When thinking about how to respond to anxiety distress and depression, there’s likely a whole host of approaches that people mainly think of, including therapy, medicine, and mindfulness. However, a few times it starts in the kitchen. However, what you eat does impact how you feel, and there is now all the evidence in the world for that, thanks to the recent developments of neuroscience and nutritional psychiatry.
Your gut and brain communicate regularly with each other – this is the gut-brain axis. This relationship is two-way: the health of your digestive system may be reflected in that of your mood, what you think, and emotional ability. If you are one of the many who finds yourself suffering from anxiety and/or depression, you just can’t get this one bigger to be used in your medicine cabinet.
We’ll explore how your gut is connected to your mental well-being, what nutrients are most important for the health of your gut and mind, and how being more mindful and following a professional therapy plan can speed up your recovery.
The Gut-Brain Axis: Your Second Brain
The inside gut, which is known as the ‘second brain’, contains more than 100 million nerve cells, which become your guts when you eat and drink. This EN system goes directly to the CNS through the vagal pathway.
Did you know that the gut produces 90-95% of the neurotransmitter serotonin which regulates your mood and makes you feel happy? When the gut microbiome is out of balance, inflamed and/or poorly nourished, then serotonin is adversely affected. There is a direct biochemical relationship between the health of the gut and depression.
Your gut also produces the soothing chemical known as GABA that curbs your nerves, for instance, if you’re feeling anxious. Studies indicate that anxiety disorders come with a decreased amount of microbes which make the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
How Inflammation Fuels Anxiety and Depression
Chronic low grade inflammation is now known to be a central underlying mechanism contributing to anxiety and depression. High intake of inflammatory foods, such as processed foods, refined sugars and trans fats, raise inflammatory markers in the body. It gets into the brain causing inflammation, affecting the neurotransmitters, and making it very difficult to manage emotions.
Research published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience in 2019 revealed that people who ate a diet based on the Mediterranean diet were far less likely to experience depression than those who adhered to a Western diet.
The message is obvious: inflammation is a physical health problem, and not a diagnosis in and of itself. This also poses a mental health problem. There are a number of significant areas which can be addressed in terms of diet that will importantly impact on the biological load on the brain.
Key Nutrients That Support Mental Health
Certain nutrients are more beneficial than others when it comes to mental health. These are the ones which have most scientific evidence supporting their use:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory, are contained in fatty fish and flaxseeds and walnuts and directly contribute to healthy cell membranes in the brain. Several meta-analyses show a positive correlation between omega-3 and a decrease in depressive symptoms.
Magnesium
It’s essential that magnesium is present for more than 300 enzymes to work and many of these are involved in stress reactions. The lower the magnesium content, the higher one’s anxiety levels go up. All of the dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate are good sources.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D receptors are situated all over the brain, and are known as the sunshine vitamin. Seasonal Depression and Deficiency have a high correlation between them as does Generalised Anxiety Disorder. For individuals residing in low light environments, it is recommended to get tested.
B Vitamins
B6, B9 (folate) and B12 are important for synthesis of neurotransmitters. Deficiency of these vitamins has been linked to depression, brain fog and decreased motivation. These can be found in eggs, legumes, leafy green vegetables and lean cuts of meat.
Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Your Mood
Your gut microbiome is composed of trillions of bacteria which as a group affect you immune system, digestion, and brain function. Disruption of this ecosystem, as with antibiotics or poor nutrition or chronic stress, is associated with the exacerbation of mood disorders.
Fermented foods such as yoghurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut have beneficial bacteria that aid in restoring microbial balance. New studies in humans reveal that specific probiotic strains can alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms, in some cases as effectively as with low-dose antidepressants.
Prebiotics are also essential, namely as fibre which feeds the good bugs. These sources are: Garlic, Onion, Banana, Oats and Asparagus. Your gut is literally in the right state to produce those hormones and chemicals that are essential for balance in your brain, with probiotics and prebiotics.
HealthFullyU provides a complete collection of holistic health and wellness resource that can help you create a gut-friendly lifestyle alongside your mental health and wellness practices, with actionable and science-backed practices for your whole body.
Practical Dietary Changes to Support Therapy
The basis of healing from anxiety and depression is therapy. However, the effects of what you do in the sessions can be greatly enhanced by a strong nutritional boost to the brain. Here are some changes you can make:
- Eliminate ultra-processed foods: sneak to handle initial craving, apples to overcome urge and inflammation to grassroot.
- Eat the vegetable rainbow: Try and eat at least 5-7 vegetables or fruits from different colors every day to get a good dose of phytonutrients.
- Emphasise protein in each meal: Your brain needs amino acids found in protein to make neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.
- Make sure to drink lots of water: Dehydration might make you less energetic, less in the mood, less concentrated.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine: Some people are more sensitive to the effects than others and these can disrupt sleep and affect anxiety negatively.
- Eat more at home: Cook, and know what goes into your food; there will be lower chances for bite size sweets to hide at home.
The Limits of Nutrition Alone
It’s crucial to keep in mind: Nutrition is a great complement to mental health services, not a substitute. Anxiety and depression are complex illnesses where you can find psychological, neurological, and, in some cases, traumatic basis which can’t be treated with diet.
We know that therapy can provide organization, processing and professional direction that can support you with understanding and working through your mental health struggles. This healing environment is a biological one and is enhanced by nutrition.
Imagine a two lane road. In therapy the focus is on the psychological landscape. Oil lubricates the wheels of the vehicle. Both are crucial for sustainable recovery.
Conclusion
Just don’t think, think you’re going to be anxious and depressed. They are experiences of the whole body, individual, biological, psychological, environmental and lifestyle experiences. Understanding the strong connection between the health of the gut and mental health brings up an effective yet underutilized treatment method.
They will start to set up a stable neurochemical environment, making therapy more effective and your life just a little easier, by taking small steps toward a better food plan. It’s not necessary to do it all at once. Begin with one meal, one habit, one intention.
When you’re willing to learn about how your physical health can support your mental health care, check out the HealthFullyU nutrition for mental health section for some helpful resources.
But remember: asking for help does NOT equal being weak. It’s the bravest thing you can do to set out on the journey you want to be on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the research backs it, that people can make good eating changes that make a huge difference, particularly in terms of their working with them. Nutritional psychiatry is an increasingly emerging field and nutrition relates to many outcomes in mental health in a manner supported by strong evidence. Although sometimes a diet can cure moderate to severe mental health problems, they rarely happen.
Most people have reported greater energy and concentration after following the diet plan within 2-4 weeks. Normally mood and anxiety shift after six weeks to twelve weeks, when there is a stabilisation of the gut microbiome and calming of the production of neurotransmitters.
If deficiencies have been identified, supplements may be beneficial, but not a substitute for a diet rich in whole food. Omega-3s, vitamin D, magnesium, and probiotics are common supplements that have research supporting their use in mental health. Before beginning a supplement program, please check with your health professional.
Absolutely. Even if there are no digestive issues, gut health issues impact on mental health. A large number of people also have subclinical aberrations in their microbiome which do not cause gastrointestinal symptoms, but still impact mood, stress response and cognition.
Yes – and that comprehensive approach will be further promoted by mental health professionals. Therapy is tailored to thought patterns, trauma and emotions, among other things. Biochemical environment is nutritional support. Together both of them provide complete and sustainable mental health study.
