Anxiety in Kids: Natural Strategies That Really Help - a 2025 guide for parents

Can nutrition really help kids with anxiety?

Short answer: yes, it can help a lot. You can quickly see why if we think about anxiety as a whole-body issue, not just “in the head.”

When we work with a child's nutrition, gut, sleep, immune system, stress load, and environment - from the inside out - we see anxiety soften and a new boldness emerge.

Functional nutrition gives us ways to assess and reduce internal biological stress so the nervous system doesn’t stay revved up or overwhelmed all the time.

For this article, I'll walk you through 10 evidence-based, natural strategies to help your child feel calmer, more secure, and more resilient so you don't have to jump straight to medication.

You’ll notice that a lot of these strategies overlap with those in our ADHD guide, but there are a few unique features for anxious kids. 

 

Here Are 10 Considerations To Help Your Anxious Child Settle

1. Diet: What to feed your anxious child (and what to reduce)
2. Supplements and Natural Remedies: the best ones for Child Anxiety
   
3. Sleep: The Anxiety-Sleep vicious cycle and how to break it
   
4. Blood Sugar: A major problem for anxiety
   
5. Gut Health: The microbiome, probiotics, and the anxious brain
   
6. Toxins: How toxic load keeps the anxious brain on high alert
   
7. Genetics: Why anxiety runs in familes and why genes are not destiny
   
8. Nervous System Regulation: How breath and movement re-wire the anxious brain
9. Tech: Why information overload and screens are a big deal for anxiety
10. Attachment: The hidden thread connecting it all

It can feel like a lot to juggle, but take it one step at a time.

You'll find a simple action plan down at the bottom of this article, so if you're already feeling overwhelmed, read the next section (about "inside-out" thinking) and then go there. 

 

What Causes Anxiety In Kids?

Inside-Out and Outside-In Thinking

 

Before diving into the 10 considerations for anxiety, we need to think differently about what causes anxiety in kids.

Childhood anxiety is shaped by how your child’s genetics interact with what’s happening inside their body and what's going on around them. 

On the inside, things like the following matter:

• blood sugar
  
• availability of micronutrients
  
• gut health
• inflammation
  
• infections and immune activation
• sleep quality
  
• toxin load
• overall biological stress load
  

Things on the outside matter too. Things like:

• family stress and transitions
  
• school pressure and social media
  
• attachment with caring adults
• trauma, loss, or bullying
  
• sensory load (noise, light, crowds)
   

The feelings associated with anxiety are information. They're telling us that the nervous system is sensing that stress load is outweighing stress capacity.

Much like an indicator light on your car signalling something is not right, when stress load is reaching capacity, the nervous system thinks, “I’m not safe”. It gives warning signs telling us it's in a state of watchfulness - senses heighten, the body needs to move, the mind races, appetite changes, the heart thumps... these are all signals that stress load is pushing the limit.

If the load releases and we have strong capacity, the body relaxes. If it doesn't, the nervous system goes into conservation mode. Again, we get signals - exhausted, depleted, we can't make decisions, we avoid people, we lash out instead of using words and engaging in thoughtful discussion.

All are signals coming from the nervous system indicating that stress load is outweighing stress capacity, and the nervous system does not feel safe.

So to help our anxious kids, we need to do two things: lower stress load and increase stress capacity.

But there's the crucial bit. Stress is not just emotional. Anxiety is almost always exaggerated by biological stress that quietly keeps the body on high alert.

 

<< To learn more about biological stress that exaggerates anxiety, watch me explain HERE. >>

 

This guide breaks down what we currently know about nutrition and lifestyle strategies that can ease that load, improve capacity, and help your child’s brain feel safer.

So let's get into the 10 factors to consider: Food, Supplements, Sleep, Blood Sugar, Gut Health, Toxins, Genetics, Movement/Nervous System Support, Tech, and Attachment.

 

1. Anxiety Diet: What To Feed Your Anxious Child (and what to reduce)

 

Food doesn’t “cause” anxiety on its own, but it can strongly influence how anxious your child feels day to day.

