Women's Health: Foods That Can Help Keep Depression at Bay

Women today lead a multi-tasking life. There's much they need to deal with at work as well as home, which takes a toll on their their health and well-being. According to a research conducted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the US, women who earn more than their spouses are more likely to experience depressive symptoms. Some mothers' and fathers' psychological well-being may suffer when their work and family identities - and the amount of financial support they provide - conflict with conventional gender roles.

The researchers found that when women's salary increased to compose the majority of their families' income, these women reported many symptoms of depression. Researchers Karen Kramer and Sunjin Pak also found the opposite effect in men: Dads' psychological well-being improved over time when they became the primary wage-earners for their families.

The research was carried out on more than 1463 men and 1,769 women and out of which majority were born between the years 1957 and 1965. The participants' psychological well-being was measured in 1991 and 1994 using a seven-item scale that assessed their levels of depressive symptoms.

The findings suggested that although women's psychological well-being was not affected by exiting the workforce to become stay-at-home mothers, men's mental health declined when they stayed home to care for the kids. "We observed a statistically significant and substantial difference in depressive symptoms between men and women in our study," Kramer stated.

There are some natural remedies which can help cure the various symptoms of depression -

1. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is said to relieve stress and anxiety which are the two symptoms of depression. It contains active compounds like steroidal lactones, saponins, alkaloids and withanolides that provide antidepressant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps restore the normal physiological functioning.

2. Brahmi

Brahmi is a small perennial herb that has a long standing reputation of curing stress. Brahmi plays a role of adaptogen that means it helps the body to adapt to new or stressful situations. It also increases the serotonin levels in the brain that keep the mind calm.

3. Jatamasi

Jatamasi or Spikenard is a perennial herb that helps in treating insomnia and other sleeping disorders. It is known for its anti-fatigue and anti-stress properties. Jatamasi can also erase negative thoughts by channelising the energies of the mind in the right direction.

4. Pudina

Peppermint or Pudina has long been used to cure nervous system disorders due to the presence of menthol, as it helps calm your frazzled nerves and further gives a cooling effect. Menthol also helps in treating insomnia by keeping your mind calm and further lets you sleep in peace.