You need to take control of your lifestyle and exercise choices if you are suffering from postpartum depression. While giving birth to your child is an enriching and life changing experience, along with the joys of motherhood come the burdens of stress, anxiety, mood swings and in some cases, postpartum depression.
You need to consult a doctor when you find yourself experiencing the symptoms of postpartum depression as this is a serious medical condition and needs to be treated. Along with this, there are some natural cures you can also follow, if you want to become healthy and strong again.
Recovering from postpartum depression is not only important for you, it is also vital for your newborn child and family. Researchers have studied how hormonal changes may be the cause of postpartum depression. There are several natural remedies you can follow to handle this condition effectively.
Natural Cures To Heal Postpartum Depression
Lead A Healthy Life
You need to make the right lifestyle choices. Eat healthy foods and sleep on time. Avoid stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine. Eat a high fiber diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Do not eat a lot of fried or processed foods.
Eating healthy, nourishing food is important for you as a mother as well. Make sure you incorporate plenty of activity in the day to keep your mood uplifted and your emotions balanced. Leading a healthy life is very important in order for you to recover from postpartum depression.
Exercise Regularly
It is important for you to keep your body alert and active. To recover from a depressed mood state, you need to ensure there is circulation in the body and you are fit and toned. This also helps you to maintain good health, which is important for you and the baby.
You can take gentle exercises such as walking and light resistance training to build your strength and improve your mood. Exercise is very vital if you want to overcome post partum depression as it releases endorphins which make you feel good and cancel out negative emotions such as depression and sadness.
Fish
You should take fish regularly as it contains Omega 3 fatty acids which help to stabilize the mood and help a mother to become emotionally stronger. This is because the benefits of these fatty acids is that they relax the mind and ease the feelings of stress and tension by influencing the level of serotonin in the brain.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which helps in sustaining emotional balance and good mood. Fish oil, wheatgerm and flaxseed are some of the other natural sources which also contain Omega 3 fatty acids.
St. John’s Wort
This herb is a perfectly safe and non toxic natural cure for postpartum depression. Known by the Latin name Hypericum Perforatum, St. John’s Wort is a herb with natural healing powers and researchers worldwide have documented its mood enhancing benefits. Also known as Tipton’s Weed or Rosin Rose, St. John’s Wort inhibits the uptake of a neurotransmitter which is responsible for enhancing moods and lowering depression.
St. John’s Wort has been found to have less side effects than SSRI( Serotonin Specific Reuptake Inhibitors) antidepressants and approximately the same benefits, which make it more effective than certain medications in treating postpartum depression. The dried leaves of this herb can be consumed as a tea for obtaining the benefits of St. John’s Wort.
Winter Cherry
Winter Cherry also called Ashwagandha in India, is a herb which has been used in Ayurveda for enhancing the energy and stamina levels. It can be a very effective herbal cure for ensuring that young mothers are able to overcome feelings of depression and become stable and emotionally balanced.
This herb known botanically as Withania Somnifera is a herb which has adaptogenic properties and it moderates the body’s response to stressors and negative mood states. You can take this herb as a supplement to boost your mood and overcome postpartum depression.
Wild Yam
Wild Yam is another effective natural cure for postpartum depression. It has a high level of bioidentical hormones. Bioidentical hormones are naturally occurring hormones found in certain foods. These bioidentical hormones reduce hormonal imbalance caused due to multiple factors.
As postpartum depression is believed to be caused by changes in a woman’s body due to pregnancy and birth resulting in hormone imbalance, Wild Yam is very effective as a natural cure for postpartum depression. This is because the hormonal imbalance which is at the root of postpartum depression is corrected by the presence of bioidentical hormones found in Wild Yam.
Get Enough Sleep
One of the chief causes of listlessness and postpartum depression following the birth of the baby is that new mothers seldom get sleep in the days that follow. You need to make sure that older relatives, friends and your husband help in taking care of the baby so that you can heal and recover.
Sleep is very essential for the body’s physiological and psychological reserves to be strengthened. It also helps in soothing the mood and ensuring that you become more alert and active as well as less depressed and more happy.
Manage Your Time
Time management is very important so that you do not feel depressed or burdened following the birth of your child. This will be a very vital move towards ensuring that you do not end up feeling loaded with tasks and responsibilities. Avoid feeling lonely and isolated. Social interaction is also critical and you must take out time from your busy schedule to do the things that you enjoy.
Time management can make all the difference to your life and improve the quality of life. Once you make the time for meeting all your priorities and fulfilling all your responsibilities, you become a happier and stronger person.
Think Positively
It is also important that you think positively as this can help you to become more skilled at coping with low moods and feelings of depression. As long as you are able to cope with the depression, you are able to be strong and mentally stable.
Taking on new hobbies and interests which enrich your life can be another step towards thinking positively. It is essential that you become more optimistic in your approach and actively encourage yourself and others around you to see situations in a positive light.
Caution: Please use Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.