Here's what we see in the research and in practice

• Mediterranean-style patterns (veggies, fruits, legumes, fish, nuts, olive oil, whole grains) are associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety in kids and teens, while ultra-processed, high-sugar, high-fat diets are linked to higher anxiety and mood symptoms.
  
• Omega-3–rich foods (fatty fish, chia, flax, walnuts, pasture-raised eggs) are consistently tied to better mood and reduced anxiety.
  
• Diets high in fibre and colorful plants support short-chain fatty acid production in the gut, which in turn supports brain health and calmer mood.
  
• Diets high in sugar, additives, and refined flour create blood sugar swings and inflammation, which can feel, in a child’s body, a lot like anxiety: shaky, irritable, sweaty, teary, “out of control.”
  
  

Key foods that help anxious kids

Focus on:

• Protein with every meal and snack (eggs, meat, fish, tofu, tempeh, legumes, nut/seed butters) to stabilize blood sugar and supply amino acids for neurotransmitters.
  
• Healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds, fatty fish) for brain structure and mood support.
  
• Slow carbs and fibre (lentils, chickpeas, beans, oats, quinoa, sweet potato, fruit with skin) to slow glucose release.
  
• Magnesium- and B-rich foods (leafy greens, beans, pumpkin seeds, whole grains, eggs) to support the stress response.
  
• Fermented foods (if tolerated) like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut, to gently support the gut.
  

Try to reduce (not necessarily eliminate overnight):

• Sugary drinks, juices, energy drinks
  
• Highly processed snacks and breakfast foods
  
• Artificial colors and preservatives
  
• Caffeine (soda, iced coffee, energy drinks, some teas, excessive chocolate)
  
  

Take-home for parents: Aim for a simple formula most days: protein + fibre-rich carb + healthy fat + color at meals and snacks. You don’t need perfection; you need patterns that keep your child’s blood sugar and nervous system nourished and more stable.

 

2. Best Supplements and Natural Remedies for Child Anxiety

 

Supplements are not a cure for anxiety, but the right ones, used thoughtfully, can help an anxious nervous system feel more supported. Keeping our kids well-nourished is a crucial strategy to improve stress capacity. 

Always get some advice, especially if your child is on medication or has a medical condition.

 

Nutrients commonly low in anxious kids

Many anxious kids are missing key nutrients due to selective eating or poor food access, chronic stress, gut issues, or genetics. Common players in anxiety include:

• Magnesium (often called the “calming mineral”)
  
• Supports muscle relaxation and GABA activity (our main calming neurotransmitter).
  
• Supplemental forms like magnesium glycinate or citrate are often used in the evening for relaxation and bowel support. Magnesium Threaonate can help bring inflammation down in the brain
  
• Vitamin D
  
• Low levels are associated with increased anxiety and depression across ages.
  
• Best assessed via blood test; supplementation is easy but should be based on levels.
  
• Zinc
  
• Important for neurotransmitter production, immune health, and appetite.
  
• Low zinc is linked to anxiety, picky eating, and mood issues.
  
• B Vitamins (especially B6, B9/folate, B12)
  
• Central to methylation and neurotransmitter production.
  
• Deficiencies can show up as fatigue, irritability, low mood, and increased anxiety.
  
• Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA)
  
• Consistently linked to improved mood and reduced anxiety symptoms in children and teens.
  
• Best to assess blood levels so you know the appropriate dose.
  
  

Herbs, amino acids, & targeted nutrients for anxiety

Evidence here is emerging (and we need more, specifically for kids), but I recommend these frequently in practice as helpful additions:

• L-theanine
  
• An amino acid that promotes calm focus without sedation.
  
• GABA
  
• Often helps with separation anxiety, inner tension, and bedtime worries.
  
• Glycine and Taurine
  
• Calming amino acids that support relaxation, methylation, detoxification, and sleep.
  
• Passionflower, lemon balm, chamomile
  
• Traditional calming herbs, great for kids.
  
  

Take-home for parents: If you’re going to invest in supplements, the best option is to get some bloodwork done so you can target your efforts. Vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, iron/ferritin, B12, and an omega-3 index are wonderful to start with. Urine Neurotransmitter tests and symptom questionnaires can help figure out the right aminos. Herbs are also wonderful supports.

