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Friday, June 26, 2015

Fight "Social Anxiety" with Pickles!

Are you suffering from "social anxiety?"  "The fear of interaction of other people that brings on self-consciouness, feelings of being negatively judged and evaluated, and as a result leads to avoidance."

If you don't, why not?! If your eyes and ears are open you really should be socially anxious! Just take a quick look at this kooky, crazy world around us friend. 

Just kidding.

If you are socially anxious, what can you do? Get on the meds? That's the usual medical response. They will "put you on the meds" at the drop of a hat. Think: Valium, Prozac, etc.

But "science now tells us" that the answer is actually pickles! Not just pickles, other fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt work too. You see, fermented foods are good for your gut biome. And remember dear pilgrim you are made up of bacteria. Lots and lots of creepy, crawly bacteria.

And that's good news. You want a healthy biome. A healthy community of bacteria swarming all over, and inside of you. Really.

When I read this article I immediately went out and bought myself a jar of organic, kosher dill pickles. It's been a long time since I ate pickles, I always loved them, but I thought for some odd reason that they were probably bad for me.

I was delighted to find that they're very good for me and my bacteria. So I have been eating pickles since last Monday and I must say I have been swimming in good feeling this week. I realize I love pickles! Now, as my close friend points out to me, often, I am very impressionable. Easily swayed. Easily turned on to the latest thing. So there's that.

Plus, this all could be the placebo effect in action - I think pickles will make me feel better, make me lose my social anxiety, and well, what I think becomes what I am. So I'd take this all with a "grain of salt," although really, you should watch your intake of salt.

Pickles! They have changed my life this week. My bacteria seems to be applauding! And nothing makes me anxious.  Just don't want to run out of pickles.

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