Panic! Your heart is pounding, pounding?your mouth has gone dry, you feel dizzy, your whole body is vibrating.

Noises sound louder, lights look brighter and everything is spinning, rushing, around you. You are more terrified than you have ever felt in your entire life, you have no idea what is happening to you, but you are absolutely certain your heart will burst and you will die ? except that you won?t.

You are sitting in a car, at a desk, in a restaurant, or even lying in the safety of your own bed, and although you are not going to die, you are having a panic attack. If you?ve never experienced a panic attack, it?s hard to understand how shocking, intense and frightening it can be. Whilst attacks can be connected to stressful events or a phobia, they can also occur when the person is calm and happy.

Logic, sense and reason are often no help at all. Whilst those who have experienced attacks for years may well counsel themselves through the fear, new sufferers find it hard to believe that they will live through the experience. It sounds melodramatic, but even in the absence of danger or stress, when you know there is nothing to fear, it can be impossible to recognise that you are in fact safe and well.

The pounding in your heart continues and it?s all you can do to shut your eyes, hold on for your life, breathe and hope for it to be over soon. Although panic attacks are becoming more widely understood by the public, many people still link them to the world of serious mental instability and breakdown.

However, most people that suffer from panic attacks lead otherwise very normal lives. In fact, the number of smart, sassy, confident and strong women I know who have panic attacks is surprising! I also know several men who have experienced attacks, but the statistics for men are much lower.

This doesn?t mean to say that fewer men get panic attacks, but it does suggest that less men consult their doctor about it.

The first time someone has a panic attack, they usually end up in the emergency room. The symptoms are often so similar to having a heart attack that it?s a sensible trip to make.

The thing is that by the time you?re hooked up to all the machines? you are absolutely fine again and there?s no trace of any cardiovascular ?event?.

However, because most people aren?t monitored as they are actually having the panic attack, there remains an individual fear that there is something wrong with your heart, but the doctors just couldn?t find the problem.

You are also often left feeling like a hypochondriac ? everyone?s telling you that you are fine, but you know you?re not ? instead, what you experienced was far from fine.

However, the good news is, that if the cardio tests didn?t find any problem areas, you have most likely had a panic attack instead. And although panic attacks are awful, they are not life threatening. Even better, there are many things you can do about it. But before I go into solutions, let me first explain what a panic attack actually is.

Put very simply, a panic attack is an inappropriate, or poorly timed, implementation of your body?s own ?fight or flight? stress response.

The fight or flight response floods your body with adrenaline and releases glucose from stores in the body into the bloodstream.

This means that your pulse races and your senses are heightened ? useful if in fact you do need to fight or flee! However, imagine how this would feel if you were otherwise calm and in no danger whatsoever.

You?d feel shocked, scared and out of control, wouldn?t you? Where the attack occurs in response to a stressful event, phobia or fear, it usually occurs because the body over reacts and has a problem turning off, or turning down, the fight or flight mechanism.

So what can you actually do about it? Well the case histories of those with panic attacks are often complex and do respond well to a holistic treatment.

Medications can be beneficial in the short term, especially if the attacks are occurring due to a short term exposure to intense stress ? such as getting married (a great yet bizarrely stressful experience!), taking an exam or flying.

However, the problem with medications is that they can lead to dependency and they are not very empowering. One of the best things you can do for panic attacks is to take control of the attacks, rather than letting the attacks control you.

In my experience, three elements really come into play here. Firstly, make sure you are fully examined by your doctor, and if you have chest pain or palpitations, make sure that you have cardiovascular tests.

Whilst both you and the doctor may be sure that you are suffering from panic attacks, if there is even a tiny fear in the back of your mind that you may have something wrong with your heart, it is worth investigating.

Your peace of mind is paramount! Secondly, consider seeing a counsellor. Many people find this useful as panic attacks can be extremely upsetting.

The fear of having another one is often enough to bring on the symptoms alone! Talking to someone who won?t think you?re a hypochondriac is extremely therapeutic.

There are also often underlying or obvious psychological factors that contribute to this condition and it is worth exploring these. Seeking help does not mean that you are mad or weak, it means that you are taking charge and regaining control.

Finally, you need to need to take a very close look at what you are eating and drinking.

Remember, you are what you eat and you can?t expect a body made from coffee, sugar and pre-prepared foods to do you many favours!

Blood sugar imbalance is extremely common and is a major trigger for panic attacks. Excess sugar in the blood stream is usually followed by a big dip ? imagine a seesaw effect. Your sugar goes up too high, the pancreas over-compensates and releases too much insulin, so then too much sugar is taken out of your blood, which causes you to crave sugary foods or caffeine, which sends your sugars soaring again.

Dips in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) are especially common triggers for panic attacks, so it is important to keep your sugar levels nice and even.

You can do this by following these steps:

1. Eat little and often. Aim for three moderate meals and two to three small healthy snacks daily.

2. Avoid all forms of refined sugar, including sugary cereals, candy, cookies, cake, pastries and sugary drinks. As a guideline, check the nutrition labels for carbohydrates ?of which sugars?. Per serving, a little sugar would be two grams, a lot of sugar would be ten grams.

3. Avoid caffeine completely. Caffeine stimulates peaks of blood sugar, followed by dips. Be careful with decaf as some of these still contain some caffeine.

Try replacing tea, coffee and cola with herbal or fruit teas. Green Tea is best avoided as it does contain caffeine. Chamomile and Rooibosch (Red Bush tea) are very calming. Dilute fruit juice with sparkling water for a caffeine free and low-sugar alternative to cola.

4. Avoid or reduce alcohol as it can cause a dip in blood sugar, especially if you drink on an empty stomach.

Sugary mixers can cause peaks in blood sugar. If you do drink, have lower sugar options such as red wine and champagne, and don?t drink on an empty stomach.

5. Replace refined carbs with complex carbs. Complex carbs release their sugar more slowly and steadily ? they include brown or basmati rice, wholegrain bread, whole-wheat pasta, oats, sweet potatoes and low-sugar fruits such as apples, berries, pears, kiwis and peaches.

6. Each time you eat, have a complex carb and a protein together. This is the best combination for ensuring slow, steady sugar release from your carbohydrate.

For example, a healthy snack could be an apple (complex carb) with some raw almonds (protein), or a whole-wheat cracker (complex carb) with some hummus or cottage cheese (protein).

Eat foods rich in B vitamins B vitamins are vital for a healthy nervous system, so they help to ensure an appropriate stress response. Good sources of B vitamins include chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, nuts, seeds, green vegetables and wholegrains.

Do not smoke, which depletes the body of B vitamins and other valuable nutrients.

Eat foods rich in Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium Calcium and magnesium help to relieve anxiety, tension and nervousness. Potassium supports and balances the functions of the adrenal gland.

Foods rich in these nutrients include, apricots, asparagus, avocados, broccoli, bananas (keep to one per day as high in natural sugar), brown rice, molasses, salmon, garlic, green leafy vegetables, beans, chickpeas, lentils, unroasted/unsalted nuts and seeds, soy and plain yoghurt.

Consider supplementation as a good quality multivitamin and mineral (from Rock On or Down to Earth) can help ensure that you are having an adequate intake of B vitamins, calcium, magnesium and potassium.

There are also many natural options that specifically target panic attacks. Although the herb Valerian is renowned for helping people sleep, it is also excellent for relieving anxiety and panic.

For mild cases, Rescue Remedy or Hyland?s Nerve Tonic (homeopathic) may be sufficient. As always, if you have a health condition or are taking medication, please consult your doctor before taking supplements.

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