>> Consider our Amino Acid Quickstart course to learn more about using nutritional supplements for childhood anxiety <<

 

3. Anxiety and Sleep: The Vicious Cycle

 

Poor sleep makes anxiety worse; anxiety makes sleep harder. For many families, this is the cycle keeping everyone stuck.

Common sleep issues in anxious kids include:

• Difficulty falling asleep (mind racing, worries, “what if” thoughts)
  
• Night wakings, nightmares, or panic episodes
  
• Restless legs, growing pains, or body tension
  
• Very light sleep; easily startled
  
• Early morning waking with dread about the day
  
  

Research shows that kids and teens with anxiety disorders are significantly more likely to experience insomnia and fragmented sleep, and that sleep problems can precede anxiety in some children.

What helps:

• Consistent sleep/wake times, even on weekends
  
• A screen cutoff 60–90 minutes before bed
  
• A predictable wind-down routine (bath, story, stretches, music, journaling or “worry time”)
  
• Daytime light exposure  -  especially morning sunlight, which anchors the circadian rhythm
  
• Nourishing meals and snacks that prevent nighttime blood sugar crashes
  
• Melatonin: can help shift sleep onset and is often used short-term, but isn’t a replacement for routine or for addressing underlying stressors.
  
• Magnesium, Inositol, 5-HTP, Glycine, or GABA: can support body relaxation and wind-down.
  
• Calming teas like chamomile or lemon balm (if tolerated).
  
  

Take-home for parents: Treat sleep as a core anxiety intervention, not a side issue. Structure comes first; gentle supplements to calm the nervous system can help break the cycle, but without predictable routines and getting a handle on screens, they rarely solve the problem.

 

4. Blood Sugar Swings, Caffeine & Anxiety

 

If you’ve ever been “hangry,” you know what low blood sugar feels like: shaky, sweaty, impatient, maybe teary or snappy. In a child, that can look like anxiety.

Why blood sugar is a big deal for anxious kids:

• Rapid sugar spikes (from refined carbs/sugar) trigger a big insulin response.
  
• The crash that follows can cause adrenaline and cortisol release.
  
• The adrenal glands do more work than they should need to, which puts pressure on the thyroid, which keeps a child in a hormonal stress storm.
• To your child’s nervous system, that internal stress can feel like danger. They may experience heart racing, agitation, express “I feel weird,” or “I don’t want to go," or feel clingy or have a meltdown.
  

Add caffeine (sodas, energy drinks, iced tea), and you essentially pour gasoline on that system. Caffeine has its place, but in the anxious body caught in a hormonal stress storm, it will often make things worse. 

Practical strategies:

• Anchor each meal and snack with protein + fat.
• Focus on getting more fibre into the diet
  
• Keep quick, stable snacks handy: trail mix, hummus and veggies, boiled eggs, apples with nut butter, leftover meatballs…
  
• Replace juice and soda with water and herbal teas, and the occasional fermented drink like Kefir and Kombucha
  
• Avoid energy drinks and limit caffeine-containing drinks for anxious kids and teens.
  
  

Take-home for parents: Before assuming your child’s anxiety is “all psychological,” focus on feeding them for better blood sugar stability. Sometimes, regulating how often and what they eat cuts anxiety-like symptoms dramatically.

 

5. Gut Health, Probiotics, and the Anxious Brain

 

The gut and brain are in constant conversation. When the gut is inflamed or imbalanced, the brain tends to feel less safe and less steady.

How gut health links to anxiety

Research in both kids and adults shows how gut health and anxiety are linked:

• Changes in gut bacteria can affect the production and transport of GABA, serotonin, and dopamine - chemicals that affect how we feel.
  
• Increased intestinal permeability and inflammation in the gut affect the brain and stress response.
  
• Certain imbalances (like overgrowths of histamine-producing microbes or yeast) can contribute to irritability, sleep issues, and anxious behavior. 
• Poor gut health leads to lower nutrient absorption and can result in a deficiency of nutrients needed by the nervous system.

