What can be done for Anxiety and panic attacks?

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What can be done for anxiety and panic attacks?JoAnn GuestAug 29, 2005 07:50 PDT [A very long post with two articles but merits reading in full. Take a printout, it is easier that way - Jagannath]www.doctormurray.comI have them so bad that I am afraid to go out anymore. Here is a staggering statistic: over 14 million Americans suffer from anxiety, "an unpleasant emotional state ranging from mild unease to intense fear."Anxiety differs from fear, in that while fear is a rational response to a real danger, anxiety usually lacks a clear or realistic cause.Though some anxiety is normal and, in fact, healthy, higher levels of anxiety are not only uncomfortable, they can lead tosignificant problems.Anxiety is often accompanied by a variety of symptoms. The most common symptoms relate to the chest such as heart palpitations (awareness of a more forceful or faster heart beat), throbbing

or stabbing pains, a feeling of tightness and inability to take in enough air, and a tendency to sigh or hyperventilate. Tension in the muscles of the back and neck often leads to headaches, back pains, and muscle spasms. Other symptoms can include excessive sweating, dryness of mouth, dizziness, digestive disturbances, and the constant need to urinate or defecate.The anxious individual usually has a constant feeling that something bad is going to happen. They may fear that they have a chronic of dangerous illness - a belief that is reinforced by the symptoms of anxiety. Inability to relax may lead to difficulty in getting to sleep and constant waking through the night.An anxiety attack is milder than a panic attack. During an anxiety attack a person will experience intense feelings of fear. Panic attacks are most often associated with a condition known as agoraphobia - an intense fear of being alone or being in public places. As a result, most people with

agoraphobia become housebound. It sounds like you may be suffering from agoraphobia.Panic attacks are very common as about 15% of the United States population experience a panic attack in their lifetimes and among adults aged 25 to 54 years about 1.5% to 3% will experience frequent panic attacks. Anxiety and panic attacks can be the result of either physical or psychological factors. For example, extreme stress can definitely trigger anxiety and so can certain stimulants like caffeine.There are at least seven nutritional factors that may be responsible for triggering anxiety:AlcoholCaffeineSugarDeficiency of the B vitamins, niacin, pyridoxine, and thiaminDeficiency of calcium or magnesiumFood allergiesInsufficiency of omega-3 fatty acidsBy avoiding alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and food allergies a person with anxiety can go a long way in relieving their symptoms. Simply eliminating coffee can result in complete

elimination of symptoms. This recommendation may seem to simple to be true, but substantial clinical evidence indicates that in many cases it is all that is necessary.There are a number of popular recommendations often given to help people with stress and/or anxiety. I would recommend a good high potency multiple vitamin and mineral formula to make sure that a person is providing their body with the kind of nutritional support necessary to counteract the biochemical derangements found in patients with anxiety and panic attacks. I would also recommend one tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily. It has been suggested that patients with anxiety and panic attacks may suffer from a deficiency of alpha-linolenic acid - the essential omega-3 fatty acid found inhigh concentrations in flaxseed oil. In one study, 3 out of 4 patients with a history of agoraphobia for 10 or more years improved within 2 to 3 months after taking flaxseed oil at a dosage of 2 to

6 tablespoons daily in divided doses depending upon response. All patients had signs of essential fatty acid deficiency such as dry skin, dandruff, brittle fingernails that grow slowly, and nerve disorders.Beyond this sound nutritional support, I would likely recommend the herb kava. Kava (Piper methysticum) is a plant that is native to the area of Oceania, the island communities of the Pacific include Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia.Several European countries have approved kava preparations as a medicaltreatment of nervous anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness based on the results of detailed scientific investigations and favorable clinical studies. Kava appears to be as effective as standard drugs, yet considerably safer. If you are currently on a tranquilizer or anti-depressant, you will need to work with a physician to get off thedrug. Stopping the drug on your own can be dangerous, you absolutely must have proper medical

supervision.The dosage of kava preparations is based on the level of kavalactones. Based on clinical studies using pure kavalactones or kava extracts standardized for kavalactones, the recommendation for anxiety-relieving effects is 45 to 70 mg of kavalactones three times daily.Although no side effects have been reported using standardized kava extracts at recommended levels in the clinical studies, several case reports have been presented indicating that kava may interfere with dopamine and worsen Parkinson's disease, exert an additive effect when combined with benzodiazepines, and produce impaired driving (when consumed in very large dosages).Until these issues are cleared up, kava extract should not be used in Parkinson's patients; and should be used with extreme caution and close monitoring in people taking benzodiazepines.-Conquering Anxiety, Depression and

