02/15/2026
โก๏ธThis is so spot on!
Anxiety is often labeled as a chemical imbalance, a flaw in the psyche, or an unruly mind that needs taming.
But anxiety is far more ancient, far more intelligent, and far more physical than weโve been taught.
Anxiety is the language of the nervous system, the voice of the terrain, the bodyโs emergency broadcast saying:
โSomething inside me is moving too fast, too loud, too intense for the resources I currently have.โ
It is not a mistake.
It is not a weakness.
It is not madness.
Anxiety is a physiological alarm system that activates when:
โข Minerals are depleted
โข Mitochondria are struggling
โข The vagus nerve has lost tone
โข Blood sugar is unstable
โข The gut is inflamed
โข The liver is congested
โข Infections or toxins amplify stress chemistry
โข Emotional burdens go unprocessed
โข The body is stuck in โthreat modeโ
Anxiety is not a mental problem โ it is a whole-body signal.
๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ โ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐. โก ๐๐ง๐ฑ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ, ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐
Your autonomic nervous system has two states:
โข Sympathetic (fight, flight, urgency)
โข Parasympathetic (rest, digest, integrate)
Anxiety arises when the sympathetic system becomes:
โข Hyper-vigilant
โข Over-caffeinated
โข Under-mineralized
โข Inflamed
โข Threat-sensitive
This is not a thought disorder.
This is a regulation disorder.
Your body primes itself for danger โ even when no danger exists.
๐. ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ & ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐
๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ
When stress accumulates, the adrenal glands produce cortisol and adrenaline:
โข Heart rate increases
โข Digestion slows
โข Muscles tense
โข Breathing becomes shallow
โข Blood sugar spikes
โข The brain scans for threat
These reactions are not psychological โ they are survival physiology.
And when they stay โonโ too long, the brain interprets chemistry as emotion:
โI must be unsafe. Something must be wrong.โ
๐. ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ซ (๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐๐) ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐
Anxiety often follows:
โข Skipped meals
โข High-carb snacks
โข Coffee on an empty stomach
โข Long gaps without protein
โข Reactive hypoglycemia
When blood sugar drops, the brain panics โ literally โ because it senses fuel scarcity.
Anxiety is often the biochemistry of hunger and instability, not the biochemistry of fear.
๐. ๐ธ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญโ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฑ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐๐ฌ
Seventy percent of serotonin and most calming neurotransmitters are produced in the gut.
Gut inflammation from:
โข Dysbiosis
โข Candida
โข SIBO
โข Constipation
โข Food sensitivities
โข Antibiotic history
โข Mold exposure
โฆcreates a biochemical environment of internal agitation.
Your brain simply feels what your gut is experiencing.
An inflamed gut = an inflamed emotional field.
๐. โ๏ธ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ & ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ข๐ฌ๐
The nervous system requires:
โข Magnesium (calming)
โข Potassium (electrical balance)
โข Sodium (fluid and signal balance)
โข Zinc (stress buffering)
โข Copper (dopamine regulation)
โข B vitamins (energy flow)
โข Iodine and selenium (thyroid regulation)
When minerals fall out of rhythm โ from stress, caffeine, trauma, medications, or poor absorption โ the body becomes electrically unstable.
Anxiety is often electrical noise, not mental chaos.
๐. ๐ฌ ๐ ๐ช๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฆ
The vagus nerve is the bodyโs internal โcalm-down switch.โ
When it has low tone โ from trauma, chronic stress, infections, reflux, mouth breathing, or emotional suppression โ it cannot shut off the alarm.
The result?
A body that feels like it's โbraking with no brakes.โ
๐. ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ & ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง
Unprocessed trauma teaches the nervous system to live in anticipation.
Not memory.
Anticipation.
The body stays hyper-alert:
โข scanning faces
โข scanning tone
โข scanning sensations
โข scanning the environment
The anxiety doesnโt come from the past event โ it comes from the bodyโs learned response to future threat.
This is not psychological weakness โ this is survival physiology imprinted into tissue, fascia, and breath.
๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฑ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฒ
โข Dehydration or low electrolytes
โข Mold and mycotoxin exposure
โข Heavy metal accumulation (especially mercury, aluminum, copper)
โข EMF sensitivity and circadian disruption
โข Chronic infections (Lyme, parasites, candida)
โข Hormonal transitions (PMS, postpartum, perimenopause)
โข Long-term SSRI withdrawal or benzodiazepine taper
The terrain always remembers โ until it is cleared, nourished, and grounded.
