A trip to Colorado taught me everything I now believe about anxiety.
I was there a few years ago for a friend’s wedding and I was careful to stay hydrated because I had altitude sickness during a previous visit that really took me by surprise. For this trip, I would say it was a much more mild experience where I didn’t feel I had full on altitude sickness, but I did struggle. This struggle was the first time I had ever felt crippling social anxiety.
I became hyper aware of my own existence and self conscious in how I was presenting to others. No part of me felt at ease and navigating it while in the presence of others was very difficult.
My boyfriend at the time took me to a Whole Foods where I spoke with one of the workers who showed me a remedy for altitude sickness. The best way I can describe it is it was basically a vitamin packet.
I grabbed a few and then made a meal at the hot food bar. I sat down, mixed the vitamin packet in some water, drank it, ate my meal and sat to chill for a bit. Within 30 minutes, I felt like myself again. And that was what I did from that point forward on the trip whenever the anxious feelings crept up.
It was through this remedy that I learned about the close relationship between anxiety and nutrient depletion.
I wanted to share this story because there is a documented link between scoliosis and mental health, and it is my personal belief that addressing anxiety is a critical and missing piece in modern day scoliosis treatments. How we respond to the anxiety can help us cultivate a more gentle approach to holistic care and treatment of the condition.
Using anxiety as a guide
“Mental health conditions and traits (e.g., anxiety and depressive symptoms, neuroticism) were detected more frequently amongst AIS patients compared to healthy controls.”
Source
There are many things that can lead a person to feel anxious. And what I want to get across is the value and benefit of providing supportive nutrient care for scoliosis patients. The bodily stress caused by anxiety may lead to further nutrient depletion. While my experience was anxiety forward, it taught me that there can be a direct comfort and emotional improvement from a physical input (vitamins and nutrients).
If you or your loved one experiences anxiety, have you ever thought about additional nutrients to support your emotions? Are there comfort foods that can be enhanced to provide emotional support?