Fatigue Without Drugs- the Role of Hypoglycemiaby Professor Joel H. LevittThe Anxiety & Hypoglycemia Relief Institutee-mail:jlev-voice-mail:212-479-7805(For questions regarding anxiety & hypoglycemia and New York Cityclasses, contact Prof. Joel H. Levitt jlev-)Stress is often blamed as the root cause for anxiety, depression and fatigue, but, although stress can make any problem worse, the source of such problems is often physical in nature. And hypoglycemia is one of the major physical causes.This article covers the

following:What is Hypoglycemia? - the cause of hypoglycemia and its effects.Typical Hypoglycemia Symptoms - the wide range of mental, emotionaland physical symptoms.Testing for Hypoglycemia - standard medical testing and why it isoften unreliable.The Solution to Hypoglycemia - a list of dietary and nutrient recommendations, with special notes and cautions.Recommended Reading - books and other references that will give you amore complete understanding.What is Hypoglycemia?First of all, let's be clear on one major point - hypoglycemia is not a "disease" in that you either have it or don't, it is a condition, and, in most cases, it is fully reversible.Some types of hypoglycemia are caused by a tumor or other physical damage to a gland. However, that is rare, and not the focus of this article. The more common type of hypoglycemia - called "functional,reactive," or "fasting" - is your body's reaction

to what you put in it.Hypoglycemia is the body's inability to properly regulate blood sugar levels, causing the level of sugar in the blood to be too low or to fall too rapidly.Blood sugar, in the form of glucose, is the basic fuel for all brain operation and physical activity, including muscular. If the available fuel is too inadequate, any marginal physical or mental system may start to shut down.In addition, the glandular imbalances that result, as the glands struggle to regulate the sugar level, cause their own symptoms - especially high adrenaline, which is usually perceived as anxiety or panic, but, in some cases, can lead to violence.(Am I saying this has something to do with domestic violence and street crime? YES! And there is expert congressional testimony to back this up.)Here is a typical pattern:1. You eat or drink excess sugar (the average American consumes well over 100 lbs/yr.).2. The body releases

insulin to put sugar into storage, but the insulin response is excessive (due to ADAPTATION and/or chromium deficiency).3. About 2 hours later so much sugar has been put into storage that there is not enough left in the blood, and you get a low-blood-sugar emergency.Symptoms such as weakness and mental fog begin.4. The body responds to the emergency by dumping adrenaline into the system.More symptoms follow from the high adrenaline, such as racing heart, anxiety, etc., etc., etc..5. The roller coaster rises and falls in critical hormones, causing an unbalance in all the hormones and often resulting in ongoing symptoms.Many Americans have hypoglycemia to a greater or less degree. The symptoms comprise a remarkably long list and range from mild discomfort to being completely incapacitated.Typical Hypoglycemia SymptomsFollowing is a list of symptoms I've drawn from multiple sources, plus my own observations.

The list is long because symptoms result not only directly from low blood glucose but also from the glandular imbalances that result, especially high adrenaline. Only one or two symptoms may be present, but most often, you will find several.Note that although I've listed mental and physical symptoms separately, they often overlap.Mental SymptomsAnxiety - ranging from constant worry to panic attacks.Phobias - claustrophobia, agoraphobia, acrophobia, and so on. This is anxiety tied to a particular issue.NervousnessRestlessnessIrritabilityDepression - especially with femalesViolent outbursts - especially with malesObsessive Compulsive BehaviorForgetfulness - this may just be choline/inositol deficiency.Inability to concentrateUnsocial, Asocial, Anti-Social behaviorCrying spellsNightmares & night terrors - terror can continue after you wake up. It is

especially indicative of hypoglycemia if you wake in a cold sweat, if the terror continues, if there is pressure on the chest, or if you are unable to breathe.Physical SymptomsHeadaches - especially if a meal is missed.Tachycardia - racing pulse due to high adrenaline.Fatigue, weakness, "rubbery" legs.Tremor or trembling of arm, leg, or whole body (outside or inside)Twitching, jerking, or cramping of a leg muscle - cramping may be just calcium or magnesium deficiency or food allergy response.Waking after 2-3 hrs sleepTinnitus - ringing in the ear, due to high insulin in about 70 % of tinnitus cases.Abnormal weight - too high or too low.Compulsive craving for sweets, colas, coffee, alcoholLack of appetiteA diagnosis of "mitral valve prolapse"Crawling sensations on skinFaintingBlurred visionSmothering spells - gasping for breathRed blotches

