The Holy Trinity of Health Care

It's really important for everyone to take care of themselves. It's even more important for those with chronic illness to do so. I imagine you would agree with that in relation to a physical illness. What about anxiety, however? The answer to that is a resounding yes. My holy trinity of health care is diet, exercise and sleep.

Dealing with anxiety on a daily basis takes its toll on the body. Imagine those large amounts of stress hormones being released on an almost constant basis. At the very least, we're constantly tired. For that reason good nutrition is really important to replenish any vitamins and minerals depleted by the chronic stress. But there's another side to it. There are certain foods which I try to avoid. The biggest number one food I try to steer clear of is sugar. If I eat something sugary two things happen. A couple of hours later I either feel sick or extremely tense and jittery or both. While feeling sick has little to do with panic and anxiety, I'm less apt to want to leave home if I feel unwell and, if I do leave home, I'm more likely to have a panic attack if I'm not in tip top shake to put my brain and willpower into circumventing one.

Interestingly, I drink both tea and coffee. The former on a daily basis and the latter as a treat when I'm out. I feel the health benefits of tea outweigh the fact that it's a mild stimulant. In fact, a psychologist friend told me that research has shown that black tea aids the system to clear the stress hormones more quickly. Also, my tea drinking is a relaxing ritual; something I do when the morning rush is over and I'm at home alone (or with my husband). After my cuppa I hit the road or do chores. As for coffee, I think it, too, is relaxing because it's something I drink slowly and savour, usually with friends or after doing something fun. I do feel the caffeine rush straight to my knees but it doesn't seem to have an adverse effect on me; if it did I'd drink decaf on those rare occasions. Even the one spoonful of sugar that goes in is small enough not to bother me.

Exercise can also help clear the stress hormones. I have to admit I'm very hit and miss when it comes to exercise but I try. It also helps the immune system. As I mentioned I'm more apt to panic if I feel bad. Exercise reduces the chance of getting sick. It also improves mood and relaxes us so it's great. However, having a strenuous work-out causes the body to have the same symptoms as a panic attack and can bring one on for that reason. I prefer to stick to walking, especially on the beach. How can one possibly not relax on a beach? Walking is also great therapy for those of us who are uneasy about going out because we can gradually increase the distance from home or the car that we walk.

And finally sleep. With what our bodies go through every day it's essential that we get enough sleep to repair the damage. Furthermore, being refreshed and alert makes it easier to deal with the inevitable feelings of anxiety that pop up. The average requirement for adults is, of course, eight hours and research is showing that maybe less is even better. That's not taking us into consideration. I can't speak for other sufferers but my body operates best on nine hours. That doesn't mean I always get it but, like exercise, I try.

I don't always get it right with the holy trinity but, when I do, I feel far more able to get out and enjoy myself.