Is it possible to treat the symptoms related to borderline personality disorder (or BPD) naturally and without medications?
We have so much evidence that increased daily intake of fruits and veggies not only help us feel better physically but they may help us to become more emotionally healthy.
In this particular study in the journal Nutrients (2020), a meta-analysis of almost 61 published articles on a potential food-mood connection concluded that:
The most prominent results indicated that high total intake of fruits and vegetables, and some of their specific subgroups including berries, citrus, and green leafy vegetables, may promote higher levels of optimism and self-efficacy, as well as reduce the level of psychological distress, ambiguity, and cancer fatalism, and protect against depressive symptoms.
This is important information for our emotional well-being.
One of my favorite ways to get more fruits and vegetables into my diet is by enjoying a smoothie several times a week.
This is an easy recipe that will appeal to many people who are trying smoothies for the first time.
Blueberry Almond Smoothie
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen or fresh banana
1/2 avocado
1 tablespoon of flaxseed
1 cup of almond milk
1/2 cup water
If you are feeling ambitious, you can make your own almond milk by following this recipe.
Blend with two or three cups of ice anywhere from 30 seconds to one minute depending on the power of your blender. This makes a pretty thick smoothie. Add extra water if needed.
This recipe has approximately 350 calories and has over 100% of the daily requirement Vitamin E, 50% of the daily requirement Vitamin A, 63% of the daily requirement Vitamin B6, 30% of the daily requirement of Vitamin C, and 40% of the daily requirement of magnesium.
If you’d like an additional boost of Vitamin K, Vitamin A, and magnesium, you can add a cup of fresh spinach to your smoothie. (You can’t taste the spinach—I promise.)
Of course, you don’t need to have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder in order to benefit from this smoothie. We know that increased fruit and vegetable consumption can help people who have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and even schizophrenia. Please check out this article for more information.
I’d love to learn more about your favorite smoothie ingredients. Write to me today and let me know what kinds of foods are helping you to be your very best. My email address is amanda@hopeforbpd.com.
One more thing: Take a moment and check out my recipe for Chocolate Avocado Pudding.
Other articles that may be beneficial to read:
Evolution of Well-Being and Happiness After Increases in Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables (2016)
Antidepressant Foods: An Evidence-Based Nutrient Profiling System for Depression (2018)
Nutritional Psychiatry: Towards Improving Mental Health by What You Eat (2019)
Is Exercise a Treatment for BPD? (2020)