Panic attacks are accompanied by any of the following symptoms, which usually appear suddenly and reach their peak within 10 minutes. Episodes are accompanied by an intense feeling of danger, imminent death and the urgent need to seek help or escape.

The obvious step is to consult with a doctor if you believe you’ve experienced a panic attack to verify that no other health condition exists.

There is so much more we can do to help prevent panic attacks and anxiety. For example, pay more attention to your breathing. You can do Pilates, yoga or try meditation to learn various breathing techniques.

Consuming a healthy and balanced diet is also important. Eat adequate amounts of vegetables, fruits, proteins (organic and grass-fed if possible) and drink plenty of water.

You can also look into food and nutrition supplements and vitamins, which can help with alleviating the symptoms of panic attacks. Check out CFAH for up to date research and information about herbal supplements available.

It’s a good idea to avoid caffeine, alcohol, foods high in sugar, artificial sweeteners, drugs and nicotine. They could only exacerbate your condition.

Exercise is essential to a healthy life. Exercise may also be of great help to prevent panic attacks. When we exercise we stabilize our body. It improves the cardiovascular and respiratory system and can even improve the chemical balance of the body. When you exercise on a regular basis the body releases “happy hormones”, which helps release anxiety.

Panic Attacks Symptoms Include

• Heart Palpitations
• Elevated heart rate
• Sweating
• Tremors
• Shakes
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling of choking
• Tightness or discomfort in the chest
• Sickness
• Abdominal discomfort
• Instability
• Dizziness
• Feeling faint
• Numbness
• Tingling sensation
• Dizziness, unsteadiness or lightheadedness
• Fear of dying, going crazy or losing control

In short, panic attacks usually begin abruptly, reaching its maximum intensity after ten minutes or less. Not necessarily triggered by a threatening situation, it often happens suddenly and without warning.

Possible Triggers of Panic Attacks

Alcohol

Drinking alcohol in excess, we can cause many health problems, including generalized anxiety that may result in very unpleasant consequences.

An anxiety disorder induced by alcohol can last as long as a person continues to drink. Anxiety can also be the result of alcohol withdrawal. However, each person has a different nervous system, and alcohol withdrawal may vary.

Caffeine

Caffeine causes an increase in heart rate and may even cause or trigger panic attacks. According to Roland Griffiths, PhD, a professor in the departments of psychiatry and neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine says caffeine can trigger and worsen anxiety and panic disorders.

Caffeine can also cause nervousness, headaches and palpitations. Some may not think too much about the ingredients of energy drinks, but these beverages may contain high levels of caffeine.

Dehydration

Your body simply cannot function properly without enough water. Organ function depends on it. Water helps keep your body in top condition and distributes nutrients where they are needed.

One of the easiest ways you can prevent panic attacks is by drinking plenty of water. Water does quench your thirst, but it has also been shown to help reduce anxiety.

Processed foods

“The British Journal of Psychiatry” in 2009 concluded that a diet high in processed foods such as refined grains, highly processed meats and sugary foods such as common deserts contributed to depression in middle-aged adults, whereas a diet rich in whole foods such as fruits, vegetables and fish proved protective for mental health. Eliminate sugar and other processed foods, which can stress your body, contributing to the development of panic attacks.

Information on MadWash.com is for educational purposes and is not intended to replace the advice of a professionally trained doctor nor substitute conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, talk to a physician.

Cheap Healthy Protein

With more and more American families looking to save some money at the grocery store, one of the easiest ways to do this, while still reaping tremendous health rewards, is done with beans.

But before you stock your pantry with a bunch of multi-colored cans, why not take a walk down the rice aisle? There you will find bags of dried beans or every variety: black beans, pinto beans, Northern white beans, kidney beans, garbanzo or chick peas, lentils, even packs of premixed dried beans with spice packs for delicious soups and Creole dishes.

With just a little bit of prep work, you can prepare and store any variety of beans at a fraction of the cost (and reduce your sodium intake, I might add, as this is used to extend their shelf life and firmness in the can).

Start with a 1lb bag of beans, which typically costs around $1 to $1.30 per pound. This one bag will yield enough cooked beans to equal around 4 cans, and there is substantially less packaging to throw away or recycle.

You can follow the directions and soak overnight, followed by a slow simmer on the stove…or you can follow the quick method saving you some time. However, my personal favorite, which you will not see on the packaging; toss the beans in your crock pot after rinsing, cover with 6 cups water, cover and set on low for 5 ½ hours for your thin-skinned beans such as black bean, pinto, chick pea or Northern white, up to 7 hours for you thicker skinned beans such as light or dark kidney. (Sitting on warm if you are still at work or out and about for the day won’t hurt anything)

Once soft, you can scoop the beans from the pot using a measuring cup and store these beans with their liquid in any storage container. I personally use old sour cream and butter containers that I washed, which comfortably hold about 1 can’s worth of beans, or I will use the large yoghurt containers, which hold the equivalent of 2 cans for my larger recipes. I also write what kind of bean they are on a post-it note and stack them neatly in my freezer for future use.

Beans are a fantastic source of fibre and protein and very low in fat, and if cooked until the skins break DO NOT cause gas as the “magical fruit” song would have you believe. They are an excellent way to reduce your food budget at the grocery store if you are looking to add more meat-free dishes to your week or simply add more substance and protein to an already vegetarian or vegan menu. They also taste pretty good when throwing in a pot with a ham bone, sausage or some other cheap cut of meat.

