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Prevention and awareness are key essentials in maintaining our physical bodies. Many resources may be found here including: statistics, demographics, and basic health regulations to assist you in a lifelong journey of whole health focusing on the first component of wholeness, the body. The health and faith resources found on this site combined can bring balance between our body, soul (mind, will and emotions) and spirit. Learn more about the continuum of care in whole health while increasing your faith, utilizing wisdom, and bringing wholeness to your overall being, body, soul and spirit.
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Wondering how you can be more health conscious and are unsure where to start? You can check the National Health Observances calendar and see how you and your congregation celebrate health and honor those you love by making them aware of resources and agencies that provide support and materials to help you succeed!
Focus on health observances throughout the year.
Timely Topics:
Here's how to fight the "flu"...
Use this guide to discover the most common causes of the most common symptoms for your illnesses...
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Postpartum Depression
Description: Postpartum depression is more than the short term down mood that often accompanies childbirth. This condition may be experienced as severe, incapacitating depression, with episodes of psychosis. Postpartum depression is believed to be caused by a chemical imbalance. The major symptoms include mood change and extreme fatigue. These symptoms may even appear months after childbirth and can be severe. Other physical symptoms include headaches, palpitations, sleep disorders, abdominal pain, nausea and loss of appetite.
Incidence: Fairly common (with childbearing women); one in ten women
Prevalence: Females
Signs and symptoms: Symptoms are usually subtle at first and attributed to other conditions.
Risk factors:
- Childbirth
- History of depression
- Previous history of postpartum depression (fifty percent chance of recurrence with subsequent births)
Usual treatment:
- Medication (antidepressants)
- Psychotherapy, especially cognitive therapy
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT or “shock therapy”)
- Complementary alternative medication
Usual course: The course of this illness often goes longer than it has to because patients often try to conceal their feelings, out of the belief that only a bad mother would have negative thoughts or emotional responses after having a baby. When women delay seeking help the condition gets worse. Medication and counseling will usually improve the condition within a few weeks. However, sometimes the depression becomes so severe that the person becomes completely unable to function and displays psychotic behavior.
Spiritual considerations: Keep in mind that a woman with postpartum depression is at risk for suicide (and homicide).
Address feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. A woman with postpartum depression needs reassurance, since she may consider herself unworthy of attention.
Suggested scriptures: Psalm 127:3-5
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Faith, hope, and love coupled with wisdom assists the believer in achieving health harmony in the soul (mind, will, and emotions) and spirit. Strengthen your inner man's soul and spirit by the associated articles, resources, and inspiration in our faith section. May the Lord prosper you with whole health. Learn more about the continuum of care in whole health while increasing your faith, utilizing wisdom, and bringing wholeness to your overall being, body, soul and spirit.
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We welcome collaboration with any professional health care agencies, as well as, church leaders. Also, if you are interested in linking, contributing or assisting Congregational Health ReSource with content, please contact us.
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