Cold water fish, especially, contain essential fatty acids that are important to proper brain chemistry. Ideally we should get them through food sources, but failing that there are some nutritional supplements that may be very helpful.
This article on the association between inadequate consumption of certain essential fatty acids and post-partum depression is very interesting.
These abstracts focus on fish oil in pregnancy and infancy.
I recommend that all women who are at increased risk of post-partum depression either eat low-mercury fish twice a week, or supplement their diet with a fish oil supplement.
Here is a transcript of an interesting radio program about post-partum depression.
Even for ordinary depression, adequate intake of these essential fatty acids may be protective.
Many people seem to be afraid of cooking fish. It is actually one of the easier things to cook, and is very quick as well. However, canned sardines, salmon, and even tuna, all have the protective fish oils mentioned in these articles. The biggest worry many have is the risk of mercury poisining from excessive consumption of some of these fish, and so as in all things, moderation is key.
I love most fish and seafood (I'm a Mainer, after all), but the high prices and fear of contaminants like mercury tend to curb my consumption.
Do scallops count? I made some pretty good seared scallops last week, and my husband couldn't get enough. They don't seem like fish though.
I have some sort of fish aversion.Canned tuna was a big staple of my diet until I found out about the mercury thing -- well into my pregnancy when it was one of the few things that didn't make me sick!
All other fish is hard for me to get over. I hate flaky. Give me really chickeny salmon. But that grey skin stuff on the salmon, uugghh. I just don't eat as much even when I make or order fish and try my best.
I did have this amazing salmon Wellington at a restaurant, for like $13 or $15, but that's not going to become a staple!
we try to eat fish twice a week. I wish it were less expensive (my husband detests canned fish.)
I, too, had problems with fish aversions when I was pregnant.
I am sufferung frim a disorder known as peripheral neuropathy. This disease affects the feet, legs, hands and arms. Mercury poisining is one of the many causes.
I'm not sure if this is the culperate for my symptems, but I am a vegetarian that eats fish. So, it is a possibility.
I am sufferung frim a disorder known as peripheral neuropathy. This disease affects the feet, legs, hands and arms. Mercury poisining is one of the many causes.
I'm not sure if this is the culperate for my symptems, but I am a vegetarian that eats fish. So, it is a possibility.