on skin or circular arcs of red skinLack of sexual driveChest pain - severe, but EKG normal.Can't tolerate bright light or loud soundsJoint painsAnother clue is that the symptoms are usually worse in the early morning after waking, and get better after being up and around a full day.It's a remarkably long list and for very good reasons!Many of the above symptoms can be found in the standard PDR (Physician's Desk Reference) as the typical expected side effects for a NORMAL HEALTHY person given an injection of adrenaline (alternate name epinephrine).Why should anyone not injected with adrenaline have such symptoms? To understand what is going on, we have to understand how humans have been designed to survive emergencies. Suppose you meet a tiger on the road. What happens? Immediately an emergency situation is detected and the adrenal gland dumps adrenaline. The adrenaline prepares you for vigorous muscular

activity.It brings sugar out of storage for muscular action. It raises the heart rate so your blood circulates faster and turns off digestion. You are now prepared for FIGHT or FLIGHT.Some people will fight, their adrenaline response will be ANGER, most people will run, their adrenaline response is felt as FEAR.In most cases, the simplest WORKING DEFINITION OF ANXIETY is the way youperceive HIGH ADRENALINE. If adrenaline is moderately high for too long a time, people feel anxious and wonder why.This is called "free-floating " anxiety.If, on the other hand, adrenaline shoots up to a very high value rapidly, andthen decreases rapidly, the anxiety is brief but intense.This is called a "panic attack." If you regularly pick a particular thing to tie the anxiety to, such as high places, that's called a "phobia."What's the problem? What's wrong with the life-saving response to a tiger on the road?The human

body, because it's a wonderful self-adjusting system has a mechanism called ADAPTATION. If you repeatedly have emergencies the body learns to dump larger and larger amounts of adrenaline at the slightest hint of an emergency.The adrenal gland puts out about 60 different hormones- repeated requests for adrenaline dumps will affect all the others.A hair-trigger adrenaline response is not what you want in modern life.What happens in modern life is that several times a day many people have low-blood-sugar emergencies.This leads to adrenaline dumping and ANXIETY, it also leads to hormonal imbalances.NORMAL SUGAR PROCESSING:Eat food including sugar; pancreas releases insulin; insulin puts excess sugar into storage for use later."REACTIVE HYPOGLYCEMIC" PROCESSING:Consume excessive sugar food or beverage; pancreas dumps excess insulin(remember ADAPTION);About two hours later blood sugar crashes to

emergency level; adrenal gland dumps excess adrenaline (remember ADAPTION);RESULT=ANXIETY and HORMONAL IMBALANCEThe saving grace is that hypoglycemia, even early-stage diabetes when the pancreas starts to give up, is fully reversible with diet and nutritional supplements.Testing for HypoglycemiaStandard medical testing for hypoglycemia is the Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT). The person being tested is required to fast for 12 hours, then have a drink with a super-high sugar content - a disaster plan for someone with hypoglycemia.The blood is then tested every 30 minutes, for 6 hours. Unfortunately, the test is unreliable as it is frequently done in an "inadequate" way or is "misinterpreted".The most frequent problems with the GTT are:The test is run for less than 6 hours - a 3 -hour test certainly can't catch a drop at the 5.5 hour point).The test measures glucose level but fails to measure insulin and adrenaline

- your blood sugar may be holding up because your adrenal gland is dumping huge amounts of adrenaline.Glucose alone can't tell the full story.The symptoms are not carefully observed during the test - the classic story is of a man who went for his test, drank the sugar solution, became violent, and smashed the furniture in the waiting room. Upon leaving, he was given a bill for the furniture, and a test stamped "normal!"His glucose level didn't go below the level that lab used as an absolute criterion! If you become violent during the test, or faint, or break out in a cold sweat and start shaking you have FAILED the test REGARDLESS of the NUMBERS!The rate of drop in blood sugar is ignored - the lowest glucose level is important, but the rate of drop is just as important.Falling too rapidly from high-normal to low-normal represents poor regulation and will give symptoms.Because of the above testing problems, hypoglycemia is