Clinically, we often see:

• Anxious kids with constipation, diarrhea, or alternating patterns
• History of reflux, eczema, multiple antibiotics, or food reactions indicating potential gut imbalances
  
• Cravings for sugar and carbs (which may feed less helpful microbes)
  

We also know that there can be significant gut microbiome imbalances without gut-specific symptoms like pain or constipation.

What helps:

• Fiber and color: plant diversity feeds microbial diversity. Think “eat the rainbow” and rotate foods.
  
• Fermented foods (if tolerated): yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha.
  
• Age-appropriate probiotic supplements with strains studied for mood and stress.
  
• Stool testing can identify imbalances, inflammation, and digestion problems, and guide a targeted plan.
  
  

Take-home for parents: If your child has both anxiety and gut symptoms (or a history of antibiotics, reflux, or eczema), it’s worth looking under the hood. The gut is not just about digestion; it’s a major player in how safe the brain feels.

 

6. Anxiety, Toxins, and Sensitivities

 

Even low-level exposure to certain chemicals can stress the nervous system, especially in sensitive kids.

Environmental factors linked with anxiety include:

• Heavy metals like lead and mercury can affect brain development and mood.
  
• Pesticides and solvents are associated with neurodevelopmental issues and may worsen anxiety in vulnerable children.
  
• Plastics and endocrine disruptors (like BPA and phthalates) can interfere with hormones that influence stress and mood.
  
• Mold exposure and chronic allergies can keep inflammation and histamine high, which can cause significant internal stress.
  
  

You don’t need a perfect, toxin-free home, but reducing the overall load can lighten the burden on your child’s system.

Simple starting points

• Use a water filter for drinking and cooking water.
• Avoid heating food in plastic; store in glass or stainless steel.
• Avoid Teflon baking pans and opt for ceramic, glass or cast iron.
• Choose fragrance-free, low-tox cleaning and personal care products.
• Prioritize whole, minimally processed foods with fewer additives.
• Put an air purifier in your child’s bedroom, especially if your child has allergies, asthma, congestion, or sleep problems. 
  
  

Take-home for parents: Think “lighten their load” rather than “eliminate everything.” Every small shift -  cleaner water, cleaner air, fewer synthetic fragrances - makes it easier for your child’s body to do the work of calming. Urine toxin load tests combined with genetic tests that assess detoxification capacity can be helpful if you need data.

 

7. Genetics and Anxiety (and why genes are not destiny)

 

Anxiety does tend to run in families, but genes are not the full story.

What we know about anxiety genes

• Genes influencing anxiety are involved in serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and stress hormone pathways. Detoxification genes can also be at play, as they can keep toxin stress higher than the average person if not supported.
• Variants in genes like SLC6A4, COMT, BDNF, and various methylation-related genes may change how a child processes stress or recovers from it.
  
• The same variants that increase risk for anxiety can also increase sensitivity, empathy, creativity, and deep thinking — the very traits many anxious kids have in abundance. So they’re not inherently “bad genes”, but they can make it harder for your child to cope with stress. When supported, they give us another opportunity for widening capacity.
  

Epigenetics tells us that environment, sleep, nutrition, and relationships influence how genes are expressed. We can’t change the blueprint, but we can change the inputs the body is responding to.

Take-home for parents: If anxiety runs in your family, assume your anxious child has a genetic sensitivity, but not a fixed sentence. Use that information as motivation to be extra intentional with sleep, nutrition, blood sugar, nervous-system tools, and environmental load. Contact us for genetic testing.

 

8. Nervous System Regulation, Breath, and Movement

 

If a child's nervous system has learned to live in survival mode, you can feed them perfectly, and they still have anxiety.  Nervous system regulation tools help remind the body, “You’re safe right now.” They are best done consistently as a way to interrupt "threat" messages and replace them with "safety" messages.

Body-based tools with growing evidence

• Breathwork
  
• Slow, extended exhale breathing (like 4 counts in, 6 counts out) stimulates the calming branch of the nervous system.
  
• Even a few minutes daily can reduce baseline anxiety over time.
  
  
• Rhythmic movement and bilateral stimulation
  
• Walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, drumming -  anything rhythmic and repetitive -  can help integrate stress and regulate arousal.
  
