Hygiene and dietetic rules
In the context of anxiety (phobias, OCD, GAD) today we will discuss health and diet rules. These rules are intended to provide advice on lifestyle habits. These rules go very well with the therapeutic elements that you are going to teach him
Key takeaways
- Practice an endurance sport (cycling, running, brisk walking, swimming) for 20 to 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week.
- Limit stimulants: nicotine, alcohol and caffeine aggravate anxiety.
- Adopt a varied and balanced diet, with one dessert per meal.
- Expose yourself regularly to natural light and favor warm lights.
- Go to bed at a fixed time and have regular sexual intercourse.
THE RULES
Sports
The first thing you will be able to discuss with your patient is the return to sport. As you know, sport has as strong an impact as antidepressants when practiced regularly. A first piece of advice would therefore be to return to sport. Be careful not just any sport. Promote endurance sports, in other words “cardio” sports. Cycling, running, brisk walking or even swimming are some examples of endurance sports.
The idea is that this return to regular sport increases serotonin levels and therefore creates a calming effect in the patient as well as an impact on mood. It is very important to tell them that the important thing is regularity and not intensity. Dr. Malbos recommends 20 to 30 minutes of sport, 2 to 3 times a week.
The exciting ones
Another healthy-dietary tip is to stop taking stimulants. If your patient smokes, he will tend to think that smoking calms him, although this idea is false. Nicotine is a stimulant which will therefore worsen anxiety.
Among the stimulants, we also include alcohol. You should therefore advise your patients that they only drink alcohol occasionally. If this request seems too complicated to achieve, then the ecological environments of C2Care in which craving cues have been placed will be ideal therapeutic allies.
Caffeine is also a stimulant and this is why it is important that your anxious patients do not drink it. Dr. Malbos recommends an alternative to coffee: green tea and specifies that it is also much better for your health. Alternatively, if your patient cannot do without coffee, you can suggest they drink decaffeinated coffee.
Food
“Eat desserts!” This is what you should tell your patients. And yes, a dessert with every meal will increase serotonin levels. Be careful, one dessert a day is not a cake a day. The goal is not to make the patient obese.
Otherwise, there are no strict rules regarding diet. The bottom line is that it must be varied and balanced as much as possible. Dr. Malbos recommends an application called “Yuka” so that the patient can understand which foods are good and bad for health.
Brightness
It is important that your patients get exposure to sunlight. Once again this triggers the secretion of serotonins. Walks, sunbathing, and excursions to the beach are therefore recommended, but in a reasonable manner. The idea is not to spend a whole day under the sun but rather to expose yourself regularly during the week.
The type of light is also essential. Your patients should favor lamps with warm colors that recall the natural colors of the sun or sunset. You should therefore avoid exposing yourself to cold, in other words white, light.
Important: the bedside lamp should not be neglected, quite the contrary.
Sleep
To ensure sleep rhythms are respected, you can advise your patients to go to bed at a set time. It doesn't matter what your bedtime is as long as it's regular.
If your patients have difficulty falling asleep, several solutions are available to them such as meditation, relaxation exercises or the C2Care relaxation environments.
Sexual intercourse
Patients often don't think about it, although it is very important to us: sexual intercourse. They also have a role to play in reducing anxiety. You must make it clear to your patient to have regular sexual intercourse.
With each orgasm, there is a secretion of oxytocin in the brain which provides a calming effect. This soothing effect does not only last for the moment, but for a full week. Sexual intercourse, at least once a week, is therefore advice that you can give to your patients.
Of course, if your patient doesn't have a lover, masturbation works just as well.
As you will have understood, all these health and diet rules are, ultimately, not very complicated to apply and all play a role in reducing anxiety in your anxious patients. It's all about consistency.
Also find our article on slogans, and Schultz relaxation.
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FAQ on health and diet rules and virtual reality
What type of sport should I recommend to an anxious patient?
Endurance sports (cycling, running, brisk walking, swimming) are preferred. Its regular practice increases serotonin levels and produces a calming effect on mood. Dr Malbos recommends 20 to 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week: regularity takes precedence over intensity.
Why should we limit caffeine and alcohol in an anxious patient?
Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are stimulants that worsen anxiety despite a deceptive calming impression. Dr. Malbos recommends green tea or decaffeinated coffee as alternatives, and only occasional alcohol consumption.
Can C2Care environments help reduce alcohol consumption?
Yes. C2Care offers ecological environments integrating craving cues, useful as therapeutic allies when completely stopping alcohol proves difficult for the patient. They complement the classic health and diet rules.
Should we recommend eating desserts?
Yes, one dessert per meal is recommended because it increases serotonin levels. It's not about a whole cake every day: the goal remains a varied and balanced diet, without excess.
What type of light should be preferred for an anxious patient?
Lamps in warm colors, close to the colors of the setting sun, are preferred, including for the bedside lamp. Cold, white lights should be avoided. Regular exposure to the sun, in a reasonable manner, also promotes the secretion of serotonin.
How to promote a good sleep rhythm?
Going to bed at a fixed time is recommended, regardless of the time chosen, as long as it remains regular. In case of difficulty falling asleep, meditation, relaxation exercises or the relaxation environments of C2Care can be offered to the patient.
What role does sex play in managing anxiety?
Each orgasm causes a secretion of oxytocin with a soothing effect, which lasts for about a week. Regular sexual intercourse, at least weekly, is therefore recommended for anxious patients. Masturbation produces the same effect in the absence of a partner.
Which app can help assess food quality?
Dr. Malbos recommends the Yuka app to help the patient identify which foods are good or bad for health. It complements the advice on a varied and balanced diet, without imposing strict rules.
Author
C2Care
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