Recently, I have been trying to find more ways to care for my mental health.
I’ve always loved a good smoothie and I thought to myself that smoothies could be a great way for me to include certain foods in my meals throughout each day.
With that in mind, I decided to begin creating a smoothie with mental health benefits.
I also have to mention that I am a creative person who loves to make and put together different projects. So to scratch, the creative itch I’ve been having lately, crafting a smoothie for my husband and me was a win.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients I decided to use in my first smoothie and how some of them have mental health benefits.
My smoothie ingredients measured and ready to blend. by Priscilla Henley
Oatmeal:
According to Eating Well, whole grains like oatmeal are identified as,
beneficial for depression in the Nutritional Neuroscience study. Plus, another study published more recently revealed that women who ate moderate amounts of whole grains were less likely to experience anxiety (Horton).
Horton M.S., RD, Brierley. “5 Foods to Eat for Better Mental Health.” Eating Well, 13 May 2021, https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7902827/foods-to-eat-for-better-mental-health/.
Blueberries:
Also, according to Eating Well, blueberries are identified as,
In the world of berries, wild blueberries deserve a special shoutout: just a half cup of wild blueberries delivers more than a day’s dose of manganese. Manganese may be a lesser-known mineral, yes, but it’s one that seems to be important for mental wellness. In a study published in 2019 in the journal Nutrients, Japanese adults who consumed the lowest levels of manganese were more likely to have symptoms of depression and anxiety, compared to their counterparts who got more manganese into their diets (Horton).
Horton M.S., RD, Brierley. “5 Foods to Eat for Better Mental Health.” Eating Well, 13 May 2021, https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7902827/foods-to-eat-for-better-mental-health/.
bananas may play a more indirect role by shoring up the amount of serotonin the brain is able to produce.3 The body needs other nutrients to properly make and use serotonin, including vitamin B6,4 and bananas are an especially rich source of this vitamin.
If a diet inadequate in vitamin B6 is contributing to low levels of serotonin, dietary changes may help—but that doesn’t mean eating one banana a day will be enough to improve your mood (Schimelpfening).
Schimelpfening, Nancy. “Does Eating Bananas Improve Your Mood?” Very Well Mind, 10 February 2022, https://www.verywellmind.com/bananas-increase-serotonin-fact-or-fiction-1066923
If you aren’t aware of the importance of serotonin, read what Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School says about it:
Serotonin can stave off depression and provide a feeling a euphoria.
When you feel happy and all seems right with the world, you’re feeling the effects of serotonin. This hormone is responsible for boosting mood, as well as a host of other functions (Watson).
Watson, Stephanie. “Serotonin: The natural mood booster.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, 20 July 2021, https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/serotonin-the-natural-mood-booster
Yogurt:
According to Medical News Today, I found the following about Greek yogurt (probiotic yogurt),
Research suggests that consuming probiotic yogurt is beneficial for a person’s mental health.
A 2016 study found that workers who ate 100 grams of probiotic yogurt a day or took a daily probiotic capsule experienced less stress, depression, and anxiety than those who did not.
This effect is likely due to to the relationship between the gut and brain, and the ability of the gut to make neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine (Burgess).
Burgess, Lana. “8 health benefits of Greek yogurt.” Medical News Today, 25 September 2018, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323169
Almond Milk
Vanilla Extract
Last Saturday
I jumped into my kitchen with my notepad of ideas and started making my first smoothie creation. Studying foods for mental health and sketching ideas were all worth it because my first smoothie was complete and the only thing left to do was to try it.
My very first smoothie recipe was a hit in my house for my husband and me. We found that the single-serve blender did the best blend job. This beautiful purple drink was smooth to drink.
It was refreshing and I look forward to seeing if drinking smoothies consistently will contribute to improvements to my mental health and overall wellbeing. This is just the start!
I’d love for you to try this recipe at home.
Once you’ve tasted it, come back and let me know your thoughts.
The recipe is below!
Enjoy.
Blueberry, Banana, & Oats Smoothie
This healthy and delicious purple smoothie is great for treating anxiety and depression with food. Grab it in the morning as a breakfast to go.
Single Serve or Large Blender
1/4 cup rolled oats (I prefer organic rolled oats)
1/2 banana (Fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup blueberries (Fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/8 cup vanilla greek yogurt (I prefer the brand Chobani)
Place every ingredient into your blender. Blend the mixture until smooth.
Serve & enjoy your smoothie immediately.
