This is somewhat a personal issue, but I think I should discuss it here, because it’s a common problem during pregnancy. Unfortunately, I had the signs of Depression. It was a bad experience, and I felt hatred towards being pregnant and even towards being alive. I feel much better now, thanks to my husband, my family, and GOOD NUTRITION! And this is what we will talk about today!
Pregnancy is supposed to be a joyful journey for mothers; WomensHealth U.S Project stated that 13% of pregnant women suffer from depression; It may come in any trimester and. if left untreated, there are many health risks according to the thehealthAGE blog. for the mother as well as the baby including: premature delivery, poor weight gain, preeclampsia (high blood pressure associated with protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy), and difficulty in bonding with new born.
What is Depression:
As defined by (World Health Organization) WHO. is a “common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration”.
Worrying too much about your health, the baby’s health, Your responsibilities, Marital conflicts, Feel unsupported, Hormonal imbalances etc. All these factors can lead in way or another to depression, but how can you know if you suffer from depression?
Follow these signs:
- Difficulty in concentrating.
- Having less desire to do pleasurable things you used to do.
- Fatigue.
- Feel that you are failure.
- Sleeping disturbances or too much sleeping.
- Crying for no reason.
- Thinking about self-harm or even death.
So what do you have to do if you have experienced these signs?
First, you should try consuming a healthy diet, but can food ease Depression?
Yes! Good nutrition can take care of you through the journey of treatment of depression. Studies claim that diets rich in tryptophan (amino acid) can raise serotonin level in the brain cells, which it influences mood in way that may leads to depression. Pregnant woman should focus on the following advises:
B6 vitamin:
You should consume a diet high in vitamin B6, because this vitamin is a co-factor for tryptophan-serotonin pathway; that play key role in depression, you can obtain this vitamin from various food such as whole grains, legumes like lentil, soybeans, fruits like banana, walnut and sunflower seeds and you can find it more in Raw food rather than cooked food..
Folate:
Actually, there is No Certain evidence shows how it’s useful for the treatment of depression, but depressed people showed low blood levels of Folate, so experts advice is to meet the daily need, you can find it in leafy green vegetables, fortified items like whole grain, beans link pinto , chickpeas, and fruits like avocado.
Omega 3:
Many studies claimed that results of consuming diets high in omega 3 are similar to the results of the use of antidepressants, you can find it in a various types of seafood, walnut, fortified eggs, and flax seed oil.
Iron:
Many studies claim that low iron is linked to clinical depression, so you should elevate your iron level,which usually exists in animal products, fortified & enriched food like grains and breads.
Vitamin B 12 : Which only exists in Animal Products like meat , chicken , eggs and milk.
Also, pregnant women should make sure that they matches their nutritional needs, drink up to 8 or 10 glasses of water, make a habit of walking every day, because walking in fresh air may release endorphins which leased to happiness, get enough sleep, surround themselves with good company, talk to friends, family, partners, or join support groups about how they feel.
Finally, I wish a joyful journey for every pregnant woman, and a happy healthy delivery!
Disclaimer: The advice mentioned in this post, is not a substitute for seeking professional medical advise
