Is salad a trigger for anxiety?

Salad?...

...as in green salad? IDK...I have not heard of this previously.

In what context? Having symptoms after eating it?

Or maybe could it be low blood sugar related...as in all I ate was a salad today, and now I am anxious...when really it's probably low BGL?

More info!! :)

S.C.

Ugh, I wish I could elaborate, but there was a post a little while back about food triggers. I read through and one was salad or maybe it said lettuce. There was no explanation as to why this would be, so I suppose it could be blood sugar. However, I tend to have trouble breathing when I eat salads. How bizarre is that? I just had one for lunch af absolutely had difficulty. I don't know....I'll have to look for the post!

I'll look this afternoon! Now I'm just trying to calm down before heading to therapy!

It is NOT bizarre if you're eating pre packaged salads. They have a preservative in them that I can't eat either or I get bad tummy cramps and the back door trots

Another lady I know gets bad heart palpitations and shortness of breath from prepackaged lettuce/mixes. She can eat a salad that is fresh chopped, no preservatives.

I love salad but there are only a few restaurants I can eat them at bc they used pre packaged. I always ask if they're fresh chopped or from a bag.

Interesting! I wish I could find this actual post, but this all makes sense!

It was prob me. :)

According to Ayurvedic medicine, salad is best avoided by those with a tendency toward anxiety, bec it increases Vata energy in the body. The root cause of anxiety, according to Ayurveda, is too much Vata.

Similarly, it is best to avoid ice cream, cold shakes, ice water, etc.

Hot/warm foods decrease Vata. Soup, oatmeal, hot teas, etc, all good. :)

(I have def noticed that I often feel anxious when I give in to my cravings for ice cream shakes...!)

(...As I am typing this, I am eating a plate of asparagus and over-cooked onions - a meal/snack I often have, to balance my high Vata.)

Read more here: http://www.chopra.com/vata-dosha

Post Edited (Stephanie2014) : 10/23/2014 11:52:18 PM (GMT-6)

Interesting, Stephanie!! I know ice water is one that my doctor said would keep bringing me back to anxiety.

Zuzu, now I want that!!

A good alternative to lettuce, is spinach leaves. Very good for you, and yummy too! Whenever I make a sandwich or something like it, I usually use spinach leaves because plain lettuce doesn't seem to agree with my tummy either. Or maybe you could try the romaine lettuce instead for a salad.

Fox

This salad thread is very interesting...

If you're having an automatic reaction to salad while you're eating it I would think that you're having some kind of allergic reaction. But that would have to be itching, burning, tight throat etc. If you're stomach is upset after you eat the salad and it travels through your GI then you have an intolerance. This could be from something in the lettuce or perhaps a chemical additive. Both responses would be uncomfortable and could invoke anxiety.

I have food related anxiety and it has nothing to do with the type of food I'm eating. When I feel anxious I lose my appetite and become extremely nauseas. Someone mentioned oatmeal is anti-anxiety. Well, not for me. I gag my way through an entire bowl when I feel anxious but have no problem with it when I'm not anxious. The warmness or coolness of food doesn't affect me as much as my attitude about eating that day. Also our bodies oftentimes create food aversion when we have gotten sick once in the past. If you ate a salad and contracted a food bourne illness the anxiety could be your body's natural warning not to ingest it again. This happenes with me and scalloped potatoes (lol!)

If you're feeling averse to eating a food just don't eat it anymore. In the future if you want to try again do so in small amounts.