Limit your anxiety levels by quitting soda

The benefits to quitting soda are countless. Assuming you are used to drinking a soft drink which is carbonated, caffeinated, both naturally and artificially sweetened, along with naturally and artificially flavored, your body will appreciate it.

To start, your body will no longer experience high levels of anxiety as a consequence of the acid imbalance resulting from the level of carbonation in the soda. Afterwards, your body will not experience the level of depression resulting from the change in body acidity resulting from no longer experiencing the high level of acidity while drinking the soft drink. Secondly, the caffeine in the system will not lead to the symptoms associated
with caffeine, which include anxiety, and also the subsequent drop in mood afterwards. Thirdly, both sugars and high fructose corn syrup, along with artificial sweeteners can have an impact on acidity in the human body in addition to leading to high levels of anxiety. Again, as with carbonation and caffeine, there will later be a crash or depression associated with the previous stimulation. Finally, natural and artificial flavors may also
have an impact on the human body which, when combined with carbonation, caffeine, and both natural and artificial sweeteners, it may not be clear how detrimental the effect can be.

Considering either carbonation, caffeine, or artificial ingredients in and of themselves can have an impact on acidity in the human body and subsequently higher levels of anxiety, it is then quite worrisome to consider the effects these three elements combined can have on anxiety levels in the human body. Thus, it is best to try to avoid soft drinks that contain the number of ingredients that can lead to higher levels of anxiety in the human body, as described in this article.

Changing the world and experiencing prosperity through Ho’oponopono

One interesting tool that one can add to one’s prosperity arsenal is that of the use of Ho’oponopono. Ho’oponopono is an ancient practice of forgiveness from Hawaii which was used by a Dr. Hew Len to treat patients at a psychiatric ward in Hawaii. Dr. Joe Vitale, marketing and prosperity expert should be credited with introducing and sharing ho’oponopono with the rest of the world. According to Dr. Vitale, Ho’oponopono originally sounded to him as if it were an urban legend, and so he decided to investigate it further to try to better understand how it really works.

Dr. Len was able to effectively shut down the whole psychiatric ward as a consequence of his incredible ability to cure all patients that were currently residents at the ward. According to Dr. Vitale, Dr. Len was able to achieve this without meeting with a single patient, and simply reciting several phrases while browsing the names of all patients. The phrases he used in rote were along the lines of the following: I love you. I am sorry. Thank you. Please forgive me. This not only helps those for whom the phrases are chanted for but also oneself. It was explained that the process is a way through which one can clear any blocks one has with the Universe, to put it very lightly, and in doing so, this prepares one to receive prosperity and begin experiencing miracles. Most noteworthy about this process is that one is working on one’s self inwardly in order to outwardly help others. This should come as mindblowing to those reading this.

Having this device in one’s toolchest of prosperity is thus an additional way in which one can experience abundance in one’s life and in so doing help others as well. The irony of this process is that one is helping others as a result of one inwardly working on one’s self. Michael Jackson, in his song Man in the Mirror, sings that if you want to change the world, you should start by looking at the man in the mirror. In essence, by working to improve yourself, you are indirectly improving the world. While the practical benefits of such an approach are readily appreciated, the metaphysical rewards of simply begging the Universe for forgiveness, providing appreciation, and also expressing love towards it are innumerable.

Is that diet soda making you depressed?

There are many different types of soft drinks available in the market, and new types are put out by bottling companies all the time. Some of these soft drinks contain carbonation while others do not, and some of these soft drinks contain high fructose corn syrup, while ‘retro’ sodas have been designed to contain sugar. Meanwhile, there continues to be a market for diet sodas, which are sugar-free and contain artificial sweeteners.

A majority of diet soft drinks, while not having sugar which some believe leads to the crash or depression after the acute sugar rush, do contain a variety of acids, including carbonic acid, which is another form of CO2, or carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide has been found in lab studies to evoke symptoms of agoraphobia or anxiety. Also, high levels of acidity have been found to influence the part of the brain known as the amygdala, which may be
involved in the fight-or-flight response and the sensations of anxiety.

There has been links established between levels of anxiety and depression, such that depression may soon follow high levels of anxiety or excitement for a multitude of reasons. While diet soft drinks may not contain sugar or high fructose corn syrup which may lead to a sugar rush and subsequent crash or depression, the carbonation found in such diet sodas may be the culprit behind symptoms of sadness or depression experienced hours after having consumed
a diet soda. The same could be said for diet sodas not containing caffeine, for which it is well known that soft drinks containing caffeine may evoke a sense of depression subsequent to the initial caffeine high experienced while consuming caffeinated drinks.

