Interesting discovery on probiotics

Bio-K+CL1285® Probiotics may ease fatigue syndrome anxiety 

 Like the above video "Probiotics may ease fatigue syndrome anxiety" said, probiotics found in yoghurt and supplements not only are used to treat digestive systems but also are found to lift our moods, due to the brain-body connection. It is interesting to note that researchers doing a study on chronic fatigue syndrome found that those given daily doses of probiotics had their depression and anxiety lifted, and Dr Alison Bested said they felt calmer, were sleeping better, and had less palpitations and other symptoms of anxiety. I decided to buy yoghurt again about a couple of weeks ago, and I will continue to do so as I like the taste as well as the knowledge that it is beneficial for my gut health. 

Probiotics and Mental Health

I also learnt from the above video "Probiotics and Mental Health : that based on a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of a probiotic in emotional symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, the researchers found "a significant rise in both lactobacillus and bifidobacteria without taking the LcS, and there was also a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms among those taking the probiotics vs controls. These results lend further support to the presence of a gut-brain interface, one that may be mediated by microbes that reside or pass through the intestinal tract.... Another study provide further evidence that gut microflora play a role in stress, anxiety and depression perhaps via the enteric nervous system as well as centrally." Indeed, as the video concluded, "this ability of probiotics to affect central nervous system processes is perhaps one of the most exciting recent development in probiotic research."

"How to let go of anxious sensations" by Barry McDonagh

Here's sharing this article I came across recently which may be useful as a reference or reminder about learning to trust in our body to take care of anxious sensations that we experience at times. It is a reminder for me as well as I too experience anxiety symptoms such as palpitations before due to tensed situations or stressful circumstances such as at work over the years and so on, and I am learning to remember to breathe deeply where possible. 

http://www.panicaway.com/word/blog/letting-go-of-sensations-that-scare-you

I find some of the comments in the article encouraging.

"October 19,2013

Dil Mari @ 10:01 pm

I’m reading the comments with interest. I wake in the middle of the night with a severe epigastric pain. No one has diagnose or treated it, but at last the pain is so much less intense, plus it only lasts about 20 minutes now rather than the hours it used to. It used to happen if the phone or doorbell rang, or if I had even a slight surprise or shock. I’m accepting it now, and hoppe that, after having it for over 20 years, maybe it will now go away altogether. I hope so. hanks for all your good, sound advice. Dil Mari"

Another person commented below about how he or she learnt to deal with anxiety:

"January 8,2014

Lou Brown @ 12:23 pm

To all those who have commented that they feel ‘dizzy’—-I had the good fortune to watch the Dr Oz show last year where Depak Chopra was a guest. Depak suggested a natural remedy for headaches but I tried it the next time I felt dizzy from anxiety AND IT WORKED! It’s as simple as (sitting if possible) or just standing still and taking 2 or 3 long breaths in and out and then focusing all your attention on your heart-beat until you can really feel it and hear it… then you re-focus as hard as you can on your fingertips and try and FEEL your heartbeat in the very tips of your fingers. Apparently what this does is, it tells your brain to send the rush of blood from your head down to your fingertips – thereby taking the pressure out of your head. I’ve even done this while sitting at traffic lights or in a meeting and it’s quickly dispersed the dizzy feeling. Oh, I forgot to say that I am able to ‘feel’ my heartbeat in my fingertips after a while."

I suppose different people find different strategies work best for themselves. For me, when I experience anxious sensations such as stiff or tensed neck muscles and palpitations, I usually find listening to soothing music or taking a walk helpful to clear my mind, besides conscious breathing, and sometimes I would type mini journals in my office computer email program (and save them in the draft folder) as a form of therapeutic exercise - it also helps me to express or articulate my thoughts and feelings about things that cause anxiety.

Overcoming anxiety attacks naturally

I have taken Xanax before a few times around 2005-2009 when I was experiencing stress symptoms such as heart palpitations. It only gave temporary relief, and it caused me to experience mild withdrawal symptoms after that.

I learnt that natural remedies to anxiety, stomach tightness and insomnia, such as chamomile tea, may help. You can read more about its health benefits in this Natural News article. http://www.naturalnews.com/034454_chamom…

Drinking more water may help too, since water is a great "anxiety quencher", according to a holistic health website. http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-e…

Try taking naps in the afternoon if you do not have enough sleep at night. I usually take naps in the afternoon to catch up on sleep if I have not slept well the night before. Napping is a good way to catch up on rest and promote overall health and wellbeing.

Last but not least, you could get a thyroid test done because anxiety attacks could well be due to an overactive or underactive thyroid gland. I learnt that someone who has hyperthyroidism can manage the disorder by monitoring his diet (like avoiding gluten, processed soy, eggs, sugar; and eating anti-inflammatory foods and cruciferous vegetables), taking Vitamin D supplements (or getting natural Vitamin D from sunshine) and avoiding environmental toxins.
http://www.understand-andcure-anxietyatt…
http://www.naturalnews.com/004300.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/031642_hypert…