positive. Since apples by themselves are sweet, crunchy, and tasty I’m not sure what the appeal is here. Unfortunately I see this as a big step backwards as items like these further dull the taste buds to what food should taste like.

Update: It turns out these apples are being spotted all over the place and most of you are not happy about it. My friend Adrienne says, “If you want a grape flavored apple take a slice of apple and some grapes. Eat them together. It’s a party in your mouth!” Good advice.