• Movement-based therapies (reflex integration, OT/PT interventions) can sometimes dramatically shift anxiety and related issues.
  
  
• Somatic and sensory tools
  
• Weighted blankets or lap pads (for some kids).
  
• Rocking, swinging, or gentle bouncing.
  
• Cold water on the face or hands for acute panic.
  
• Grounding with feet on the floor, noticing 5 things you can see, 4 you can feel, etc.
  
  
• Parent-child co-regulation
  
• Your calm, attuned presence is a nervous-system intervention.
  
• Predictable routines, loving limits, and making time for connection every day sends the message, “You are safe with me,” which literally helps their biology downshift.
  
  

Take-home for parents: Aim for daily movement (ideally outdoors), plus one or two simple, repeatable regulation tools your child can practice when they’re not in crisis, so they’re available when anxiety spikes.

 

9. Tech, News, and Information Overload

 

Our kids’ brains were not designed to process this much information, comparison, and global stress.

How screens fuel anxiety

• Blue light at night disrupts melatonin and sleep.
  
• Social media amplifies comparison, exclusion, and fear of missing out.
  
• News and content about danger, violence, or climate fears can create chronic low-grade threat.
  
• Fast-paced, highly stimulating content keeps the nervous system revved up.
  
  

For a child prone to anxiety - whether that's because of genetics or high biological stress - this is a perfect storm.

Set practical boundaries around tech for your anxious child:

• Create a tech curfew 1–2 hours before bed.
• Keep phones and devices out of bedrooms at night.
• Use content filters and time limits, especially for younger kids.
• Make time weekly to talk about what they’re seeing online and help them make sense of it.
• Model your own boundaries around news and scrolling.
  
  

Take-home for parents: You can’t control everything your child will see, but you can create a home environment where the nervous system can regularly settle. Make sure they experience real-world connection, slower activities, nature, and sleep.

 

10. Attachment: The hidden thread connecting it all

 

At its core, attachment is the way a child’s nervous system learns to feel safe in the world. From infancy onward, children look to their caregivers for cues about danger and safety - through tone of voice, facial expression, presence, and predictability. When those cues are steady enough, the brain encodes a deep internal message: “I’m safe, I matter, and someone will help me when things feel hard.” That message becomes the foundation for emotional regulation, resilience, and the ability to return to calm after stress.

If something (or somethings) interfere with that attachment, a child can experience a strained attachment. And without reliable cues of safety, the brain shifts into watchfulness. The body becomes primed for threat and anxiety gains a stronger foothold.

Attachment strain amplifies anxiety, and biology keeps them stuck. Here's what I mean...

Attachment and the biological factors we just went through are always in a feedback loop: when a child doesn’t consistently feel safe, the body shifts into protection mode. When it does this, blood sugar becomes harder to regulate, the gut becomes more reactive, nutrients get depleted, sleep becomes less restorative, and toxins accumulate more easily. As those biological stressors pile up, the nervous system becomes even more sensitive as it perceives them as signs of threat. Kids get stuck in a cycle where their body and brain keep sounding the alarm, even when nothing dangerous is happening.

And this is why we have to work from both directions. Supporting the body from the inside out helps lower the physical stress load and signal to the nervous system that its safe. Supporting attachment from the outside in - through connection, attunement, co-regulation, and predictability - helps the nervous system rewrite its internal story about safety. When these two pathways meet, the brain finally has what it needs to settle, integrate, and build healthier wiring over time.

 

Final Thoughts:
Supporting Your Anxious Child Naturally

 

We don’t want to, nor can we, get rid of all stress and worry. It’s part of being human and a natural way we keep ourselves safe. In fact, stress is crucial for child development. 

But runaway, chronic anxiety that hijacks your child’s day leads to a less-than-optimal lived experience for kids. They may say no to opportunities, second-guess themselves, and thwart their potential. To help a child manage their anxious predisposition, we need to find all the things at our disposal to help them feel a deep sense of safety. As we override messages of threat with messages of safety, your anxious child can feel more confident and secure.

Nutrition, lifestyle, and environment changes can:

• Reduce the internal stress load on their body
  
• Make therapy more effective
  
• Improve sleep, focus, and mood
  
• Help your child feel more in control of their inner world
  
  

We need more research on biological approaches to anxiety, especially in kids. But these are low-risk, practical steps you can take now alongside therapy and, when needed, medication.