Can antacids make you less anxious?

Believe it or not, consuming antacids may help reduce anxiety. We all know that antacids get rid of the heartburn associated with too much acid in the
digestive system. It turns out that too much acidity in the digestive tract and subsequently too much acidity in a person’s system could lead to feelings of anxiety and nervousness. Antacids, by minimizing this acidity, could have the ability to minimize symptoms of anxiety in those that suffer from high levels of acid in their digestive tract and even some sufferers of acid reflux.

Of course, one does not necessarily need to consume antacids to minimize anxiety. If you are already eating healthy and/or eating foods that do not lead to high levels of acid in your digestive system, then there won’t be a need to begin consuming antacids. However, if you are already past the point of no return and are already experiencing symptoms of heartburn and acid in the digestive tract, which may lead to anxiety, it may pay off to consider consuming antacids.

The link between acidity in the body and anxiety has been established through several studies in which the amygdala, a structure in the brain, has been found to be affected by level of acidity in the surrounding area. Thus, by minimizing the acidity in your system, whether by eating foods not likely to lead to acidic conditions or by taking an antacid right after a meal, the chances of experiencing symptoms of anxiety may decrease.

The link between CO2, pH, and panic attacks

There is quite a bit of circumstantial evidence out there suggesting a connection between anxiety, in the form of panic attacks, and acidity in the brain. The link to acidity is established through carbon dioxide (CO2), such that higher concentrations of hydrogen ions are present in the system, bringing pH down. It is speculated that a drop in pH (or increase in acidity) leads to an increase in anxiety.

The authors suggest that neurons in the brain which detect acidity disturbances, resulting from inhaling carbon dioxide or other factors, lead to an emotional response ranging from breathlessness to outright panic. It is believed that most of these acidity-detecting neurons are concentrated in the part of the brain known as the amygdala. Thus, the amygdala could be considered a sensory mechanism which detects both carbon dioxide and acidic conditions, leading to behavior resembling panic or fear.

If you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, how can this information be put to good use? One possibility is to explore how your breathing patterns affect your levels of anxiety. If you notice that you tend to take more shallow breaths while you’re anxious, perhaps it may help to practice abdominal deep breathing exercises. If you notice a drop in anxiety or panic as you breathe deeply, then perhaps it may pay off to watch how you breathe.

Ziemann, A., Allen, J., Dahdaleh, N., Drebot, I., Coryell, M., Wunsch, A., Lynch, C., Faraci, F., Howard III, M., & Welsh, M. (2009). The Amygdala Is a Chemosensor that Detects Carbon Dioxide and Acidosis to Elicit Fear Behavior Cell, 139 (5), 1012-1021

Why drinking carbonated soft drinks may cause anxiety

Carbonated soft drinks contain a considerable amount of ingredients that may contribute to a higher systemic acidity for an individual. For example, some soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, carbonic acid, and even caffeine. Caffeine is well known for its acidity. Phosphoric acid has also been shown to corrode copper, if one were to place a penny in a cup of cola for a long period of time. Carbonic acid, being most noteworthy in this case, is actually a form of carbon dioxide, once it enters the human body.

Why are these three ingredients related to anxiety? Peer-reviewed academic studies have found and linked high acidity in certain parts of the brain with high levels of anxiety. Further, a link has been found between carbon dioxide levels and symptoms of claustrophobia, a type of anxiety. Whether these individuals experiencing higher levels of anxiety are predisposed to higher levels of anxiety, and/or the artificially high levels of carbon dioxide and/or acidity lead to anxiety is still presumably under investigation.

In practice, many cognitive and behavioral therapists recommend breathing exercises for anxiety. The best breathing exercises are those in which the abdomen is extended enabling proper exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide through the lungs. While some folks experiencing from the symptoms of anxiety may dismiss such breathing exercises, the reduction in systemic carbon dioxide resulting from such exercises may suggest practical benefits can result from continuous practice, while also providing credibility to the hypothesis that high acidity contributes to anxiety.

The take-home message here suggests that cutting back on carbonated soft drinks, particularly those high in certain acids, such as phosphoric and carbonic acid, may help minimize the symptoms of anxiety.