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.
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