best "diagnosed" by its symptoms.The Solution to HypoglycemiaTo reverse the condition, the glands must be allowed to recover. This is done by eliminating all foods and beverages that deliver sugar rapidly.Thus the cure for "low blood sugar" is to AVOID sugar and simple carbohydrates, like "white" wheat flour, that "convert" rapidly into sugar.Stress, of course, makes all problems worse.And if you can eliminate all stress - fine. But, realistically, it is much easier to simply "control" what you "consume".My recommendations for handling hypoglycemia consist of diet, and nutritional supplements. There are also excellent full-length books available in the Recommended Books list at the end of this article.Iespecially recommend books 1 and 2.Dietary Recommendations Best foods to eat raw vegetablesraw mixed salad greensseeds and nuts (not peanuts, they are genetically

engineered)cold water fish (alaskan salmon, sardines that are water packedNext bestlightly cooked organic vegetablescooked greens (Collard greens, Mustard greens, Spinach etc.)organic eggs (hardboiled for safety)free range turkeydried beanswhole grains (one at a time)Best snackcarry seeds & raw nuts.Best beveragesFreshly made vegetable juices. Most hypoglycemics should probably limitcarrots in juice form to about 1/day or less, as a sweetener for other veggies.Spring or pure filtered water.Herbal tea - from one or two herbs, not "naturally flavored" blends.Worst food ingredientsThe packaging for some foods can be misleading. For example, many packages will say "Sugar Free." However, if you read the ingredients, you will find types of sweeteners just as harmful. Therefore, it is important to read all labels carefully.Hypoglycemics should avoid the

following:Sugar -this includes sucrose, fructose, raw sugar (sugar + dirt), brown sugar(sugar, dyed brown), corn syrup, "dried cane juice", "raisin juice" etc., molasses, malt, malted barley, even maple syrup and honey. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils -including vegetable shortening and margarine.These are "hormone imbalancers".White wheat flour and white rice - nutrients that prevent heart disease & cancer are removed from these products to give longer shelf life.Fiber is also removed, therefore the starch rapidly "converts" to sugar.Peanuts & Corn - high mold sources which "tax" the immune system.Special Notes and Cautions About DietThe above list represents my personal current opinion, and is periodically modified. Consideration was given both to the influence on sugar metabolism, and on general health. Many foods not listed above as best or worst can be

eaten in moderation, assuming of course that you are not allergic to them.Additionally, the following factors need to be observedOrganic FoodsIf you can't get "organic" foods, use non-organic foods less often.VegetariansIf you are a vegetarian, of course eliminate animal foods. The vegetarian route requires more knowledge and more work; but I currently believe that, in the long run, it gives the best health in most cases - for hypoglycemics as well as "normals."Food AllergiesFood allergy and reactive hypoglycemia frequently go hand in hand. If you are allergic to one or more of the best foods, then they are not acceptable for you.Individual food allergies must be carefully considered with any restrictive diet. For example, a grain-based diet can be a disaster for someone with grain allergies, even if the carbohydrate level can be tolerated.To find out what you are allergic to is a gradual process of learning which

involves primarily selective elimination, for at least 5 days, with careful observation of symptoms.Likes and DislikesI also believe that you must be reasonably comfortable with your food choices to assimilate the food properly, i.e. foods you hate won't make a good diet for you.Beware of Liquids Containing SugarLiquids containing sugar deliver sugar to the body too rapidly. In addition to obvious disasters such as sodas, colas, sweetened coffee (a double whammy if caffeine is present), and alcohol (behaves like liquid sugar), you should also AVOID PASTEURIZED FRUIT JUICES (an exception is grapefruit which can usually be tolerated in moderation, perhaps 4 oz./day)AVOID MILK. Milk contains a harmful enzyme, Xanthine Oxidase, makes it abad choice for all. Consider instead organic yogurt, from whole milk, NOT skim or low-fat.The harmful enzyme "Xanthine Oxidase" is "de-activated" when yogurt and cheeses are made.Avoid

