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hello there! first i apologize my bad english! ok, my question is: i am suffering of borderline and i have changed a few weeks ago my nutrition. my eating is not 100% paleo but i'm on the way to full paleo. can you tell me if paleo good for people with a personal disorder for a life long time? since i changed my eating habits i feel me very good but i have fears if this kind of nutrition on a long term this kind of illness enhanced? sincerly

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I think you're referring to Borderline Personality Disorder? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… – CT Sep 1 2010 at 6:37
yes, you are right, the english name is BPD, we germans say only borderline. – rolf Sep 1 2010 at 6:57

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Hi Rolf - my guess is that it will help you. A good dose of DHA (Omega3 fatty acid) might even improve your condition.

You might want to have a look at these:

  • Freeman MP, Hibbeln JR, Wisner KL et al.: ‘’Omega-3 fatty acids: evidence basis for treatment and future research in psychiatry.’’. J Clin Psychiatry, 2006;1954-67
  • Zanarini MC, Frankenburg FR: ‘’Omega-3 Fatty Acid Treatment of Women With Borderline Personality Disorder: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study.’’. Am J Psychiatry, 2003; 160:167–169

Generally speaking, the Paleo diet is good for everyone and only very few people do NOT benefit from this lifestyle. The Paleo Diet is not a necessary part of Omega-3 supplementation, of course. But it makes sense.

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thank you felix, have you any online links with example pages? paleo AND personal disorder i have to give: since i changed my nutrition i'm ALLIVE! – rolf Sep 1 2010 at 7:00
Dr. Cordains website, thepaleodiet.com could be a good source for you. Also, on my own (German) website I featured a summary of his videos/lecture on Multiple Sclerosis which might contain a few references to BPD (e.g. there might be a connection): urgeschmack.de/ernaehrung-und-multiple-sklerose Also check out this psycheducation.org/depression/meds/… – Gone Sep 1 2010 at 7:52
Check out Stephan's posts here: wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/09/… and wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/09/… – JJ Sep 1 2010 at 13:53
Sorry, I forgot to say, the above links don't address BPD directly, but psychiatric conditions of all kinds, including anxiety, aggression, depression. – JJ Sep 1 2010 at 13:54
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I would definitely check out this blog: http://evolutionarypsychiatry.blogspot.com/

Definitely DO NOT go off any of your regular treatments though. Using the paleo diet to treat these conditions is promising, but there are no studies so far.

The way paleo might work is by increasing nutrition and decreasing inflammation. You might want to take extra supplements since you are fighting borderline: Vitamin D, omega-3(DHA) mentioned above, zinc, magnesium, and a probiotic.

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To be fair, those supplements would be useful for just about everybody. That's pretty much exactly what I take, plus digestive enzymes and occasional K2. =) – JJ Sep 2 2010 at 14:58
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In addition to omega 3 fatty acids, micronutrients and vitamins are also important for brain function and health (as mentioned by Melissa). Unfortunately this isn't something I know much about, personally.

In addition to the evolutionary psychiatry blog already recommended to you, I recommend a book by Nora Gedgaudas: Primal Body, Primal Mind. It contains an in depth discussion of various mental health problems and disorders in relation to nutrition. Gedgaudas isn't my favorite author on the planet, but I do think she presents the material well. Her "expertise" comes from her experience with cognitive feedback therapy. On her website, she states: "Nora Gedgaudas has a background in diet and nutrition spanning some 25 years and is a widely recognized, respected and sought-after expert in the field. She is recognized by the Nutritional Therapy Association as a Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT) and is also Board-certified in Holistic Nutrition ® through the National Association of Nutritional Professionals (NANP).

This is her website: http://www.primalbody-primalmind.com/

It contains information about her science, tips on "nutritional mistakes", links for her book, and a link to her blog. Worth checking out, I think, if you want to get more perspectives on mental health and primal eating.

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