introvert Archives - everywomanover29 blog

I really enjoyed sharing a few of my top antianxiety food solution tips on the Annie Jennings’ JenningsWire podcast! It was short but sweet! We managed to cover real food, red meat, coffee!!, tryptophan and gluten in 10 minutes!

The Antianxiety Food Solution

How do you calm your anxious mind, improve your mood and end cravings with food?
Does red meat cause anxiety?
If you’re anxious do you really have to quit caffeine?
Everyone is talking about the gluten-free diet – what is the tie in to mood?
What is your favorite nutrient for eliminating anxiety, worry, negative self-talk, low self-esteem and afternoon/evening sugar cravings?
What are the key nutrients for addressing social anxiety?

You can go to the Annie Jennings’ JenningsWire podcast page to listen to the 10 minute audio interview.

We didn’t get to the last question: What are the key nutrients for addressing social anxiety? If you have the little-known condition called pyroluria (the main symptoms are inner tension and social anxiety) you may need to supplement with zinc and vitamin B6. These nutrients also happen to be co-factors for making brain chemicals like serotonin and the calming GABA. I am seeing an overlap between the traits anxious introverts resonate with and the pyroluria symptoms ! Imagine a nutritional solution for anxious introverts!

From Annie’s site: “This podcast is presented by Annie Jennings, of the National Publicity Firm, Annie Jennings PR and the creator of JenningsWire online magazine. JenningsWire is capturing the heart of America with its rich community of talented, insightful and relevant bloggers and podcasters!”

Thanks Annie and Stacey for the opportunity!

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