Bipolar disorder and mood disorders have steadily increased across recent decades. Some social scientists blame the wealth gap while others point the finger toward an increasingly socially fragmented society.
Social critics are overlooking the importance of personal psychology. Doctors are also guilty of undervaluing the mind as medical school focuses on human anatomy as opposed mindful nutrition and its impact on mental health.
Enter nutritional psychology.
Nutrition and Mood
The phrase “You are what you eat” is applicable to more than the human body. As highlighted by nutritional psychologists, the food you consume also shapes your psyche, including your mood.
Take a moment to recall the last time you ate candy or drank soda. You experienced the jubilance of a sugar rush followed by a depressing crash.
This is just one example of how foods and beverages influence mood.
The science underlying the connection between food and the mind highlights the importance of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Poultry, fish, other meat, eggs and vegetable oils are chock-full of these fatty acids.
The aforementioned foods’ n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids appear to worsen bipolarity or possibly even contribute to the development of the disorder. In excess of one-third of the brain consists of such fatty acids, referred to as PUFAs for short.
PUFAs have been identified as potential causes of mood disorders including the increasingly common bipolar disorder. The data shows especially high n-3 fatty acid levels combined with low n-6 fatty acid levels decrease mood volatility in bipolar patients.
The challenge lies in prioritizing the specific foods with n-3 fatty acids while strategically reducing foods containing n-6 fatty acids. Foods that are rich in n-6 fatty acids include almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, sunflower seeds and vegetable oils.
Seafood including fatty fish and shellfish such as salmon and sardines are the primary sources of n-3 fatty acids.
Additional foods rich in n-3 fatty acids include eggs, soybeans and other bean varieties.
Is the “Bipolar Diet” Real?
At this point, you are likely pondering whether those saddled with bipolar disorder and other mood disorders should abide by a specific diet. You might have even heard claims that a bipolar diet exists.
No, there is no official bipolar diet.
However, it is in the interest of every patient diagnosed with a mood disorder to be a picky eater. Be aware that some findings indicate individuals with bipolar disorder face a heightened risk for obesity and a higher than normal BMI.
Aside from sugar, caffeinated food/beverages and alcohol also alter mood. Eat and drink with prudence and you’ll minimize mood swings.
Nutritional psychiatrists advise reducing or completely eliminating alcohol and caffeine in all forms to achieve mood stability.
Be a Sugar Buster
The 1996 book Sugar Busters! by H. Leighton Steward is often referenced by nutritional psychologists and nutritional psychiatrists. Steward makes a convincing case for eliminating artificial sugar altogether.
Though it is nearly impossible to remove all natural sugar from one’s diet, the effort to minimize artificial sugar is worthwhile. Sugar and simple carbs spike blood sugar levels, referred to as the glycemic index.
The end result?
A dramatic sugar high that quickly wears off, sending one’s mind state into a depressing trough.
There is no sense going on sugar’s rollercoaster ride when you have the opportunity to avoid it altogether. Instead of reaching for a candy bar, grab an apple with natural sugar.
Significantly minimize or eliminate sugar altogether and you’ll find your mood gradually stabilizes. Though the elimination of sugar is not guaranteed to cure bipolar disorder, it helps reduce mood polarity extremes.
If you are like most people, you aren’t 100% certain as to which foods are high-glycemic and which are low-glycemic.
Examples of high-glycemic foods include the aforementioned potatoes and other foods high in starch such as pastries and bread. Sugary beverages and other foods containing sugar are also high-glycemic.
In contrast, low-glycemic index foods help keep blood sugar under control. Fiber and other low-glycemic carbohydrates such as vegetables, seeds, nuts and 100% whole grains are examples of low-glycemic foods.
Consider a Daily Fish Oil Supplement
Fish oil, rife with omega-3 fatty acid, appears to play an important role in physical and mental health. Medical professionals have long harped on the importance of fish oil supplements for heart health. Nutritional psychologists are echoing the claim.
Though studies of fish oil supplements for treating bipolar disorder are not conclusive, the data suggests they are beneficial. In particular, individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder who also have high triglycerides or an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease likely benefit most from the supplements.
Research indicates fish oil supplements’ omega-3 fatty acids increase volume in important areas of the brain. The specific areas highlighted by researchers are those most related to behavior and mood.
