Dark Chocolate: The New Antianxiety Drug?

Chocolate is a comfort food and for good reason. It really does relieve anxiety. A new study found that eating chocolate reduced levels of their stress hormones, and the changes were “biologically significant."

OK, so it may not be kosher for me to report on a chocolate study that was conducted by an employee of a chocolate maker at the chocolate maker’s own research lab. Get over it. The results of this new study are intriguing and shed more light on the biochemical basis behind dark chocolate’s health benefits.

The team of researchers was led by Sunil Kochhar, PhD, who heads the BioAnalytical Science Department at the Nestlé Research Center in Switzerland. He and his colleagues designed the study to see whether eating dark chocolate every day for two weeks could affect the way the body metabolizes stress hormones. Read more

How Your Thoughts Affect You Physically

The sexual response that results from reading an erotic book is an example of how our thoughts and feelings can affect us physically. Deb Shapiro, author of Your Body Speaks Your Mind, gives an exercise to help you observe the physical effects in your body of different situations, thoughts, or feelings. Understanding how you hold issues or feelings in your body will enable you to focus on their release.

Did you ever wonder how the power of your thoughts can affect your body? Dr. Bernie Siegel, the author of Love, Medicine and Miracles, was giving a talk to a room full of skeptical doctors when he brought out a copy of Lady Chatterly's Lover and proceeded to read the most erotic part. As he put the book down he said, "Just as reading a book can stir our sexuality, so you can see how our thoughts and feelings can affect us physically." The doctors were immediately convinced!

There is now a whole new science called pschonueroimmunology exploring just that: the relationship between the psyche or mind, the nervous system and the immune system.

This exercise helps you understand how your own mind and body work together. Over the next week, practice watching the physical effects in your body of different situations, thoughts or feelings. Observe yourself, your reactions and your body. As you do this, you will begin to see how closely all the different parts of your being, both physical and psycho/emotional, are interwoven. Read more

Kava Kava as a Treatment for Anxiety

Kava kava is an herb that has been widely used for hundreds of years by native South Pacific Islanders. When used occasionally, kava can help you relax and even relieve anxiety.

... Recent clinical studies have shown that kava is a safe, non addictive anti-anxiety herbal, which is as effective as prescription medications containing benzodiazepines such as valium. However, unlike the prescription meds which may cause confused thinking processes and lethargy, kava actually has been demonstrated to improve concentration, memory and reaction time for people who are suffering from the symptoms caused by anxiety. Kava can be beneficial in achieving a relaxed state of mind without the adverse side effects. Read more