Yes, it’s true, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you have bipolar disorder, it is even more important. Skipping a meal causes fluctuations in blood sugar, which drastically affects mood, both within us and in the way we express ourselves.

Diet, in general, is a very important issue when it comes to bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Feeding ourselves junk food, laden with artificial sugars is the wrong move, point blank! When our bodies are going through the cycles of bipolar disorder, and even when we are stable, our bodies are crying out for healthy eating. Here are some suggestions –

– Fresh fruit

– Healthy cereals

– Fresh vegetables

– Organic items of any kind without chemicals

– Balanced meals, with proteins and carbohydrates

– Fresh fish and organic meats

Those are just a few helpful tips you can use in your quest for a healthy bipolar lifestyle.

Starting the day with a healthy meal is the best thing you can do for yourself. Skip the coffee as it will only lift your mood and give you unnecessary caffeine. Drink fresh juices and fresh, clean, bottled, or filtered water.

Start your day taking care of yourself, nutritionally speaking. Don’t skip breakfast and get to work. Take time for a healthy meal. Sit down, read a good book while you eat. Do whatever you can that benefits you!

And do it every day, not just on weekends.

The benefits you will receive will be enormous. Taking time to eat breakfast every day is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It’s also about structure and balance. By taking time to eat breakfast each day, you’ll be calming your sometimes restless body and mind. By eating healthy foods for those breakfasts, you’ll be feeding your brain, the most important organ in bipolar disorder, with everything it needs to help you get through the day.

Find a food you like and enjoy it every day. That doesn’t mean stalling in your efforts to eat, it just means enjoying what you put into your body. Doesn’t a bowl of fresh fruit, some fresh fruit juice, and some organic bread sound much better than a bowl of sugar-coated cornflakes? Of course it does!

Not only is the eating part of breakfast important, but also the preparation part. Taking the time to prepare your breakfast, even the night before if you’re in a rush in the morning, is a great way to get into this wonderful habit. Peel your fruit if required, use clean plates and cutlery, and be sure to do things carefully.

By being mindful, you will learn to focus and that will help your mood tremendously. Being mindful simply means consciously paying attention to what you are doing. Bring the fruit up to your nose, smell it, talk to it and enjoy the very experience of eating well.

You’ll be so thankful you took the time for a mindful, healthy breakfast as you go about your day. Over time, you will feel the benefits. Be patient, curing yourself of bipolar disorder is not a destination, it is a journey. And as long as you take the right steps, the healthy steps, you’ll soon be fine. Remember, treating bipolar disorder isn’t just about taking pills, although they help, it’s about an overall healthy lifestyle.