Bipolar disease is a common health problem affecting the mental/emotional wellness of both men and women of all ages. Their wellbeing is affected by extreme mood swings, and the condition is also known as manic depression.
The first stage of the disease is called ‘mania’, where the patients feel really happy and confident and think that they can do absolutely anything. They may talk very rapidly. Then the next stage – depression – comes over them, and they feel symptoms such as low energy, anger, irritation and that nothing in their life has any meaning. Many depressives talk or think about ending their life. Bipolar patients swing between these two extremes regularly, and there is no cure. There are certain medications that can help to keep the disease under control.
One of the biggest problems with bipolar disease is that it is not easy to identify. As it often appears in teenagers, people mistake it for normal mood swings. The difference between normal mood swings and bipolar disorder is that mood swings tend to last for a day or two at most, whereas in bipolar disorder they often continue for a week. The disease is thought to be caused by genetics, hormone problems or even environmental trauma, such as the loss of a loved one.
People with bipolar disorder can live a fairly normal lifestyle in spite of their disease, as long as they take regular medication. There is also a strong link between food and mood. Bipolar patients often eat too little and are starved of nutrients. They should aim to boost their intake of healthy food, and at the same time they should decrease their intake of caffeine. They should also avoid fatty red meat and instead go for lean meat, salmon and tuna. They should steer clear of additional sugars and go for naturally sweet food instead.