"Eat for Health" Special Series | Feeling a little anxious? Why not eat something "sour"!

Do you feel anxious? Some young people often suffer from emotional instability, mental depression and anxiety due to the pressure from career and study.

Anxiety is actually a kind of inner nervousness and uneasiness, a premonition of some unfavorable situation and potential danger, as well as unpleasant experiences that are difficult to deal with. Anxiety usually manifests as chest tightness, panic, shortness of breath, hand tremors, sweating, and even sleep disorders. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine records that "when a person is sick and frightened, eating something sour can help him breathe." Almost all sour things pass through the lungs, so eating sour food when the mind and body are scattered, sweating constantly, and the five hearts are unstable can help relieve anxiety. So what sour foods can we eat to help us relieve anxiety?

1. Hawthorn

Hawthorn contains lipase, which helps digest meat. In addition, hawthorn can lower serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, effectively prevent atherosclerosis, and dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Drinking it as tea can help digestion and prevent diseases.

2. Tomato

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which has the function of resisting atherosclerosis and oxidative damage. When tomatoes are cooked, organic acids also run into the water, and they taste very sour. They can promote the production of body fluids and quench thirst, stimulate the appetite and help digestion, and make people feel at ease and comfortable.

3. Yogurt

Yogurt not only retains the nutrients such as protein, fat and sugar in fresh milk, but also stimulates gastric acid secretion, increases appetite, promotes human metabolism and makes nutrients easier to absorb. The lactobacillus in yogurt helps inhibit the growth of spoilage bacteria and reduce the damage of toxic substances to the human body.

4. Blueberries

Blueberries are powerful stress relievers. Small blueberries are rich in high doses of antioxidants and vitamin C. Whenever stress strikes, people need to supplement with a large amount of vitamin C and antioxidants to help the body protect and repair those vulnerable "abused" cells.

5. Cherry

Cherries are known as natural aspirin because they contain a substance called anthocyanin, which can make people happy. Scientists at the University of Michigan believe that eating 20 cherries when people are in a bad mood is more effective than taking any medicine.

6. Grapefruit

Grapefruit contains a lot of vitamin C, which can help maintain red blood cell levels and increase resistance. It is also one of the important components involved in the production of dopamine, adrenaline and other "exciting" substances in the human body. Grapefruit has a strong fragrance, which can purify complicated thoughts and refresh the mind.

Generally speaking, foods rich in magnesium and vitamin B have the effect of relieving anxiety. Studies have shown that the magnesium content in patients with anxiety disorders is lower than that of normal people, and magnesium deficiency can easily affect people's emotions. In terms of stress relief, magnesium is known as a "natural tranquilizer" and has the effect of reducing stress and relaxing facial expressions. It has a calming effect on the central nervous system of the brain, can eliminate tension, reduce stress, relieve anxiety, and help fall asleep. Magnesium also has the function of relaxing muscles, which can relax muscles, including facial muscles that are often in a tense state. In addition, vitamin B also has a certain effect of relieving anxiety, which can reduce stress burden and improve depression. Some studies have shown that taking a certain amount of complex vitamin B significantly reduces the anxiety symptoms of experimental subjects and reduces depression symptoms. Foods rich in vitamin B mainly include animal liver, lean meat, milk, eggs, beans, yeast, mushrooms, cereals, shellfish, nuts, green leafy vegetables and fruits.

Although eating sour food can relieve anxiety to a certain extent, we cannot rely on it completely when we feel anxious. What is more important is to maintain a positive and optimistic attitude towards life, face problems seriously, and solve anxiety. If you feel that the symptoms of anxiety are very serious and affect your normal work and life, you must go to the hospital for treatment in time and receive scientific treatment.

Author: Han Bingxuan and Lei Zhiyuan from Luoyang Normal University

Review expert: Ren Yongqiang, professor/chief physician of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology