When in Phase 1 of your program, I recommend selecting foods located in this section. The servings are not to mandate how much you eat but instead to understand how much of each macronutrient is in a particular food, so you can empower yourself with the way you comprise your meals, potentially using two to three servings of an item. As fats support neurological function, and both Phase 1 and Phase 2 are fat-dominant, you will likely have two or three servings of fat at meals and snacks. Use the Anti-Anxiety Diet Grocery List on page 153 and the 2-Week Meal Plan on page 90 to get more ideas and shopping structure!
Non-Starchy Vegetables
Each serving contains 5 grams of carbohydrates and 25 calories. In general, a single serving is ½ cup of cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 1 cup of raw vegetables.
•Artichoke
•Asparagus
•Bamboo shoots
•Beans (green, wax, Italian)
•Bean sprouts
•Broccoli
•Brussels sprouts
•Cabbage (green, Napa, Chinese)
•Cauliflower
•Celery
•Chives
•Cucumber
•Eggplant
•Garlic
•Greens (bok choy, collard, dandelion, escarole, kale, mustard, Swiss chard, turnip)
•Jicama
•Leeks
•Lettuce, mixed greens (romaine, red/green leaf, endive, spinach, arugula, radicchio, watercress, chicory)
•Mushrooms, all kinds
•Okra
•Onions
•Pea pods, snap peas, snow peas
•Peppers, all varieties
•Radishes
•Sauerkraut, raw, unpasteurized, live
•Sea vegetables (dulse, kelp, nori, hijiki)
•Sprouts and microgreens
•Squash (summer, spaghetti)
•Tomatoes
•Zucchini
Fats: Nuts and Seeds
Each serving contains 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates, 5 to 8 grams of fat, 70 to 90 calories, and 3 grams of protein. In general, a single serving, unless otherwise noted below, is 2 tablespoons of nuts or 1 tablespoon of seeds.
•Cashews, 6 nuts
•Chia seeds
•Ground Flaxseed
•Macadamia nuts, 5 nuts
•Nut butters, 1 tablespoon
•Peanuts, 10 nuts
•Pistachios, 18–20 nuts
•Pumpkin seeds
•Sesame seeds
•Sunflower seeds
•Brazil nuts, 2–3 nuts
•Pecans, 6–8 halves
•Walnuts, 6–8 halves
•Almonds, 8–10 nuts
•Hazelnuts, 8–10 nuts
Fats: Fruits
Each serving (indicated below) contains 1 to 2 grams of carbs, 5 to 7 grams of fat, and 70 to 90 calories.
•Avocado, medium, ¼
•Coconut milk (full fat), 1 ounce
•Olives, 8 to 10
Fats: Oils
Each serving contains 0 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fat, and 45 calories. In general, a single serving is 1 teaspoon of oil or butter, and 1 tablespoon of salad dressing or dip such as mayo, aioli, chimichurri, pesto. It may be appropriate to have multiple fat servings in meals/snacks based on your needs.
No or Low Heat
•Extra-virgin olive oil
•Flax seed oil
•Virgin coconut oil
•Virgin avocado oil
Medium Heat
•Sesame oil
•Walnut oil
High Heat
•Avocado oil
•Coconut oil, refined
•Grapeseed oil
•Lard, pasture-raised
•Peanut oil
•Palm oil, sustainable
Spreads/Sauces
•Aioli, mayo
•Chimichurri, pesto
•Salad dressing
Clean Proteins
All animal-based proteins have 7 grams of protein per ounce/portion.
Lean Meats and Proteins
Consume 4- to 6-ounce portions. Unless otherwise noted, each 1-ounce serving contains 0 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein, 2 to 4 grams of fat, and 45 calories.
•Beef or bison: chuck roast, rump roast, flank or tenderloin steaks, ground 90 to 95% lean
•Deli meats (in-house roast, nitrite-free, free of binders, fillers), 3 grams fat per ounce
•Egg whites, 2 (though whole eggs are preferred!)
•Fish, fresh or frozen: cod, flounder, grouper, halibut, mahi-mahi, salmon, snapper, trout, tuna, etc.
•Pork, lean cuts: tenderloin, chop
•Poultry breast, white meat
•Shellfish: shrimp, crab, clam, oysters, lobster
Medium-Fat Meats and Proteins
Consume 3- to 4-ounce portions. Unless otherwise noted, each 1-ounce serving contains 0 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein, 5 to 7 grams of fat, and 75 calories.