๐ฟ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฒ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง-๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ฑ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฒ
Anxiety does not always feel like fear.
It can present as:
โข Chest tightness
โข Throat pressure
โข Lump-in-throat sensation
โข Digestive cramps
โข Restless legs
โข Heart palpitations
โข Dizziness
โข Tingling
โข Feeling โdetachedโ
โข Pressure in the head
โข Shallow breathing
โข Internal buzzing
These are neurological and biochemical sensations โ not signs of danger.
๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฑ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง
Anxiety is a sign of:
โข A nervous system stuck in survival mode
โข Blood sugar instability
โข Mineral imbalance
โข Overloaded liver
โข Gut inflammation
โข Poor vagus nerve tone
โข Emotional suppression
โข Mitochondrial fatigue
โข Chronic low-grade infections or toxins
Everything anxiety communicates is biological truth.
Your body is not dramatic โ it is trying to protect you with the only language it knows.
๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
1๏ธโฃ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ
An anxious nervous system is almost always a malnourished nervous system. It fires too quickly because it doesnโt have the minerals, fats, amino acids, or vitamins required to stabilize electrical signaling.
โ
Key tools:
โข Magnesium glycinate or threonate โ restores GABA activity, relaxes muscles, calms electrical โspikesโ
โข Electrolytes (sodium + potassium balance) โ stabilize membrane potential so neurons fire cleanly rather than chaotically
โข Omega-3s โ reduce neuroinflammation, soften overactive amygdala pathways
โข B vitamins (especially B1, B6, B12 depending on tolerance) โ support neurotransmitter synthesis, adrenal repair, and mitochondrial energy flow
โข Protein with every meal โ provides amino acids like tryptophan, tyrosine, and glycine that build serotonin, dopamine, and GABA
โข Glycine, taurine, or L-theanine โ naturally soothe glutamate excess and calm the excitatory pathways that fuel anxiety
โข Phosphatidylserine โ lowers nighttime cortisol spikes that cause 3 AM anxiety jolts
๐ก Why this matters:
A nourished nervous system can hold stress without being destabilized.
Micronutrients become the insulation around your bodyโs emotional wiring.
High-calorie, high-carb diets and stress deplete B1 rapidly. B1 deficiency (Beriberi) literally mimics a panic attackโtachycardia, air hunger, and a sense of impending doom.
A nourished system = calmer signals = calmer feelings.
2๏ธโฃ ๐๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ซ
Anxiety often originates from the brainโs fear of fuel shortage. Blood sugar dips are interpreted as emergency events, triggering adrenaline and cortisol.
โ
Key tools:
โข Eat within 1 hour of waking to prevent morning cortisol surges
โข Include protein + fat with every meal to slow glucose release
โข Avoid caffeine before food โ it spikes cortisol and drains minerals
โข Eat balanced meals every 3โ4 hours to prevent dips
โข Add chromium, Ceylon cinnamon, or berberine to improve insulin sensitivity
โข Avoid meals that are primarily carbs
โข Add carbohydrates at dinner if nighttime anxiety or insomnia is present (calms the nervous system)
๐ก Why this matters:
Stable blood sugar creates stable brain chemistry.
When glucose is steady, the brain stops broadcasting internal alarms.
Stable blood sugar = stable emotional chemistry.
3๏ธโฃ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ & ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Your gut and brain share a continuous electrical, biochemical, and immune highway. When the gut is inflamed, the brain becomes inflamed โ and inflammation in the brain feels like anxiety.
โ
Key tools:
โข Probiotics (especially lactobacillus rhamnosus) to support GABA production
โข L-glutamine to repair the gut lining and reduce inflammatory cytokines
โข Slippery elm, marshmallow root to soothe the mucosa
โข Quercetin to reduce histamine-driven anxiety (histamine is a powerful excitatory neurotransmitter)
โข Removing trigger foods such as gluten, dairy, seed oils, alcohol, excess sugar
โข Digestive bitters or enzymes to improve breakdown of food and reduce fermentation-related gut-brain stress
Consider also:
โข Mast cell activation, histamine intolerance, and candida overgrowth โ all common hidden drivers of anxiety
โข90% of serotonin is produced in the gut โ dysfunction there changes emotional states
When the terrain is inflamed, the brain flips a "switch" that turns Glutamate (the excitatory neurotransmitter) way up and GABA (the calming one) way down. It's not a lack of GABA; it's a "noisy" environment that makes GABA ineffective.
