| Answer: | Serious post-natal depression is thought to affect up to 15 per cent of new mothers, and feeling weepy or down is even more common. Although there' s a psychological component - from shouldering the huge responsibility of a baby - post-natal depression is usually triggered by hormonal and chemical changes, and these can be supported with good nutrition.
Before you give birth, you transfer a large supply of zinc to your baby, and if you didn' t have a good supply yourself, the chances are you' re now deficient, especially if your labor was long and difficult or you had a caesarean. Depression is a common side effect of zinc deficiency, as are white marks on more than two fingernails, a poor appetite, stretch marks and a weak immune system. So if you have any of these additional symptoms, up your supplementary zinc intake to 15mg twice a day until your mood improves. As zinc works with the B vitamin family, particularly B6, also take a B complex supplement.
The other common deficiency in post-natal depression is in essential fats. In a study of 11,721 British women, those who consumed fish two or three times a week were half as likely to suffer from depression as women with the lowest intakes. So eat more oily fish (organic salmon, sardines and mackerel, although go easy on fresh tuna, as it can contain mercury) and some fresh pumpkin and sunflower seeds each day to boost essential fats in your diet. Also take an all-round essential fat supplement containing 600mg of EPA, 400mg DHA and 200mg GLA. |