Artificial SweetenersArtificial sweeteners have been a major American health disaster, especially aspartame, and should not even be considered as a substitute for sugar. They make recovery for hypoglycemics much more difficult and are a major health hazard.Nutrient RecommendationsThe most important of the supplements are high level vitamin C - which is the primary support for the adrenal gland - and a good multiple formula containing chromium.Vitamin CThe dosage depends on how serious your symptoms are. A general guidelinefor most people having uncomfortable symptoms would be 10 grams (10,000milligrams) per day. A level teaspoon of powder or crystals gives about 4 grams, a heaping teaspoon 5 grams. Therefore two heaping teaspoons per day would give 10 grams.This should be split into two or more servings at different times during the day, preferably with meals. If you are not used to these levels, start with less and

work up over a few days. An extra teaspoon can always be taken if you start to feel bad - indigestion, a headache, dizzy, a panic attack starting, etc.Note that chromium is IMPORTANT for sugar metabolismIf you are currently taking a multiple, compare. Note especially the Co-Q10, chromium, selenium, and Vitamin E content. These are anti-oxidants. All anti-oxidants, including vitamin C, work together.For vanadium, I currently recommend one Vanadyl Sulfate separate 7.5 mgtablet/day. This works with chromium to allow insulin to function properly, as it eliminates "insulin resistance." Adjust to taking chromium before starting the vanadium.Other nutrients useful for reactive hypoglycemia and anxiety are:magnesium (chelated not oxide)pantetheineniacin (read about "flushing" before taking).alpha lipoic acidRecommended ReadingI have separated the following list in categories for easy reference.

However, the categories sometimes overlap. For example, books on mental health discuss sugar, nutrition and allergy.On Sugar & Hypoglycemia(1) Paavo Airola, Hypoglycemia, A Better Approach, Health Plus,Portland OR (503-625-0589)(2) Carlton Fredericks, Carlton Fredericks' New Low Blood Sugar andYou, Perigee Books (Putnam)(3) William Dufty, Sugar Blues, Warner Books, N.Y.(4) Saunders & Ross, Hypoglycemia: The Disease Your Doctor Won'tTreat, Pinnacle Books(5) Martin L. Budd, Low Blood Sugar(Hypoglycaemia) The 20th CenturyEpidemic?, Sterling Publishing, N.Y.On Mental Health(6) Carlton Fredericks, Psycho-Nutrition, Grosset & Dunlap(7) Barbara Reed, Food Teens & Behavior, Natural Press(P.O. Box 730, Manitowoc WI 54221, $9.95 +$2 s & h, 920-758-2500)( Carl C. Pfeiffer, M.D. Mental & Elemental Nutrients, KeatsPublishing(9) Priscilla Slagle, M.D. The Way Up From Down (DEPRESSION),

RandomHouseOn General Nutrition(12) Cass Igram, D.O. Self Test Nutrition Guide, Knowledge HousePublishers 800-243-5242(13) Gary Null, PhD The Complete Guide to Health and Nutrition,Delacorte Press(14) Richard Passwater, Supernutrition, Pocket Books(15) Ruth Adams, The Complete Home Guide to the Vitamins, LarchmontBooks. (very inexpensive 432 pg. paperback)On Vitamin C(16) Irwin Stone, The Healing Factor-Vitamin C Against Disease(17) Ewan Cameron & Linus Pauling Cancer and Vitamin C, Warner BooksEncyclopedic References from Rodale Books (Emmaus Pa 18049)(1 Staff of Prevention, The Complete Book of Vitamins(19) J.I. Rodale, Complete Book of Minerals for Health(20) Staff of Prevention, Encyclopedia of Common Diseases(21) Mark Bricklin, Practical Encyclopedia of Natural HealingHistory of Medical Progress (and Non-Progress)(22) Wayne Martin, Medical Heroes and Heretics,

Devon-Adair(23) G. Edward Griffin, World Without Cancer, American MediaOther Recommendations(24) Arthur F Coca, MD , The Pulse Test : The Secret of BuildingYourBasic Health St. Martin's mass maket pbck ($3.99 Amazon.com)(25) & (26) William H. Philpott, M.D. & Dwight K. Kalita, PHD.BrainAllergies, and Victory Over Diabetes ,Keats Publishing(27) Marshall Mandell, M.D. & L. Scanlon ,Dr. Mandell's 5-DayAllergyRelief System, Harper & RowDonate and help us reach others with this information!http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/hypoglycemia.htm________________JoAnn Guestmrsjo-www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets "Our ideal is not the spirituality that withdraws from life but the conquest of life by the power of the spirit." - Aurobindo.

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Check out the post from "Eagle" on EFT, and check out some of the beneficial outcomes from application of this technique.

 

That is .... if you want relief .. lasting and continuous.

 

If you just want a "head job" of 'understanding', and connect with similar stories of sufferers, go on and read about the attacks of others, chase up the stats, and look for drugs that alleviate the symptoms.

 

ONLY go to the post headed above IF YOU WANT TO END THIS MATTER ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!

 

Regards

Jorge