In my practice it is quite frequent that I hear women reporting various levels of emotional and physical discomfort around their periods. Severity of symptoms may differ from cycle to cycle, and so does the ability to function at a regular, so-called base level. Indeed, during reproductive years women go through various hormonal fluctuations, not…
Dr. Pirec is Center of Excellence Medical Leader for Mood and Anxiety Programs at Insight Behavioral Health Services, Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Department of Psychiatry and Assistant Professor at Rush Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry. She has extensive experience with behavioral health issues specific to reproductive cycles in women, including perinatal mental health and postpartum depression, anxiety, and psychosis. Dr. Pirec received her medical degree at the University of Belgrade and her Ph.D. in Pharmacology at the University of Illinois in Chicago, Department of Pharmacology. She is the author of several textbook chapters and articles and is a member of NASPOG (North American Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynecology), Elected Board Member-At-Large at the Marce Sociéty for Perinatal Mental Health, Fellow Member of APA (American Psychiatric Association) and of the Illinois Psychiatric Society. She speaks several languages. Prior to joining the staff at Insight, Dr. Pirec was the Program Director of Women’s Mental Health in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Nutrients and Their Effect on Neurotransmitters in Peripartum
One of the essential factors for well-balanced neurochemistry of the brain is adequate nutrition. Specific foods, elements, and vitamins are necessary for synthesis and transportation of neurotransmitters in the brain, are thus indirectly responsible for the maintenance of mood stability. It appears that the majority of pregnant and nonpregnant women tend to consume suboptimal diets. Pregnancy and postpartum…