Add chia seeds for omega-3 fatty acids which combined with tryptophan, an amino acid could leave you in a better mood and sleeping pattern.
Breakfast
American
anxiety & depression smoothie, mental health smoothie, smoothie
The fear and anxiety that we experience are not of the great God we serve. Many times our anxieties are imaginations that we think up to ourselves. We fester on them and eventually begin to believe them.
This is a snare. It’s a trap orchestrated by Satan. He doesn’t want us to trust God. He definitely wants us to believe that we are all alone. The enemy desires for us to be webbed into bondage by the thoughts and things that we are fearful of.
Have you ever thought of your anxieties this way?
Anxiety is not a God thing. It’s a tool to disable us from fulfilling God’s will for our lives.
Take Moses for instance. He was fearful of a speech difficulty that he struggled with. He actually didn’t believe he could effectively travel into Egypt and command Pharaoh to let the Lord’s people go.
Exodus 4:10But Moses said to the Lord , “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”
Many times like Moses, all of us allow our shortcomings to disable us into fear.
But Proverbs 29:25 says, “whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”
Do you believe that today? God’s Word is true and never lies.
The next time you are fearful or overcome by anxiety, remember this promise of God. We don’t always know how He does it, but God protects His children. He is graceful, merciful, and kind in heart.
We can trust Him over any anxiety.
I encourage you to break free of your anxiety trap today. Go forth and persevere in the things God has called you specifically to do.
Be not afraid and remember that God remembers us in our fear. We can be reminded by that in scripture when we read that Aaron was sent with Moses to be his spokesman.
Exodus 7:1
And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet.
God is always for you and will not forget you. He is your safety.
Pray this week:
Dear Lord,
Please help me to overcome my fears and anxieties. Please correct my way of thinking and remind me that you are my safe place. Build my trust in you and my resistance to any snare.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
Amen
Do you need someone to pray for you? Send me your prayer request here.
Do you want to become a believer today? I’ll show you how here.
*This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment with a healthcare professional.
Today I thought that I would discuss choosing a therapist. These statements come from my experience. Choosing my therapist was scary, but some of the things I considered made the process easier to get through.
So, I chose my first one-on-one therapist around the age of 19. I had just returned to Maryland from college in Pennsylvania. I had left the fun of college and all my Resident Assistant responsibilities and came home.
Honestly, it was the best thing for me because I had begun to experience some agoraphobia. I was afraid to leave my dorm room. I stopped going to the cafeteria, going to class, and going to meetings. It was time for me to get down to what I was struggling with, get help, and talk to someone professional.
Factor One For Choosing My Therapist
The first factor my mother, father, and I considered was what therapists we knew. My mother was familiar with a female LCSW who had worked with the family in the past. She was also great with girls who were around my age. That was a bonus, so she received a big checkmark of YES.
RECAP: My factor number one is to go to a referred therapist or the family’s former therapist.
Factor Two For Choosing My Therapist
The next factor is the flow of our conversation. It is imperative that I feel comfortable opening up to a therapist. Generally, once I complete the initial evaluation and come back for the second session, I can soundly decide if they will be a good fit.
I’m looking to feel the following:
Unjudged
Heard
Understood
Respected of my values and faith
Advocated for
Here’s a word of advice from myself, a patient:
“Don’t throw in the towel on your therapist search too quickly. Do what some may call shop around. Don’t give up on finding the professional who can assist in your healing.”
RECAP: My factor number two is comfortability with the therapist.
Factor Three For Choosing My Therapist
Finally, factor three is “Will I see success with this therapist?” Just as I value the conversation with the therapist, the effectiveness of my sessions is key.
This final factor is crucial. I do not want to waste time and money in inadequate therapy sessions when I should be healing.
Most sessions I expect to leave with:
a question to consider
problem-solving skills
an assignment
a breakthrough
newfound hope
If I consistently see that this is not happening, I will consider alternatives. The one thing I will never do is completely cut off therapy. I believe in it too much. Therapy is a part of my mental wellness toolbox.
RECAP: My factor number three is the effectiveness of the sessions.
Conclusion
I hope that this post gave you some ideas for when you need to choose a therapist. Again, this is my personal experience, so I want to leave you with scholarly sources for more in-depth information.
American Psychological Association. (2019, October 17). How to choose a psychologist.
'And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” '
I know from experience that mental illness is a long journey. Like the woman with the issue of blood, I suffered daily for years. It sometimes seemed never-ending. It became worse over time. At one point, I refused to believe that God could heal me. I had no faith that the pain, the confusion, and the anguish could weaken and become non-existent.