•Beef or bison: ground <90% lean, prime rib, porterhouse, T-bone steak
•Egg (whole), 1
•Pork: shoulder roast, ribs
•Poultry, skin on, bone in, dark
•Sausage, 4 to 7 grams of fat per ounce
High-Fat Meats and Proteins
Consume 1- to 2-ounce portions. Unless otherwise noted, each 1-ounce serving contains 0 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein, 8 or more grams of fat, and 100 calories.
•Bacon: pork, 2 slices; turkey, 3 slices
•Cured meats, with 8 grams of fat or more per ounce (nitrite-free): coppa, guanciale, lardo, pastrami, prosciutto, salami soppressata
•Humanely raised pate, terrine, or foie gras
•Sausage, with 8 grams of fat or more per ounce
Anti-Anxiety Diet Grocery List
Use this list to plan your grocery shopping. I noted portions in some sections, such as produce and proteins, to aid in weekly shopping strategy. Choose local, seasonal items whenever possible and experiment with new items from week to week to ensure a variety of different antioxidants, amino acids, and micronutrients.
Foods to Eat
These foods are supportive of your goals in both phases. Look for organic, local products, if possible. Ideally, protein should be wild-caught/humanely raised, grass-fed, and organic.
Fruits and Vegetables
I recommend purchasing fruits and vegetables according to a color spectrum to optimize antioxidant intake. If in Phase 1, choose berries as your only fruits. Quantities below are suggested per week to get widespread support.
2 bunches leafy greens (kale, chard, red leaf lettuce, etc.)
2–3 green vegetables
2–3 red items
1–2 purple items
2–3 yellow/orange items
1–2 white/tan items
2–3 choices of alliums: onions (yellow, red, white), garlic, shallots, leeks
Prioritize organic produce. If not shopping organic, avoid certain items due to higher toxicity and pesticide residue, according to the 2018 Dirty Dozen Plus list. Items in italics should be consumed only in moderation or during Phase 2.
Apples
Bell peppers
Berries
Celery
Cucumbers
Grapes
Green beans
Kale
Lettuce
Nectarines
Peaches
Potatoes
Spinach
Strawberries
Fresh Herbs
Pick two to three fresh herbs per week.
Basil
Cilantro
Ginger
Mint
Oregano
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Turmeric
Clean Proteins
Each week, select 1–2 ground meats for foods like meatballs, hamburgers, tacos, and meatloaf; 1–2 bone-in, skin-on
whole cuts of meat for pan-searing, roasting, or grilling; 1–2 chuck, round, or shoulder roasts for searing and slow cooking; and 12–24 eggs. Additionally, each month, select 1 tub of protein for 2 to 5 shakes or smoothies weekly.
Beef
Pork
Chicken
Turkey
Bacon
Lamb
Eggs
Salt-cured and preservative-free charcuterie
Fish
Shellfish
Collagen peptides
Grass-fed whey protein powder
Nuts and Seeds
Select raw or dry roasted, organic nuts and seeds. Each week, choose 2–3 nuts to focus on and rotate, using 1–2 nut butters or nut butter blends. Challenge yourself to buy new nuts and seeds to get more nutritional density and variety beyond almonds, such as pumpkin seeds and Brazil nuts. Always have a nut flour on hand for thickening and making low-glycemic baked goods.
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Chia seeds
Coconut flour
Flax seeds or crackers
Nut butter, fresh ground, with no added oils or sugar
Nut flour/meal
Pecans
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
Fats
Ensure you have 1 cold-pressed extra-virgin oil for salad dressings and raw applications, as well as 1 to 2 high-heat options as refined oils or solid cooking fats. Fats are pantry staples versus weekly buys, so refill when needed.
Almond oil
Avocado, avocado oil
Coconut shreds, coconut butter, coconut oil
Ghee
Grapeseed oil
Lard, pasture-raised for high heat
Olives, extra-virgin refined olive oil
Condiments
These condiments are pantry staples versus weekly buys, so refill when needed.
Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Avocado/olive oil–based mayo
Balsamic and other vinegars
Coconut aminos
Fermented pickles
Horseradish
Hot sauce/sriracha
Kimchi
Lime/lemon juice, organic
Miso (Though made from soy, miso has more health supporting properties.)
Mustard
Nut cheese
Olives
Salsa
Sauerkraut, live, raw
Drinks
Select quantities per preference and consumption.
