Worried to death? It may be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

5 minute read.

Even mild stress and anxiety, if not managed, could be fatal. Stress is a fact of life. And that was true before COVID-19. Over the past year, our baseline anxieties have been compounded by the pandemic. 

While a certain degree of stress is actually helpful — keeping us alert while driving, for example — too much can be debilitating. It can put us on a mental and emotional lockdown, preventing us from performing our daily tasks. This level of stress could be the result of an anxiety disorder. Afflicting more than 40 million¹ American adults, and 4.4 million children², anxiety disorders are the most common health issue in the U.S.

Even more concerning, there’s evidence that even mild levels of stress correlate to a higher risk of death. In a British National Health Survey³ of 68,000 adults over a 10-year period, those who identified with mild levels of stress were 29% more likely to die of heart disease or stroke than people who reported no stress. 

Those who identified with moderate levels of stress were 43% more likely to die of any cause. Those with high levels of stress were 94% more likely to die. And that’s with researchers adjusting their results to account for unhealthy behaviors associated with stress, like smoking and drinking.

Clearly, stress is killing too many of us. Fortunately, there are ways of fighting back. Exercise and meditation can help. Avoiding excessive alcohol and caffeine, eating healthy, and getting the recommended 7-9 hours sleep are recommended. Natural supplements can also have a beneficial impact.

Natural herbal supplements can also help alleviate the worries. For example, Ashwanghda root can reduce your levels of cortisol, a stress-induced hormone, along with your blood sugar.⁴

Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA), a naturally occurring amino acid, can produce a calming effect that may help with feelings of anxiety, stress, and fear.⁵

5-HTP, another natural amino acid, promotes production of serotonin, which influences mood. Chamomile Flower and St. John’s Wort are also used to elevate mood and alleviate stress. 

THRUit™ Mood Support offers these vitamins and herbal supplements in pre-portioned dosages. One to two capsules daily can help you restore and maintain a healthy state of balance. And get that overwhelming feeling back down to a more manageable level, even during a pandemic.

Talk with your doctor about the advisability of vitamins and herbal supplements for anxiety/stress.

Sources:

1. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder.shtml
2. 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health (https://www.childhealthdata.org/browse/survey/results?q=4965&r=1)
3. Russ, T. BMJ, July 31, 2012. Lewis, G. BMJ, July 31, 2012. Glyn Lewis, PhD, professor of psychiatric epidemiology, University of Bristol, Bristol, U.K. Tom C. Russ, MD, clinical research fellow, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, U.K. Viola Vaccarino, MD, PhD, professor and chair, department of epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health; cardiologist and professor of medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta. 
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23439798/
5. “Relieving Occupational Fatigue by Consumption of a Beverage Containing γ-Amino Butyric Acid.” Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, 2011 Volume 57 Issue 1 Pages 9-15.  Tsutomu KANEHIRA, Yoshiko NAKAMURA, Kenji NAKAMURA, Kenji HORIE, Noriko HORIE, Kaori FURUGORI, Yusuke SAUCHI, Hidehiko YOKOGOSHI