Health Diet - Controlling Bipolar Mood Disorders by Modifying Your Diet

By changing to the bipolar diet [designed for people with a Bipolar disorder] you can stabilize your mood and prevent mood swings, another bonus of this diet is weight loss and increased energy levels.

What is Bipolar disorder?

This is a condition involving cycles of depression, elation and mania and can cause the occurrence of mood swings, these mood swings - be it depression, elation or mania - can range from high to low and vice-versa in a matter of minutes but generally tend to be gradual.

There are 6 simple and essential rules with regards to the diet:

1) Increase your folic acid intake [one of 3 proven nutrients that assist with this problem]. You will find this nutrient in most vegetables, especially the leafy folate ones [cabbage and brussel sprouts spring to mind]

2) Low fat proteins [like fish, poultry and lean meat] are essential, as it is known that proteins improve both moods and alertness. Bipolar people often need to boost their critical 'neurotransmitters' and the protein they have consumed stimulates the production of some of the most important ones [nor-epinephrine and dopamine]. Remember with fish to choose the ones high in omega 3 fatty acids as these fatty acids have been proven to benefit the people with this problem.

3) Fresh fruit can be eaten in moderation, say 1 to 3 servings per day. Try limiting 'other' sugars as much as you can - syrup, honey and molasses are a good example.

4) Avoid the 'bad carbohydrates' like bread, rice, noodles or pasta etc.[these are highly refined and generally have sugar added] or at least try to restrict them. These bad carbs can make you tired, cause you to gain weight and mess with your insulin levels. This is non negotiable due to the fact that some bipolar meds cause weight gain and a slight case of diabetes. Try going with wholegrain and stick to unrefined carbs as the slow release of these regulate the release of serotonin which is great for combating stress and helping one to relax.

5) Try avoiding or replacing all the saturated fats you normally consume with a healthy one like olive oil. Remember fish oil is very important for the intake of omega 3.

6) Limit the amount of alcohol you consume, in fact try avoid it altogether if you are bipolar [the empty calories and extra carbohydrates combined with mood fluctuations caused by the alcohol could spell disaster]. It is also a well known fact that most alcoholics are bipolar.

Remember to take some form of supplement to boost your daily intake of the essential nutrients needed to assist with this disorder, as no matter how hard we try change our diet to include what is healthy and beneficial for our problem, there is always room for more.