7 Powerful Foods To Naturally Calm Your Nervous System

Today’s crazy lifestyle can do a lot to our central nervous system, especially if we are not taking proactive steps to counteract this perpetual negative effect on our body. 

An overtaxed nervous system typically expends most of its resources just trying to defend the body against attack, whether it is in the form of anxiety, panic, or stress; all of which deplete your energy reserves and potentially even harm your endocrine system.

There is a simple way to counteract this damage, consume foods that minimize the amount of time and energy your nervous system spends in catabolic mode. There are many foods that nourish, heal, and regenerate the body.

Here are seven powerful foods that can help calm your nervous system naturally for maximum health:

1) Whey

Whey is naturally rich in L-tryptophan, which has been shown to assist in the production of serotonin, which regulates endocrine, digestive, nervous system, and blood health, and also a whole range of other healing amino acids and nutrients, which are excellent for calming your nervous system.

Whey is also rich in L-glutamine, a non-essential amino acid that is the precursor to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a substance that helps regulate the nervous system and promote calmness.

2) Sweet potatoes, yams

This starchy vegetable has bulk to keep you satisfied and an impressive nutrient roster, containing high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, and B vitamins, sweet potatoes are a nutritionally-dense food that can help calm your nerves, eliminate stress, and even lower your blood pressure.

Similarly, yams contain an array of nutrient compounds that feed the glandular system and promote respiratory, urinary, and nervous system health.

3) Bananas.

This handy, easy-open package fruit is packed with high doses of potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and other nutrients that help boost production of digestion-enhancing mucous, as well as promoting feelings of happiness and calm inside the body. They aid in the production of serotonin and melatonin, which are crucial regulators of mood and sleeping patterns.

4) Green herbal tea

Green tea contains an amino acid known as L-theanine that enhances mood by stimulating the production of alpha waves in the brain and reduces stress and promote relaxation naturally.

5) Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate and cacao are packed with antioxidants, essential minerals and protective plant nutrients called flavanols, they also contain L-tryptophan, and magnesium, a mineral widely recognized for its ability to calm the nervous system.

Dark Chocolate also contains a neurotransmitter known as anandamide that has the ability to alter dopamine levels in the brain, causing a sense of peace and relaxation.

6) Brazil nuts

Said to be nature’s richest source of selenium, Brazil nuts are virtually unmatched in the nut world when it comes to relaxing the nervous system

7) Spinach.

Spinach is the best way to obtain a high input of fat-soluble vitamins that contribute to the building up of the fatty layers that protect your nerves from damage, such as vitamin K, in order for your brain and nervous system to function as they should

SOURCE:

http://www.naturalnews.com/038747_nervous_system_calming_foods.html

101 Best Super Foods, Betsy A. Hornick, MS, RD, 2011