Is that your fourth cup of coffee for the day? Then that explains your run-away anxieties over small matters that others take on as normal life events - moving house, having a baby, credit card bills, and the eternal battle with the bulge. Anxiety can be triggered by poor eating habits and excessive coffee and alcohol intake. If you are guilty of the two bad habits, it is time now to change your lifestyle.

Anxiety is brought on by several causes but understanding the link between your diet-drink habits and anxiety can help you control your anxiety levels. Take that coffee-drinking habit of yours; coffee contains caffeine, a powerful stimulant that gives you an adrenalin rush. Just imagine what that fourth cup of coffee is doing to your body!

Too high an intake of alcohol or caffeine can knock your natural biochemical balance out of line and cause your nervous system to become overactive. Caffeine's stimulating properties produce a feeling of elation, followed by anxiety as it makes its way out of your system. By cutting back on caffeine (or giving it up altogether), you'll have more energy naturally and feel a lot calmer in general.

Alcohol on the other hand depresses the nervous system. Initially you get a high but later on fatigue and nervousness sets in. Alcohol should be avoided if you want to lessen or get rid of your anxiety attacks. An occasional drink is not harmful but then if your anxiety is getting the better of you, this should also be eliminated. Drink plenty of water and avoid the risk of dehydration, which affects your mood that might trigger a panic attack.

Your blood sugar level affects your mood and your anxiety level. By eating smaller meals, you can keep this and your anxiety level stable. Don't skip breakfast - it sets the tone for your metabolic rate all day. Eat a healthy diet with whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables; these increase the levels of serotonin in your brain naturally. Serotonin makes you feel calmer and more at ease.

You should also incorporate tryptophan-rich foods into your diet. This amino acid is necessary for the production of melatonin and serotonin, which regulate moods and help you get restful sleep. Foods which are good sources of tryptophan include nuts, bananas, oats, dairy products, soy-based foods and poultry.

Fiber rich food also adds to a sense of well-being because this regulates the sugar levels in the body. Women who are menopausing should take more calcium rich foods to reduce irritability, fatigue, and depression. Do you have adverse reactions to some food? Avoid food that makes you irritable and moody. Nuts, wheat, corn, eggs, dairy, and shellfish should be avoided if you experience mood swings after eating any of these.

Limit salt intake because the body already produces sodium and potassium and eating salty foods increases the sodium levels in the body. Too much salt causes water retention and impacts on high blood pressure; worse, it makes one moody; so avoid junk foods; these have high sodium content. If you are into artificial sugars, avoid then. Some of these aggravate panic attack symptoms.

Diet is an important factor when treating anxiety attacks but it is best to seek medical advice especially if you are experiencing severe panic attacks.