An article popped up on my homepage: “The Connection Between Inflammation and Anxiety, According to an Expert.” Now, I didn’t care about the expert part, but as I have a family member with anxiety, I was intrigued. Is one related to the other? Could calming anxiety now reduce inflammation and disease in the future? And because current and future challenges may induce anxiety in ourselves or our family members may affect inflammation and our health, it seems like a good topic to explore.
Anxiety is defined as a longer-term feeling of unease or worry without a specific trigger that interferes with daily life. It differs from stress in that the latter is restricted to a short-term response to a specific challenge or threat. Both may cause problems with sleep and digestion, as well as irritability. Anxiety generally includes feelings of impending doom. Which, as I look at all the craziness going on right now in the world, makes me think anyone with eyes to see might be a little anxious. But according to one study, only 3% of the adult US population takes medication to treat anxiety. [1]
Inflammation is the body’s response to acute injury or illness. Chronic inflammation is a prolonged immune response that occurs even when there is no injury or illness and which can be a precursor to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and more. Recent research suggests that inflammation also affects mental health, including anxiety. In fact, studies show that people with anxiety disorders also display high levels of inflammation. What’s unknown is whether anxiety causes inflammation or inflammation causes anxiety.[2] [3]
We do know that chronic stress is a primary cause of inflammation.[4] This physiological stress has been observed to slow healing, particularly in diabetic patients.[5] Slower wound healing increases the potential for infection. Being stressed just makes it all worse.
Interestingly, some researchers are beginning to wonder whether the efficacy of anti-anxiety drugs like Prozac and Lexapro lies in their ability to reduce inflammation as well.[6] Even aspirin, an anti-inflammatory taken for pain relief, has been linked to a reduced risk for depression and anxiety.[7]
Of course, one should not start taking aspirin with the goal of alleviating anxiety. Daily aspirin use comes with its own undesirable side effects.
Another piece in this interesting little puzzle is that a poor diet contributes to chronic inflammation. Reducing or eliminating inflammatory foods like red meat, alcohol, refined carbohydrates, processed foods, and fried foods, most of which may occur in a collapsed society, may help reduce anxiety. Eating anti-inflammatory foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, oily fish, nuts, and seeds will help even more.
And finally, let’s take a look at the herbs that reduce anxiety and/or inflammation.
- Anxiety
- Basil
- Catnip
- Chrysanthemum
- German chamomile
- Ginger
- Lavender
- Lemon balm
- Oregano
- Passionflower
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Russian sage
- Snowball bush
- Thyme
- Valerian
- Gardening
- Generosity
- Gratitude
- Laughter
- Prayer
- Inflammation
- Arnica
- Cattail
- Comfrey
- Elder
- Forsythia
- German chamomile
- Ginger
- Japanese honeysuckle
- Lavender
- Mullein
- Peony
- Plantain
- Rosemary
- Wheatgrass
- Willow
- Gardening
- Anxiety and Inflammation
- German chamomile
- Ginger
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Gardening
And so it seems the solution to anxiety and inflammation, like many of modern America’s ills, lies in improving the diet and getting some exercise, particularly in the form of gardening. And in the meantime, a little chamomile tea wouldn’t hurt, either.
[1] https://wellwisp.com/how-many-people-take-anxiety-meds/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27026361/
[3] https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/prevalence-of-lowgrade-inflammation-in-depression-a-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis-of-crp-levels/5B86EE7BC5BB46A1722788C108F58246
[4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5476783/
[5] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1932296817705397
[6] https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-connection-between-inflammation-and-anxiety-according-to-an-expert
[7] https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-020-01709-4
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