Healthy Hollywood: Fab Food Friday – Hollywood’s Baby Blues!

You’ve just given birth to a beautiful baby and everyone is excited. Everyone except you, that is! Don’t fret – unfortunately up to 80% of women experience a bout with the baby blues. Ten percent of women will suffer major postpartum depression.

Gwyneth Paltrow opened up in the February issue of Good Housekeeping, saying she “felt like a zombie” after the birth of her second child, adding, “I couldn’t access my heart. I couldn’t access my emotions. I couldn’t connect. It was terrible.” New moms Celine Dion and Bryce Dallas Howard also spoke candidly about their mood swings. Hopefully, these celebs will help other moms realize ‘they’re not alone.’

While the first step is to reach out and consult your doctor about the right remedy for you, good nutrition can help raise your spirits. “The food we eat can have a huge impact on not just our physical health, but on our mental health, as well,” states celebrity nutritionist Paula Simpson, who’s worked with celebs like Sandra Bullock, Drew Barrymore, and Kellie Pickler. “With the increased stress placed on a women’s body during pregnancy and birth, it is important to choose foods that will help to balance the hormonal system, support energy, replete lost nutrient stores and minimize exposure to toxins in the diet,” Paula says.

So, what are best foods for new moms? “A healthy and well balanced diet packed with fatty acids, high quality proteins, whole grains and antioxidants will be able to regulate the hormones and how you feel,” Paula suggests.

Paula’s Top Nutrition Tips To Boost Mood:

1. Omega-3s:
This type of fat, once in the body, acts as a hormonal messenger molecule to help balance our hormonal system. Some of the sources of this fat include fresh (wild) salmon, seafood, algae, chia seeds and most raw nuts and seeds. Quick tip: Add 1 to 2 tbsp of flaxseeds to prepared foods – great in smoothies.

2. Choose natural detoxifiers:
Wheatgrass, barleygrass juice, kelp, nori and sea vegetables all feed a better mood. They’re packed with B vitamins (critical for energy metabolism and stress reduction), iodine and selenium (for proper support of thyroid and adrenal glands), and are rich in alginates, which are natural detoxifers. Quick tip: Add a sprinkle to soups or stews for added nutrient punch.

3. Eat clean:
Choose foods and herbs in their raw form more often to increase nutrient density. If you eat a diet rich in colorful vegetables and fruits, you are getting lots of plant-based antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Herbs such as tumeric are powerful antioxidants and help the body naturally detox. Also, be sure to choose organic, free-range meat, eggs, and dairy products.

4. Dark chocolate:
Crave something sweet? Go for some chocolate with cocoa levels 70% or higher. Cocoa is a ‘natural mood booster’ and some studies show it improves mood by releasing brain chemicals/hormones, endorphins, and serotonin levels in the brain.

Paula is also co-founder of the GliSODin Skin Nutrients Nutricosmetic Line. Jump to www.glisodinskin.com to learn more.

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