I’m heading off to CNN’s AC 360 again to tape a segment on body language before the Republican debate. With that anticipation goes adrenaline, and with that adrenaline comes feelings of anxiety. So I was heartened to see a number of new ways of reducing anxiety in the research literature. I can’t do all of these, and I’m going to stick to my tried and true ways of reducing anxiety – breathing, positive imaging and mantras, and so on. But here are ten mostly new ways that the research says can reduce those pesky feelings of dread, so I’ll experiment with a few. Which ones will you try?

1.Amp up your empathy. Anxiety increases your feelings of isolation, so making a conscious effort to sympathize with others may help make you feel better. It’s a minor play on the idea of “doing good because it makes you a better person.”

2.Be kind. Even better than empathy is performing a small act of kindness. When I read about this one, I resolved to be kind to the coffee servers, the flight attendants, and the drivers, not to mention my fellow passengers, all the way to NYC. And you know what? It seemed to help. At least, I felt a little sunnier than perhaps I otherwise would have.

3.Take Kava. Kava, apparently, is a root found in the South Pacific islands that is traditionally served as a tea, but is also available as a dietary supplement. It has a calming effect. So this recommendation comes with a stern warning to investigate any health risks whenever you try a dietary supplement. Anyone tried it?

4.Reject your family history. Apparently about a third of your anxiety level can be explained by how anxious your parents were. You learn how to be anxious, in part. So conscious unlearning your anxiety may help. Try relaxation techniques, breathing, and yoga – all known to help in this way.

5. Ditch the Prozac. This one’s a surprise. We’ve all been taught that serotonin is one of the happy chemicals, and Prozac (and other such drugs) increases serotonin. But it turns out that the opposite is true. So reducing your intake of similar drugs may decrease your serotonin thus decreasing your anxiety. Go figure.

6.Get active. No real surprise here. Sedentary behavior increases your anxiety – watching TV, sitting at a computer – and how about what I’m doing now – using my laptop on an airplane – all culprits. I’ll sprint through the airport once we land.

7.Eat fermented foods. Now this one I can get enthusiastic about. Eating or drinking milk, cheese, yogurt, and some kinds of bread (sourdough) that have probiotics in them will reduce your anxiety. Bread and cheese for lunch! Why did I become a vegan?

8.Avoid anxious people. Unsurprisingly, anxiety is catching, like the common cold. We spread it through our mirror neurons. So you’re better off hanging with confident people than commiserating with other anxious folk.

9. Eat prebiotic bacteria too.  Researchers at Oxford recently completed a clinical trial that showed that prebiotic foods (different, apparently, from probiotic foods, but equally helpful) reduce anxiety. Asparagus, leeks and onions all are prebiotic foods, so eat your veggies.

10.Finally, relax. Of course relaxation reduces anxiety. Of course. And I’ll be relaxing when possible in the green room at CNN before the taping. That’s what green rooms are for – relaxing. At least, when you’re not stressing out.

In the long run, you should work on just getting comfortable with the feelings that adrenaline brings, because adrenaline is your friend – it prepares you for optimal performance in high-stakes situations. But the symptoms are uncomfortable, so learning to accept them is long-term work. And very important. In the short run, these anxiety reducers will help. Let me know your favorite.

With thanks to the fabulous Psy Blog for the roundup of the research.  If you don’t know this brilliant blog, you should.