The Health and Beauty Benefits of Vitamin D and Postpartum Depression

Copyright (c) 2011 Ann Sandretto



Believe it or not, the health benefits of Vitamin D can be achieved with a little sun worship. Vitamin D, a steroid vitamin, encourages the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous. An individual who is exposed to a normal amount of sunlight will get their daily allotment of vitamin D directly from the sun as the sun naturally promotes sufficient vitamin D synthesis in the skin.



What are the Health Benefits of Vitamin D? Vitamin D is crucial to the process of absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous, which have various functions, especially the maintenance of healthy bones and skin. Some of the many health benefits of Vitamin D include;It helps to regulate the immune system, which fights the common cold.It may have a substantial effect on your brain functions during the later years of life. Maintaining proper amounts of Vitamin D have been linked to maintaining a healthy body weight. It reduces the severity and frequency of asthma symptoms including the likelihood of hospitalization. It reduces the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in women.A significantly lower risk of developing cancer in people with adequate levels of Vitamin D as compared to people with lower levels.



The fear of Vitamin D deficiency is a growing problem in adults in the US as we are so careful to avoid the sun's harmful UV rays. While the avoidance of these harmful rays is good skin care advice, a moderate or minimal amount of time in the sun without sunscreen may in fact provide significant benefits. So how do you know what amount of sun is the right amount of sun to produce an adequate amount of Vitamin D. Health articles stipulate that an individual requires two fifteen minute sessions of sunlight per week at a greater than 3 UV index to the face, arms, hands or back without sunscreen. As a guide; a UV index of more than 3 occurs every day in the tropics and during some of the spring, all of the summer and parts of the autumn in temperate areas. If unable to achieve this balance where you live, you can also maintain an adequate Vitamin D level to provide the maximum health and beauty benefits by using vitamins and supplements in your diet.In addition to vitamin supplements one can also include foods fortified with Vitamin D such as breakfast cereals, bread, pastries, oil spreads, margarine, milk and other dairy products. Other foods rich in Vitamin D are some fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel.



As we age, we discover that which is good for us in one area may be bad from an opposite perspective making a general understanding of the applicable health and beauty benefits overwhelming. What we can agree upon is that as our lifestyle has become more industrialized our need to be out in the sun has decreased and it is this lack of natural sunlight that has been attributed to some serious health problems. Therefore, wherever you stand on the issues of SUV rays, be assured that with a little effort and research you can make sure that your intake of Vitamin D on a daily basis through sun, food or supplements can be managed to maximize your health and beauty benefits supplied by this wonderful little vitamin.



About 70-80% of women have what is known as the "baby blues" after childbirth. About 2-3 days after birth they begin to feel depressed, anxious and upset. For no clear reason they may feel angry with the new baby, their partner, or other children. These feelings may come and go in the first few days after childbirth. In fact, about 10% of new mothers have a greater problem called postpartum depression . Postpartum depression lasts longer and is more intense. It often requires counseling and treatment. Postpartum depression (PPD) can occur after any birth, not just the first. Women with PPD have such strong feelings of sadness, anxiety or despair that they have trouble coping with their tasks. Without treatment, PPD may worsen or last longer. Postpartum depression is more likely to develop in women who lack the support of a partner or who have had: Postpartum depression beforeA psychiatric illnessRecent stress Postpartum depression (PPD) affects women of all ages, economic status, and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Any woman who is pregnant, had a baby within the past few months, miscarried, or recently weaned a child from breastfeeding can also develop PPD. Research has shown that women who have had problems with depression may be more at risk for PPD than women who have not had a history of depression. Postpartum Depression is likely to result from body, mind and lifestyle factors combined. No two women have the same life experiences or biologic makeup. This may be an explanation for why some women have PPD and others don't. The postpartum period is a time of great changes in the body. These changes can affect a woman's mood and behavior for days or weeks.



Levels of hormones, primarily estrogen and progesterone, drop sharply in the hours after childbirth. This change may trigger depression in the same way that much smaller changes in hormone levels can trigger mood swings and tension before menstrual periods. Emotional factors affect a woman's self-esteem and the way she deals with the stress and challenges of motherhood. This is thought to add to postpartum depression. Additionally, stressful changes in home and work routines may be caused if the baby was born early. It is not yet known for sure what the causes of postpartum depression are. Hormonal changes in a woman's body very well may trigger its symptoms. We do know that during pregnancy the amount of two female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, increase greatly in a woman's body. In the first 24 hours after childbirth, the amount of these hormones rapidly drops and keeps dropping to the amount they were before the woman became pregnant.



A major factor in postpartum depression may be lack of support from others. The steady support of a new mother's partner is thought to be a comfort during pregnancy and particularly after the birth. Breastfeeding problems can make a new mother feel depressed. If they cannot breastfeed or if they decide to stop, new mothers often feel an unnecessary sense of guilt or disappointment. Thyroid levels may also drop sharply after giving birth. (The thyroid is a small gland in the neck that helps to regulate how the body uses and stores energy from foods eaten). Low thyroid levels cause symptoms that can feel like depression: mood swings fatigue, agitation, insomnia and anxiety. A simple thyroid test can tell if this condition is causing a woman's PPD. If so, thyroid medication can be prescribed by a health care provider.



Other things that are believed to contribute to PPD are:



Not enough rest often keeps a new mother from regaining her full strength for weeks.

This is particularly so if she has had a C-section delivery

A sense of being overwhelmed with a new, or another, baby to take care of

Stress from changes in work and home routines.



The concept of thinking they have to be "super mom" or perfect

Feelings of loss

loss of identity (who you are, or were, before having the baby),

loss of control,

loss of a slim figure,

and feeling less attractive

Having less control over time and less free time

Having less time to spend with the baby's father





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