The Gut-Brain Connection: How Diet Affects Mental Health

Diet is integral to mental health, from the way the foods we eat nourish our bodies and brains, to the way eating bland food we don’t like can make us sad while eating foods we love can make us happy.

Harvard Health even says the gut is sometimes called the “second brain” as the gut and brain are connected through what’s known as the gut-brain axis, and 90% of serotonin is actually estimated to be made in the digestive tract.

Links between the gut and brain:

• Biochemical signalling between the nervous system in the digestive tract called the enteric nervous system, and the central nervous system, which includes the brain

• Connected by the vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the body

• Produces many of the same neurotransmitters as the brain does, like serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid, all of which play a key role in regulating mood

• The gut helps regulate appetite by telling the brain when it’s time to stop eating

• The gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotion

• Intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression

The gut-brain connection:

Some research suggests that probiotics that support a healthier gut could support a healthier brain as well.

Probiotics:

Boost

• Mood

• Cognitive function

Lower

• Stress

• Anxiety

If you’re noticing symptoms of stress related to the gut as well as other common symptoms, aside from probiotics, you can talk with your doctor to come up with strategies to deal with stress. You can also try therapy to treat stress, anxiety and depression. Explore more about making smart diet decisions with the help from a personal chef.