Working Through Anxiety - Part 1

Welcome to Episode 10 of Quirky Cooking Chats (Season 2), with Jo Whitton: "Working Through Anxiety - Part 1"

{VOTE for Quirky Cooking in the ORIAS Awards: https://bit.ly/QCvoteforme}

Anxiety is a normal part of life - we all go through it at one time or another and usually it hangs around for a while then moves on... But sometimes anxiety really digs its' heels in and refuses to leave, causing a chronic state of stress, low energy, lack of motivation and a feeling of helplessness. This is a time to get some professional help and support so that it doesn't take you down the rabbit hole towards depression.

In this episode, Jo talks about her experience with anxiety, stress, burnout and chronic illness (in her own life and in her family), and what she has found most helpful for working through anxiety and learning to respond in a healthy way to the stresses of everyday life.

Jo recommends talking to a health practitioner for medical advice (supplements, diet, counselling, support, etc), and will have a practitioner sharing her advice on Part 3 of this episode. In Parts 1 and 2, Jo shares her own simple mindset and lifestyle tips that can help you to begin heading in the right direction. She shares her thoughts on:

• what anxiety looks like (and red flags to help you know if you're starting down this track!)
• when anxiety is helpful, and when it becomes a problem - the effect of chronic, low-grade stress and anxiety on physical health
• the mind-body connection, and how you can use that to your advantage to reduce anxiety
• the importance of gut health (listen to the podcast "Gut Health 101 with Elyse Comerford" for simple steps to improve gut health)
• reducing toxins in the home (listen to the podcast "Low Tox Life with Alexx Stuart")
• the importance of clean water (listen to the podcast "Answering Your Water Filter Questions")
• getting out into nature, and the benefits of sunshine (there are many articles & studies online about the importance of nature and sunlight for reducing anxiety and improving health and wellbeing) - knowing your life has purpose and meaning
• learning to let go of things you can't change
• learning to ask for help
• the importance of 'talking it out'
• working through anxiety rather than practising 'avoidance'
• don't believe everything you think!
• slowing down and creating space to work through anxious thoughts (plus some useful questions to journal about, from the book "Be Calm: Proven Techniques to Stop Anxiety Now" by Jill Weber)
• the need of connection and community for wellbeing and mental health ...

[This podcast will be continued next week, so stay tuned for Part 2. If you have any questions you'd like to ask Jo or the practitioner who will be speaking on Part 3, please email [email protected].]

Visit Quirky Cooking for healthy recipes and healthy lifestyle tips that are doable and won't add to your stress levels!