Trust Your Gut! How Your Diet Can Improve Your Mental Health.

Doctors hate this one simple trick! Here it is; eating right to improve your diet and gut microbiota may have a significant positive impact on your mental health. Studies show that an imbalanced diet can trigger anxiety, depression, and other serious mental illnesses that interfere with quality of life in some individuals.

                Not only does eating a healthy and balanced diet make you feel better both physically and mentally, it is also essential to ensure proper levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. A proper diet will make sure you have the building blocks for your body to create the neurotransmitters you need to maintain your thinking, behaviors, and personality.

Healthy Gut, Healthy Brain

                More and more data is being found on how connected our gut and brains truly are and how they influence each other. In a journal article exploring this link by Clapp et al. (2017), they explore the bidirectional relationship between brain and microbiota (gut flora). The impact that having a healthy gut has on disorders such as depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues is significant enough for scientists to explore this link further and begin recommending dietary treatments and probiotics.

                Probiotics have been shown to decrease the inflammation response and in animal studies has promoted neurogenesis that resulted in decreased stress response and lower cortisol levels. What these studies are demonstrating, along with human trials, is that the use of probiotics to bolster healthy bacteria resulted in anxiety reduction, maintaining metabolism, and weight control.

Happy Brain Chemicals

                The food we eat contributes to the precursors of the neurochemicals our brain and body use daily. Serotonin, GABA, oxytocin, and others all derive their precursors from different food groups so it is essential to have balanced and healthy meals to keep a regular and robust supply for our bodies to utilize. Serotonin’s precursor, tryptophan, is derived from many different foods such as milk, tuna, and chicken and is important in managing depression, chronic pain, and anxiety among other issues.

                GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is important to inhibit certain reactions and assists with stress reduction and workout recovery. Glutamate is GABA’s precursor and is readily available in mushrooms, fish, and some vegetables such as tomatoes.

                The hormone and neurotransmitter, oxytocin, is associated with our social connection needs such as empathy, trust, sexual activity, and relationship building. In an article by Markus MacGill in MedicalNewsToday, they explained that oxytocin is the “love hormone” produced in the hypothalamus and impacts boding behaviors and breast feeding. Oxytocin’s precursor peptides are available in spinach, peppers, fish, and avocados along with other sources.

You Are What You Eat

                Aside from the positive mental health benefits, eating healthy will also prevent and alleviate illnesses and diseases associated with poor nutrition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that healthy eating can lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and manage these diseases in those with chronic diseases. Healthcare that is related with poor nutrition costs the United States annually an estimated $173 billion dollars. The CDC also reports that a large majority of Americans consume far too much sodium increasing our risk for heart disease and stroke.

                Healthy eating also has several other benefits such as boosted immune system, strong bones, quicker recovery from injuries, and maintaining a healthy weight for your body type. Eating well will also increase your motivation to pick up and maintain healthy lifestyle habits that will further contribute to feeling good about yourself physically and mentally.  

If you feel like your diet can be improved, doing some research online on how to better plan your meals or talking to your family doctor is a great place to start. Making a small change could be just drinking one less soda during the day or ordering that side salad instead of the usual fries or potato chips. There are also some great applications on your phone you can use to assist with tracking nutritional information such as calories, sugar, and vitamins. If you have an unhealthy relationship with food or it triggers feelings and thoughts that interfere with you living your best life it might benefit exploring these further with a therapist that specializes in eating disorders.