Black tea (and blends)
Green tea (and blends)
Kombucha
Matcha
Red wine (optional; Pinot Noir has a higher concentration of resveratrol.)
Rooibos tea
Sparkling mineral water
Tulsi holy basil tea
White tea (and blends)
Baking
These baking items are pantry staples versus weekly buys; refill when needed.
Cacao powder, raw
Coconut shreds
Coconut sugar
Dark amber maple syrup
Dark chocolate, 70% or higher
Dates
Honey, raw, local
Vanilla extract
Sucanat
Pantry Items
These pantry items are pantry staples versus weekly buys; refill when needed.
Coconut milk, canned, full-fat
Collagen, grass-fed
Fruit, dried, organic
Gelatin, grass-fed
Jerky, grass-fed, soy and wheat free
Kale chips
Nori sheets
Pork rinds, pasture-raised
Tomatoes, glass jar or BPA-free canned
Whey protein, grass-fed
Dried Herbs/Spices
Have these on hand and refill when needed.
Allspice
Black pepper
Cayenne
Cinnamon
Sea salt
Chili powder
Cloves
Cumin
Curry powder
Dill
Fennel
Garlic (dried and powdered)
Herb and seasoning blends
Himalayan pink salt
Nutmeg
Paprika
Red pepper flakes
Turmeric
Foods in Moderation
Eat these foods a couple times a week or only in Phase 2 of the program.
Vegetables: All starchy, use within produce guidelines
Fruit: All beyond berries, use within produce guidelines
Beverages: Coffee, 100% juice (limit glycemic index by adding greens or diluting with soda water), alcohol consumed with other clean ingredients and limited to 2 drinks
Quality packaged (limited processing and packaging, no preservatives): Vegetable chips, almond flour or flax grain-free crackers, nut-and-dried-fruit bars
Eat these foods if tolerated after first 12-week elimination period and if not dealing with leaky gut:
Legumes: chickpeas, beans (black, navy, etc.), lentils, peas, hummus
Grains: Amaranth, teff, rice, quinoa, millet, oats, buckwheat
Dairy (unsweetened, full-fat, grass-fed, organic, raw or non-homogenized, probiotic-rich): Milk, cream, Greek yogurt, cheese (hard, aged, raw)
Foods to Avoid
These foods do not support your anti-anxiety diet outcomes.
Grains: All flours (whole and refined), barley, rye, wheat, spelt, couscous, grits, popcorn, pasta, bread and bread products, cereal and cereal products
Processed sweeteners: Table sugar, cane juice, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, agave, non-caloric sweeteners, and sugar alcohols (erythritol, xylitol)
Dairy (nonorganic, less than full-fat, sweetened): 1% or 2% milk, reduced-fat cheese, half and half, coffee creamer, chocolate or flavored milk, sweetened yogurt
Meat (conventionally raised, grain-fed): Fried or mixed with fillers
Beverages (sweetened, colored, processed): Soda, sports drinks, beer
Miscellaneous (foods with unnatural ingredients, prepackaged with preservatives and fillers): Fast food, prepackaged processed snacks and meals, fried foods
Supplement Support for the 6 Foundational Rs
I provide this information with the intention to welcome you into the thought process I use when working with my own patients. Areas of need are divided to address inflammation, dysbiosis, leaky gut, micronutrient deficiency, adrenal fatigue, or neurotransmitter imbalance. You may use this to guide your selection of formulas with understanding of dosage and form of compound to make it functional in your body.
To make it easy, I have provided the name of the private label formula that I have in my clinic. You can view these and the entire Naturally Nourished supplement line on my website at www.alimillerRD.com/store. Please note these are not recommendations for you to take but information for you to discuss with your wellness and healthcare team, providing access to third-party-assessed formulas with quality, potency, and purity at an affordable price.
When using supplements, always respect the mechanism of action and the influence of excess as possibly just as concerning as deficiency. Try to shift no more than two things at a time so if you notice improvement or decline, you can identify the variable and make a further shift. Precaution should be taken with supplementation of amino acids noted in the Rebalance Neurotransmitters section, especially in individuals dealing with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other mental illnesses being monitored by a psychiatrist or physician. It is strongly recommended that this resource be used in conversation with your personal medical team and as a guide to discuss options for mood management support. Anyone currently managed by a medical team for any condition including pregnancy, autoimmune disease, and cancer should discuss any additional formulas to ensure they will not interfere with treatment.