Among this defeat, people of prayer constantly lifted my name and my circumstances to God. Essentially, all those who prayed for me stood in the gap, praying for my relationship with God and healing. Eventually, I began to welcome God again into my everyday life. My heart began to soften.
During this time of reconciliation, I went to a conference for women. There I realized my distance from God had stripped me of my faith. At this conference, we had nightly services. During the end of one service, I went forward to the altar for prayer. I desperately wanted to be healed in my mind and free from the pain in my abdomen from anxiety.
Like the woman with the issue of blood, I pressed toward the altar. I was weak from all the pain, but I knew in my heart that going to that altar for prayer would be a declaration that I believed God could heal me. I had faith that He is mighty to heal and deliver, just like the woman with the issue of blood.
For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”
The apostle Dr. Monique Flemings, met me at the altar. She already had the discernment to pray over my mind and my abdomen. It was such a supernatural experience in the presence of God. As she prayed, she encouraged me to be set free. She told me I must believe in my healing and freedom for myself.
I did and after that prayer, I knew I was free like the woman with the issue of blood.
'And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” '
God’s power had broken through the mental stronghold that had me bound. Before the end of the conference, Dr. Flemings reminded me to stay free. And I have ever since. I have my bad days, but I am no longer in spiritual and mental bondage by bipolar 2 disorder, PTSD, depression, or anxiety.
My sister, you too are able to have the faith to believe in healing for your mind. God has not forgotten you in your pain. Having faith like the woman with the issue of blood will allow you to be free from bondage in your spirit and mind. You may still have a clinical diagnosis, depressive days, and anxious days, but you will not be in bondage by it. You can still have abundant life like God intended you to.
Finally, I have to tell you how I stay spiritually and mentally free. I fervently pray over my mind and cast down high thoughts that are lies. I also read my Bible almost daily and worship when I feel weak.
If you have been suffering for some time, choose now life without bondage. Reach out to God and receive His healing power. I suggest therapy and other mental wellness tools and strategies as well. Please know that I’m praying for you, your faith, and your strength to stay free. You got this!
Pray this week:
Dear Heavenly Father, I have suffered for so long. I have even waivered from my faith in you. I need restoration. I want to believe in your power to heal. Once I am healed from bondage I want to stay free. I desire to be well, and I confess you are my source of power and strength to be free. I place my faith in you and embrace freedom through Jesus Christ.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen
Join my free prayer circle for support from a community of women who pray for one another everyday.
Do you want to become a believer today? I’ll show you how here.
I have to say it has been quite a journey building Her Faith Walk over the past year and a half. I’ve gone back and forth between subject matter and struggled to submit to God’s vision. I’m not proud of this, but I have to be truthful about it.
I’ve never had an issue with evangelizing, praying, and promoting the study of God’s word. I’ve never had reservations about the conversation on faith. After all, the ministry’s name is Her Faith Walk. But, I have had difficulty being fully transparent and willing to share my successes and setbacks in my mental health.
Before I received the assignment of online ministry, I had no problems sharing my mental health journey. There may have even been times where I overshared. But, when the time came to couple my journey with my mission to spread the gospel, I began to close off.
If you wonder why this was, let me explain. I believe that the enemy never wants a testimony to reach the person that needs to hear it. He does his best to distract us from our assignment and silence our story. When stories include the goodness of God, Satan doesn’t want it told.
John 10:10 says,
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
The enemy wants to steal everything God has given us, including our testimony. He comes to kill and destroy and prevent our story from being heard. He wishes that no one becomes saved through the power of our testimony.
However, Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly. Therefore, God’s desire is for our souls to be saved from eternal death and for us to have life to the full.
Sometimes hearing or seeing the testimony of our lives is the only Jesus a person will see.You and I both need to remember this and take our testimony, witness, and assignment seriously.
As I move forward with Her Faith Walk, I am now intentional about fulfilling God’s desires. It’s all about Him, and I want more of Him to shine through and less of me. Women’s lives are and will continue to be touched by me sharing the highs and lows of my journey living with a mental illness. They will change by the goodness of God that shines through it all.
In conclusion, our God assignments are powerful, and we cannot allow the enemy to distract us from them. We must stay in prayer and obedience. Let’s open our mouths and declare the goodness of God in our lives. Let’s show the world how He has allowed us to overcome.
Grab the March Free Resource, The Deliverance Prayer Challenge here.
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