You can treat bipolar with medications. And therapy treatments are helpful too.
But did you know you can also manage your bipolar better through a healthy lifestyle? A bipolar natural treatment diet can help you manage your symptoms better. And it may help gradually improve your illness overtime.
We are going to be straightforward with you. In bipolar, there is no specific diet that can help you improve your symptoms. Similar to how bipolar medications work differently for each person, the diet is also different for each.
However, diet can help. The important thing to remember is to make healthy and wise dietary choices. This will help you maintain a healthy physical and mental wellbeing.
Bipolar Natural Treatment Diet Tips
Here are some of the most common dietary recommendations from doctors to those with bipolar:
- Eat fewer saturated fats and carbs
- Get a healthy balance of protective and nutrient-dense foods
- Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Stick to lean meats
- Low-fat dairy, legumes, whole grains, nuts, soy and eggs. Whole grains and dark leafy vegetables have plenty of magnesium. Magnesium is a natural mood stabilizer.
- Watch your calorie intake
- Include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, or take fish oil at least twice a week. Experts believe that omega-3 fatty acids helps with mood symptoms and brain function.
- Salt. This does not mean you should increase your salt intake. However, it is not advisable to lower them either. Salt is necessary because it helps regulate the levels of your bipolar meds in your bloodstream
Things To Avoid Eating When You Have Bipolar Disorder
Naturally, there are things you want to avoid if you want to manage your bipolar symptoms better. These things include:
- Caffeine. Caffeine can kick your system into overdrive when you don’t have bipolar. But for those who have bipolar, the effect is much worse. Especially in mania episodes.
- Energy drinks. These have a similar effect to caffeine and soda.
- Sugar. Experiencing sugar highs when you’re in a mania episode is not fun at all. It can make a bipolar person even more erratic. Sugar crashes can also make your depressive episodes worse.
- Refined carbs. Those who have bipolar are more prone to obesity. This is because the imbalance of serotonin in their brains creates cravings for unhealthy carbs.
- Alcohol. It’s a well-known fact that alcohol and bipolar disorder is not a healthy mixture. Alcohol can cause your medications to poorly function. And it can also disrupt your sleeping patterns.
Beyond Diet
Those with bipolar should exercise regularly. Meditation and aerobic exercises help a lot when it comes to managing bipolar symptoms. And since bipolar patients are prone to obesity, regular exercise can help you prevent this. It also helps with managing your moods, and actually improves them.
Remember that when it comes to bipolar treatments, there is no one-size answer for everyone. You have to regularly see your doctor to know how much improvement you’re making, and which other methods may help you manage your symptoms better.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help you keep your symptoms under control.
More on Bipolar Disorder
This article is part of our guide to bipolar disorder treatments, symptoms, causes and more.
Check out the next topic in our guide, is bipolar a disability?