Your child is unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all plan. It often takes some experimenting to find which pieces matter most for your kid — but every step you take toward steadier blood sugar, calmer evenings, cleaner inputs, and more connection makes a difference.

 

Action Plan for Parents:
Where To Start With Anxious Kids

 

If you’re just starting with natural strategies for child anxiety, here’s how I’d prioritize:

1. Orient yourself to this new way of thinking... as anxiety being a whole body thing, and a signal that stress load is outweighing stress capacity
2. Stabilize food patterns, shifting toward more nutrient density
   
3. Run baseline labs
   

   • Vitamin D, RBC magnesium, copper, RBC or plasma Zinc, Ferritin, and Omega-3 index give you a good baseline.
Keep in mind that optimal ranges may be significantly narrower than they are for the general public when we're dealing with anxiety. These are called "functional ranges".

   • Add a stool test to assess the gut. In some cases, I like to add microbial organic acids as well.

   • Add genetics, toxins, and food sensitivities to refine your strategies.

4. Add targeted supplements based on those results
5. Build a predictable sleep routine
   
6. Get toxins out of the home, and lighten the information load by setting limits on tech 
   
7. Focus on attachment strategies and daily nervous-system support

You don’t have to do all of this at once. Choose one or two areas to focus on for a few weeks, then build from there.

 

>> To get a Functional Assessment and plan for reducing your child's anxiety, connect with us here <<

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FAQs About Anxiety in Kids (Natural Support)

 

Can nutrition really help kids with anxiety?

Yes. While food alone won’t “cure” anxiety, patterns like a Mediterranean-style, whole-food diet with stable blood sugar, quality protein, healthy fats, and lots of plant diversity are linked to better mood and lower anxiety. Highly processed, high-sugar patterns tend to worsen anxiety.

What supplements are safe for anxious kids?

Foundational nutrients like vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, iron (if low), and omega-3s are generally considered safe when dosed appropriately and guided by lab work. Calming supports like L-theanine, magnesium glycinate, GABA, chamomile, or lemon balm are often used, but it’s best to work with a practitioner, especially if your child takes medication.

Is gut health related to anxiety?

Yes, it can be. The gut produces and modulates many of the same chemicals that regulate mood and anxiety. Dysbiosis (imbalance), leaky gut, or chronic gut inflammation can contribute to anxious feelings, sleep problems, and irritability - even if there are no obvious tummy symptoms.

Should I try changing my anxious child’s diet?

Often, yes, gently and strategically. Start by adding in stabilizing foods (protein, fibre, healthy fats) and reducing sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods. Think in terms of swaps rather than strict restrictions so your child still feels nourished and included.

How does sleep affect anxiety?

Poor sleep increases anxiety, and anxiety disrupts sleep. Addressing both together - with structure, tech boundaries, and, when needed, short-term supports like melatonin or calming amino acids - can create big shifts in mood and coping.

Do toxins and allergies influence anxiety?

They can. Heavy metals, pesticides, mold, and synthetic fragrances can raise inflammation and stress load. Allergies and histamine issues can also make kids feel edgy, frustrated, and “on edge.” Reducing exposures where you can is a helpful piece of the puzzle.

Is anxiety genetic?

There can be a genetic component, but genes are not destiny. What people think of as “anxiety genes” are ones that increase our sensitivity to the environment and lower our inner capacity to tolerate stress. When those are in the mix, nutrition, sleep, stress, attachment, and toxins matter even more.

What kind of exercise helps anxious kids?

Almost all movement helps: walking, biking, swimming, dancing, martial arts, team sports, trampolining, playing at the park. Rhythmic, repetitive movement and outdoor time are especially regulating. The “best” one is whatever your child will actually do consistently and enjoy enough to stick with.

 

Related Articles:

What every parent needs to know about the gut-brain connection

Neurotransmitter testing for kids

Gut microbiome tests for kids

Genetics and mental health

Picky eating, stress and anxiety

How to ease anxiety from the inside out (13-minute presentation)