It seems like every day I go on Instagram and see the wackiest health claims like if you eat 30 cucumbers you will destroy cancer in 2 days or if you drink 65 cups of green tea it will prevent you from getting COVID.
It can be hard to sort through what’s real and what’s fake.
It can be even harder deciding what you should do about it considering your complex lifestyle and the fog of malicious marketing.
Which is why I believe in learning how to decipher the latest science and seeing results in my own life and people I work with…
While there are many kinds of foods, vitamins, compounds, etc I could write an entire book on how to care for your mental health with nutrition.
Here is evidence science based research when it specifically comes to social anxiety!
An emerging study from the University of Maryland examined whether probiotics or gut influencing foods could lessen symptoms of social anxiety. In a study of college students, researchers took into count exercise & dietary patterns of the students.
They found that consumption of fermented foods - was negatively associated with symptoms of social anxiety. They also found that those participants at higher genetic risk for social anxiety disorder showed fewer social anxiety symptoms if they had consumed a greater amount of fermented foods in the previous month. Additionally, those who exercised over the previous two months lead to decreased anxiety.
PS. Check out my step by step, day by day, 45-day 9-week affordable online course to rewire your mind and transform social anxiety - markmetry.com/program 🔥🧠💪
What are fermented foods?
Fermentation in foods is the process of converting foods to organic acids using microorganisms—yeasts or bacteria. Fermented foods are high in probiotic bacteria. By eating fermented foods you are adding beneficial bacteria & enzymes to your gut microbiome, improving your digestive system, immune system, and how your brain and neurotransmitters work.
How? Well it turns out serotonin, a key neurotransmitter responsible for controlling your mood, appetite and more in your brain is actually largely located in your gut. An estimated 90% of serotonin’s data is sent from the gut to your brain. Serotonin is often highly implicated in social anxiety as it also controls your behavior in social situations.
You can relieve and reverse social anxiety inside out, as in by changing the chemical compsition in your cells, to then seeing an outward change in behavior and mood overtime.
Examples of Fermented Foods
Kefir & Yogurt
Dry Curd Cottage Cheese
Certain aged cheeses (check label for live and active cultures)
Fermented Vegetables
Tempeh & Miso
Pickles
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Kombucha (no sugar)
Other probiotic drinks (no sugar), like Olipop Soda, apple cider
Various other cultured products
You can also easily make fermented vegetables, at home!
My favorite is making pickled red onions! It’s super easy to make and very nutritious and works well on almost any food.
Be Realistic
If you’ve never worked on your gut, don’t go out and buy $75 probiotics.
Eat some pickles. Choose some foods on this list you enjoy. And keep in mind our taste buds change all the time depending on the foods we eat or not.
You don’t have to drink kombucha, I actually hate the drink, but I love this other probiotic drink which is a soda called Olipop. They have a Cola, Grape and Orange soda flavors that all taste amazing and supply your gut with the right bacteria.
Integrate fermented foods at least one meal per day!
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Can I help?
Over the last several years I’ve devoted my life to helping introverted, shy, socially anxious creators, entrepreneurs, CEOs, professionals and students move these obstacles out of their life so they can get busy being their real selves in front of anyone. If you are interested in potentially working with me 1 on 1 for yourself or someone else, please fill out this form below. For the next steps, fill out this form - here
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