A calm gut produces a calm mind.
A turbulent gut produces a turbulent mind.
4๏ธโฃ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐
The vagus nerve is the bodyโs braking system โ its ability to shift out of survival mode. Low vagal tone means the body cannot turn off anxiety, even when the threat is gone.
โ
Key tools:
โข Humming โ vibrates the vagus nerve
โข Gargling โ stimulates vagal motor pathways
โข Slow nasal breathing โ increases COโ tolerance, reducing panic
โข Cold exposure โ resets vagus nerve firing thresholds
โข Singing or chanting โ rhythmic vocalization is vagus medicine
โข Gentle fascia work around the diaphragm โ anxiety often lives in the diaphragmโs tightness
โข Long exhalations โ signal โsafetyโ to the brainstem
โข Crocodile breathing / belly breathing โ retrains the diaphragm
๐ก Why this matters:
Anxiety is not just a mind issue โ it is a vagal issue.
Only when the vagus nerve is toned can the body shift from โthreatโ to โsafety.โ
5๏ธโฃ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ & ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ฑ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ
A congested liver increases systemic inflammation, slows hormone metabolism, raises adrenaline, and causes re-circulation of stress chemicals.
When the liver is overloaded, anxiety becomes a biochemical inevitability.
โ
Key tools:
โข Bitters before meals to stimulate bile and digestion
โข Dandelion root to support detoxification pathways
โข Burdock for blood purification
โข Milk thistle for glutathione regeneration
โข Castor oil packs for lymphatic flow and vagus nerve calming
โข Phosphatidylcholine or choline to restore bile fluidity
โข Hydration and minerals for detox support
โข Avoid alcohol, seed oils, toxins, synthetic fragrances
๐ก Why this matters:
A clean, flowing liver lowers adrenaline demand.
You cannot have a calm mind in a congested body.
If your liver and gut are congested, you likely lack the DAO (diamine oxidase) enzyme needed to break down histamine. This is why certain 'healthy' fermented foods like sauerkraut or kombucha can actually trigger an anxiety flare in some people.
6๏ธโฃ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง
Anxiety cannot be healed intellectually โ it must be healed somatically, through the nervous system, breath, and body.
Emotions are physiological events stored in:
โข fascia
โข diaphragm
โข jaw
โข hips
โข gut
โข breath
When feelings are suppressed, the nervous system becomes pressurized โ and anxiety becomes the release valve.
โ
Key tools:
โข Somatic therapy โ teaches the body safety again
โข EMDR โ resolves traumatic imprints
โข Breathwork โ releases stored tension
โข Journaling โ transforms swirling emotions into organized expression
โข Feeling instead of suppressing โ anxiety often dissolves when emotion is permitted
โข Grief work โ grief often hides beneath chronic anxiety
โข Safe human connection โ co-regulation is the nervous systemโs oldest medicine
โข Reparenting practices โ rebuild a sense of internal safety
๐ก Why this matters:
Trauma is not healed by thinking โ it is healed by experiencing safety again, repeatedly, until safety feels normal and threat feels unusual.
A regulated emotional terrain = a regulated nervous system.
๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ
Safety is not the absence of challenge.
It is the internal knowing that you can face challenge without disintegrating.
It lives in your fascia, breath, and heartbeat โ not in your thoughts.
To rebuild safety:
โข Anchor your day with rhythm โ meals, sleep, light, and movement.
โข Create sensory calm โ nature sounds, gentle light, warm baths.
โข Speak to your nervous system as you would to a child: โYou are safe now.โ
When the body believes that, the mind follows.
โจ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฒ โ ๐๐ง๐ฑ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ
Anxiety is not a character flaw.
It is not a sign of weakness.
It is not a broken brain.
It is your physiology saying:
โI am running too fast. I need grounding, fuel, safety, flow, nourishment.โ
When the terrain stabilizes:
โข The mind quiets
โข The chest opens
โข The breath deepens
โข The world feels less sharp
โข The body stops bracing
Anxiety dissolves not by suppression, but by bringing the entire terrain back into coherence.
๐ฟ Your body is not against you.
๐ It is communicating with you.
โจ And it can absolutely find calm again.
Pete Wurst
