Nutrition and diet in pregnancy is no laughing matter. The consequences of pregnancy diet plans that fail to address the specific needs of mother and child can result in lifelong struggles.
Too often, it happens–a horrible headline rips across the media outlet’s airwaves of new mothers suffering from postpartum depression and thus endangering their children. Other times, celebrity moms describing their harrowing journey through the dark abyss of postpartum depression (PPD) dominate the talk show circuits.
The real tragedy is that these sad stories might have been avoided with paying a little extra attention to diet in pregnancy.
New Research on Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression in all its various forms has become the subject of much study in recent years. The results of this research are a better understanding of causality, possible triggers, early warning signs, treatments and cures.
One of the most significant discoveries is how closely postpartum depression is tied to lifestyle choices like diet and exercise. It would be an oversimplification of a very real disease to state that simply eating better and exercising more will prevent all cases of postpartum mood disorders, but it is true nonetheless that specific eating habits can trigger, improve symptoms of or prevent PPD for many women.
How to Eat and Avoid PPD
Women seeking to avoid or cure PPD should carefully nourish themselves during pregnancy and adopt a diet for post pregnancy composed of only the best food choices. A sample pregnancy diet created for healthy gestation and PPD prevention will caution against specific foods such as soy and for encourage other foods such as Omega-3s.
Soy, for example, has been a known source of plant estrogen for years. For a long time, this was thought to be a good thing. In light of new discoveries, soy has lost favor and is actually one of the foods which is often likened to mood disorders. Soy and its derivatives should be avoided.
On the other hand, Omega-3 fatty acids are emerging as the real hero. These vital fats contain a number of nutrient components vital for diet in pregnancy, but equally important to healthy mental function during postpartum healing.
Other foods known to prevent mood disorders are organically grown fruits and vegetables, especially those of dark green hue. The organic nature of these foods is important. Added chemicals used in traditional farming methods disrupt the body’s own delicate chemical balances.
Creating a list of all dangerous foods would fill several volumes. It is possible to characterize foods linked to PPD. Prepackaged convenience foods high in artificial flavorings, colors, chemical preservatives and MSG are all known to contribute to depression.
In short, eating foods as close to their original source as possible is the best way to fill the needs of a healthy diet in pregnancy and prevent PPD to boot!
Author: Isabel De Los Rios
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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