Foods To Soothe Bipolar Depression

Bipolar disorder causes major mood changes. It also greatly impacts energy and activity levels in those affected. The major moods in bipolar disorder are manic, hypomanic, and depressive. Mania is associated with high energy and reckless decisions. People are elated during this time! Hypomania is similar, though less severe. During the bipolar depression phase, people often feel very down, hopeless, and even empty. They will have little energy and will not be active. Issues concentrating, eating too much or too little, and even insomnia are common!

Many people with bipolar disorder take a combination of mood stabilizers and antidepressants. There are even specialized options for bipolar anxiety medication! Psychotherapy is a big part of bipolar disorder treatment as well, especially bipolar depression. Of course, many also like natural remedies. The good news is there are many natural mood stabilizers out there. Let’s start with food!

Legumes

Legumes are amazing in soothing bipolar disorder. Great legumes for this are chickpeas, black beans, soybeans, and lentils. They are excellent sources of magnesium! Magnesium in the body functions quite similar to lithium. This is a common mood-stabilizing medication prescribed for bipolar disorder.

A lack of magnesium also contributes to insomnia, anxiety, and depression, all of which aggravate bipolar disorder symptoms! Including a regular rotation of legumes in the diet is best. Chickpeas are also high in protein and tryptophan, making them excellent in that respect too! Vegetarians can rejoice and include more chickpeas. No one misses out!

Nuts

A handful of nuts is the perfect snack for an afternoon pick-me-up! Nuts are amazing for countless health conditions. They’re great even just as a general health boost! Of course, one of the health conditions they help with is bipolar depression. This is once again because of magnesium.

We know magnesium calms the nervous system, which helps level out mania. It also keeps cortisol, the stress hormone, in check. No major swings here! At least half of Americans don’t get enough magnesium in their diet, which makes this even more powerful. The best nuts for magnesium are Brazil nuts, almonds, and cashews.

Turkey

Yes, turkey helps people deal with bipolar disorder and depression! The reason for this is because turkey contains lots of tryptophan, an amino acid. This is what causes people to feel sleepy after a turkey dinner on Christmas or Thanksgiving! Tryptophan also helps the brain produce more serotonin, which has long been connected to stabilizing mood.

Insufficient serotonin also increases depression, so increasing it helps relieve this too! Some research also claims tryptophan improves mania, though more research is needed. Either way, however, turkey does help! So eat a nice turkey dinner and have lots of turkey sandwiches!

Eggs

Eggs are incredibly healthy and yes, they soothe bipolar depression too! They are a great source of tryptophan so, like turkey, they help stabilize a person’s mood, increase serotonin, and improve mania. This is especially great for vegetarians, since they can’t eat turkey.

Eggs are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which also help those with bipolar disorder. Studies have shown omega-3s have the best effect on depression, and therefore the depressive episodes in bipolar disorder. They help the brain function at optimum levels and stabilize the person’s mood. Their effect on mania is unclear, but they are still healthy!

Fish

Fish are strong players in soothing bipolar depression. Like eggs, many types of fish contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. They’re often the most commonly cited dietary source of this fatty acid! Fish that are high in omega-3s include tuna, trout, salmon, halibut, sardines, and mackerel. All of these types of fish taste good cooked in various ways, making them incredibly versatile.

Many kinds of fish also contain lots of selenium. Selenium is essential for brain health. It is a strong mood stabilizer and also helps treat depression. This makes it a powerhouse for bipolar disorder! Fish that contain lots of selenium are halibut, sardines, and tuna. Shrimp, a type of shellfish, also contains selenium!