Nutrition and depression

Psychologist & Postpartum Specialist Shoshana Bennett, PhD, explains how nutrition is very important to help with depression, and shares her top nutrition tips for women struggling with postpartum depression
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Nutrition and depression

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Nutrition is extremely important to help balance moods, and can make a really big difference. Some of my favorite tips for women who are pregnant or postpartum and they are suffering, nibble protein throughout the day. That is one of my best tips because, as you do that, every three hours or so, it helps to balance out the blood sugar. Therefore, the moods remain more stable. Also, very important to stay well hydrated with water. If you are breastfeeding, you are probably already doing that, but no matter what, drink water. Any dehydration can make anxiety worse. Also, omega-3 fish oil. We have a number of studies that are showing very positive effects on depression and anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum. It's not only wonderful for the mom, it's great for the baby as well. De-stressing with magnesium and calcium. Hopefully, you are taking a vitamin and that's in the vitamin. Certainly, the prenatals have those in them. It's very good for stress. Folate is also a very good thing to be taking. It's always in the prenatal vitamin for the baby, but it's also very important for the mom's mental health. Trying to avoid eating a simple carbohydrate, like just a piece of toast in the morning, is a good idea because eating a carb or a sugar in the morning, can spike your blood sugar and make you anxious. When you drop back down after that spike, it can pull you down into a negative mood. Eating more complex carbohydrates, mixed with that wonderful protein you are nibbling on every three hours or so, can also help to boost your serotonin levels. Serotonin is one of the most important neurotransmitters, brain chemicals, in charge of mood.

Psychologist & Postpartum Specialist Shoshana Bennett, PhD, explains how nutrition is very important to help with depression, and shares her top nutrition tips for women struggling with postpartum depression

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Shoshana Bennett, PhD

Clinical Psychologist & Postpartum Specialist

Shoshana Bennett, PhD (“Dr. Shosh”) from the popular DrShosh.com Radio Show is the author of Pregnant on Prozac, Postpartum Depression For Dummies, and co-author of Beyond the Blues: Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression & Anxiety.  She is also the creator of the new mobile app PPD Gone.  National TV shows including  20/20, Discovery Channel, The Doctors and The Ricki Lake Show feature Dr. Shosh as the pregnancy and postpartum mood expert and news stations such as CNN consult her. Several publications including the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News have written articles on Dr. Shosh’s work.  She’s interviewed regularly on national radio and has been quoted in dozens of newspapers and magazines such as The Wall Street Journal, WebMD, Boston Globe, Fit Pregnancy, Glamour, Parenting, Psychology Today, New York Post, Self, Cosmopolitan, and the Chicago Tribune. 

Dr. Shosh is a pioneer in the field.  She is a survivor of two life-threatening postpartum depressions. She founded Postpartum Assistance for Mothers in 1987, and is a former president of Postpartum Support International. Dr. Shosh helped develop the official Postpartum Support International training curriculum for professionals which is now considered the gold standard in the field. She has helped over 19,000 women worldwide through individual consultations, support groups and wellness seminars.  As a noted guest lecturer and keynote speaker, she travels throughout the US and abroad, training medical and mental health professionals to assess and treat postpartum depression and related mood and anxiety disorders. She earned three teaching credentials, two masters degrees, a PhD and is licensed as a clinical psychologist.

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