If you’re experiencing heartburn every single day, then you know how awful you start feeling when: a hiccup followed by an acidic-burning sensation starts in your chest and throat.

Why does it keep happening to me?

It may have been triggered by one or many things: something you ate, particularly processed foods that are spicy, fatty, or acidic.

Or perhaps you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a chronic condition with many potential causes.

Whatever the culprit, it is reported that more than 65% of Americans suffer more than one episode of heartburn each month and more than 50% of pregnant women report struggling with heartburn during their 3rd trimester.

So it is no surprise that one of the top over-the-counter medicines sold is for heartburn relief with sales reaching $10 billion in 2012.

Frequency of heartburn in the U.S. heartburn population in 2003

However, the most common medications prescribed for ongoing and chronic heartburn related conditions fall under the category of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) such as Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium, to name a few.

And these PPIs come with a host of short-term and potentially long-term side effects.

Short-term side-effects can be:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Stomach pain
• Gas
• Constipation
• Fever
• Cold symptoms

While the short-term side effects can be manageable for those who struggle with temporary heartburn symptoms, a vast majority of Americans find they require long-term treatment and the potential side effects can have devastating effects.

The long-term treatment being those individuals who require medication longer than the 14 days recommended.

Serious side effects can include

• Serious allergic reactions
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis
• Reduced kidney function
• Pancreatitis
• Reduced liver function
• Malabsorption of nutrients
• Infection
• Pnuemonia
• C difficile colitis
• Fractures
• Dementia

Alternative relief to avoid harmful side-effects

Faced with the rising costs of healthcare and the risks of adverse side-effects, it is becoming more and more common for people suffering from heartburn to seek out more natural remedies to treat their symptoms.

While there steps you can take to reduce heartburn episodes; lose weight, change your diet, avoid acidic foods like caffeine and alcohol, those changes take time and many people are seeking immediate relief for their heartburn symptoms.

Digestive Enzymes to the Rescue!

Digestive enzymes occur naturally in our stomach that help digest food, but over time these enzymes can be depleted or not function as they should resulting in heartburn or sour belly or a host of other digestive complaints.

By taking a digestive enzyme, many of which are made with natural ingredients like papaya and pineapple, with each meal, you are essentially giving your body a little boost digesting the foods you are putting in it and reducing the negative symptoms.

Loosen up your clothing

In some cases, heartburn can happen because tight clothing compresses your stomach, essentially squeezing the contents and acid to rise up into your oesophagus burning the delicate tissue.

If you have eaten a large or acidic meal and start to feel a slight burning sensation, try unlatching your belt or pants, whatever you may be wearing that is squeezing your midsection.

Get off the Couch, Time to Go for a Walk

While the last thing you feel like doing after eating a greasy or heavy meal is walk; it really does amazing things for your digestion and can help relieve your heartburn symptoms.

Walking at moderate speeds helps increase your metabolism, which in turn empties your stomach quicker. Having an empty stomach means there is no food sitting in your gut for your stomach to digest which is the source of most heartburn symptoms.

Stand Up or Elevate your Upper Body

Lying down or sitting down after a large, grease and acidic meal can make heartburn symptoms worse. When in a sitting position you are compressing your midsection and not allowing the natural flow of food to empty your stomach.

If you are sitting and feel burning symptoms, try standing up. If you are still feeling heartburn symptom when it comes time for bed, or find you experience more symptoms when lying down, try to adjust your sleeping position to raise your upper body.

The Mayo Clinic suggests lifting your body from the waist up either with an adjustable bed or by using an inexpensive wedge pillow.

Mix baking soda with water and lemon juice

For a quick fix for heartburn, try mixing 1 teaspoon of baking soda in some warm water with a spritz of lemon juice.

This mixture can calm symptoms of heartburn by neutralizing the acid in your stomach.

Just note that baking soda has higher sodium content and may not be advised for people who are on medications to regulate blood pressure.

Liquorice – Not just candy, kiddo

Liquorice root, not to be confused with liquorice candy, is an old folk remedy that’s been used to treat sour belly and heartburn.

It is thought to help by increasing the mucous coating of your oesophagal lining, which can protect your oesophagus from damaging stomach acid.

However, take note, glycyrrhizin is a chemical compound found naturally in liquorice and has been shown to cause headaches, swelling, loss of potassium and blood pressure problems.

De-glycyrrhizinate liquorice (DGL)glycyrrhizin and is available at many health food stores and online pharmacies.

Bubblegum, Bubblegum in a Dish

According to an abstract published in the Journal of Dental Research, chewing gum for half an hour after each meal may also help reduce acidic reflux and heartburn.

As you chew your food, your mouth produces saliva which contains your body’s own digestive enzymes. By chewing gum, you are allowing your mouth to create even more natural enzymes which can help aid in digestion and reduce heartburn symptoms by diluting and clearing the stomach acid from your oesophagus.

Smoking is Hateful to the Gut

Most people already know they should cut down or eliminate smoking, but more medical data is suggesting that you refrain especially after eating.

Most smokers, especially after eating a big, heavy meal, reach for a cigarette and if you already struggle with heartburn, you could be exacerbating the problem.

According to research, smoking a cigarette after a meal does two things:

• It dries out your mouth with reduces the number of digestive enzymes being swallowed from saliva
• It is believed to relax the ring of muscles at the base of your oesophagus allowing acid to rise up from your stomach

If you must smoke a cigarette, try to wait at least an hour to give your food time to digest and leave your stomach. Instead, try sipping some ginger or mint tea after your meal.