Researchers have also found the consumption of fish oil supplements helps reduce depression symptoms in those diagnosed with bipolar disorder. However, food scientists have not gone as far as recommending doctors prescribe fish oil for patients with bipolar disorder.
If the idea of compounding fish into pill form for a fish oil supplement makes you uneasy or if you are vegan/vegetarian, don’t fret.
You can obtain similar benefits to those provided by fish oil supplements with canola oil, flaxseed and walnuts. Each of these three health-boosters contains ALA, short for alpha-linolenic acid. ALA morphs into omega-3 fatty acids within the body after oral consumption.
Be Mindful of Fatty Foods
Food laden with high-fat is problematic for all people yet especially harmful for those battling bipolar disorder. High-fat foods and meals have the potential to interfere with bipolar medication.
Food that is high in fat might even delay the amount of time required for bipolar medications to be absorbed by the human body. A body that is slow to absorb bipolar medications translates to unnecessarily frequent mood swings.
If you know or suspect you are bipolar and enjoy high-fat snacks and meals, be safe rather than sorry. Adopt a cautious approach by discussing the use of bipolar medication in combination with high-fat delights during a doctor’s appointment.
Your doctor will also provide guidance regarding the consumption of grapefruit in combination with bipolar medication. Grapefruit juice and grapefruit itself have the potential to cause complications when consumed in combination with mood disorder medications.
When in Doubt, Focus on Protein
Nutritional psychologists and nutritional psychiatrists stress the importance of protein for good reason. Protein is the building block of life itself.
Insufficient protein or compromised proteins within the body threaten health and survival.
Protein is especially important for bipolar patients and those with mood disorders. Make an effort to prioritize protein in all three daily meals and you might minimize your mood swings.
Protein contains amino acids that facilitate the formation of brain neurotransmitters. It is these neurotransmitters that prevent and treat both anxiety and depression.
Exacerbating anxiety and depression ultimately causes disruptive mood swings.
Protein is also helpful for bipolar patients as it satiates. Consume high-protein snacks and foods and you’ll reduce your cravings for sugar and fat-laden foods. Such unhealthy foods are more likely to induce feelings of depression and anxiety that worsen mood.
Sources of protein include:
– Chicken
– Beef
– Bananas
– Nuts
– Seeds
– Dairy products
As you might have noticed, this protein list is rife with meat and animal byproducts.
Vegans and vegetarians often struggle to find adequate sources of protein. Plant-based foods sometimes contain important amino acids from proteins.
Examples of plant-based amino acids that help produce neurotransmitters include soybeans, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, quinoa and cauliflower.
Choose Whole Foods
The flavor and low cost of processed foods makes them nearly irresistible. Factor in the hustle and bustle of modern life and the convenience of processed food is even more alluring.
Though processed food is tasty, affordable and fast, its accessibility has a downside. These convenient foods are laced with additives. Instead of piling up the processed foods in your shopping cart, choose food options with natural ingredients.
Whole, all-natural foods benefit the body and the mind. Alternatively, processed foods’ artificial ingredients cause blood sugar spikes, chronic inflammation and problems with the gut microbiome, comprising a multipronged attack on the body.
The mind also pays the price as inflammation, elevated blood sugar and issues with the gut are known to impact the human psyche. In particular, these problems lead to mood swings and increased irritability.
Start a Food Diary
No two people have the exact same body chemistry. The foods and beverages that exacerbate your mood swings might not be the same as those that affect others.
If you don’t already have a food diary, start one today. Dedicate a notebook to your daily food consumption, updating it with each meal or even each snacking period.
Jot down notes in your food diary when you feel a mood swing approaching. If you don’t like the idea of carrying a pen and small notebook on your person, use a note-taking app on your smartphone for a food diary.
Analyze your nutritional psychology food diary at the end of each day. Continue to analyze the diary across the months ahead and you’ll likely find correlations or even causations between specific foods/beverages and mood swings.
Pivot to Mindful Eating
Make a concerted effort to decrease or eliminate the mood-inducting foods and beverages from your diet.
Stick to the newfound food regimen and you’ll likely find this strategic approach benefits your mental health in as little as a couple weeks or even a couple days.
You don’t have to travel this journey alone. Ask for assistance from a nutritional psychologist and you’ll find mindful mood-boosting eating is that much easier.
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