Anxiety After Eating : What Causes Anxiety After Eating?

Understanding Hypoglycaemia

After eating or typically within a few hours, you will have low blood sugar if you have reactive hypoglycaemia. It’s common for an increase in insulin production to be followed by a dip in blood sugar, which can leave you feeling agitated, anxious and even a little bit confused.

Other bodily modifications that resemble signs of anxiety noticed include:

• Dizziness
• Shakiness
• Increased Perspiration
• Palpitations

Reactive hypoglycemia is frequently brought on by processed carbohydrates and foods rich in sugar, but it can also be brought on by drinking alcohol or caffeine on an empty stomach.

How to Deal with it?

You can identify patterns by keeping a food journal for a week, such as whether symptoms typically manifest at particular times of the day or just after eating particular meals.

Tips to Manage it

• Increase your intake of whole grains and fiber.
• Pick lean sources of protein including tofu, cottage cheese, chicken, eggs, etc.
• Fruit and nutritious fats like almonds, plain yoghurt, and peanuts make great snacks.
• Be careful with coffee and alcohol, especially before meals or on empty stomach.
• Start your day with complex dry fruits or full fruits like bananas.

If dietary modifications don’t help, it’s recommended to visit your healthcare physician because reactive hypoglycaemia occasionally has a medical explanation.

Consult Online Psychologist

Why Food Acts as a Trigger?

Even if they don’t directly alter your blood sugar, some foods can cause anxious symptoms. Among the possible triggers are:

• Histamine-containing fermented foods like cheese and cured meats.
• Caffeine that interferes with sleep and make symptoms of anxiety worse.
• Trans fat (partially hydrogenated oils)
• White wheat, sugar, and other refined carbohydrates can raise adrenaline levels and produce fear or anxiety.
• Alcohol and substance use and abuse.

How to Deal with it

Even though you might not have to completely stop eating these things, keeping a food journal might help you spot any trends between consumption and elevated anxiety. Pay attention to labels and the amount of sugar in any packaged meals you consume.

Additional Advice

• Whole grains should be substituted for processed carbs.
• Instead of juice or soda, sip on water (plain or sparkling) or unsweetened herbal tea.
• Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables as wholes and not finely chopped.
• Include additional foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics.
• Get your food sensitivities and allergies tested. Food allergies can cause mild to severe symptoms, many of which might be mistaken for anxiety or panic attacks.

You may also Observe

• Having trouble breathing
• Light headedness
• Throat discomfort or swelling, as well as tingling or numbness in the mouth
• Vomiting or abdominal pain
• Quick heartbeat

These symptoms may not start to manifest for an hour or two after eating, but they can start to manifest very quickly. They frequently become active after exercise. Food sensitivities, which are distinct from allergies, are common. Typical sensitivity sources include: Dairy products, veggies, sulphates, and other additions.

Anxiety of any kind can hamper your lifestyle. Speak to our mental Wellness Experts at Ganeshaspeaks.com to address your anxieties.

Talk to Online Therapist

View All

Re-Lapsing?

You might experience anxiety if you’re trying to change specific eating patterns or behaviours. Imagine that after 3 weeks of eliminating red meat from your diet, you still crave a cheeseburger. You decide that one burger won’t ruin your long-term health objectives and go to your favourite restaurant to have one. You suddenly feel irritated and anxious after eating. You think, “I was doing so well.” “What if I start craving red meat constantly once more? What if I’m unable to abandon it this time?

How to Deal with it?

It’s fair to be concerned about the potential consequences of a mistake for future success, but try not to let this annoy you. Remind yourself that it takes time to form new habits rather than being hard on you. Think on the advancements you’ve already made. There’s no reason to doubt your ability to succeed once again when you’ve previously had success for several weeks. Then, try taking a few slow, deep breaths to calm yourself; this is crucial for digestion and anxiety. Feeling sad over not meeting your own self set expectations contributes to having guilt which in turn increases our anxiety.

Experiences with Food

Anxious feelings are frequently triggered by unpleasant memories, and food-related experiences are no exception. Say you were eating butter chicken and hyderabadi biryani at your favourite restaurant when you and your husband got into a heated argument. Every time you eat that particular dish or even a different meal at the same place, that feeling of tension and fear can resurface. If you had food illness from a buffet at work or choked on popcorn on a date, it makes sense that you might be hesitant to eat those items again. Numerous sensations that occur during eating might also induce anxiety. Even though they only occur sometimes, feeling full, a little indigestion or heartburn, or pressure in your chest after a substantial bite can all contribute to feeling uneasy after eating. These “warning signs” may not actually indicate increasing concern or stress, but they may nevertheless leave you feeling nervous – especially if you start to feel anxious about feeling anxious.

How to Deal with it?

You shouldn’t force yourself to consume foods that make you feel uncomfortable, especially if you’re concerned about getting sick. If you need to try those things slowly again, don’t worry. However, talking about your worries with a therapist may be helpful if they keep you away from a favourite meal or restaurant.

Anxiety is one kind of a habit formed by the brain. Through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy our therapists can help you alter your thought patterns.

Experience Online Psychologist

Talk to Online Therapist

View All