Mental health, does it start in your guts?

You know the old saying “it is all in your head” maybe it actually starts in your guts.

Your vagus nerve, the gut-brain axis, has a lot to do with how you are feeling. This nerve is a large part of our parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and digest system. As opposed to the sympathetic nervous system also known as the fight or flight system. The vagus nerve connects your guts with your brain, call it your gut feelings.

The vagus nerve is responsible for many important functions, including mood regulation, immune response, heart rate and digestion. It is one of the connections between the brain and the gut, sending messages about the body to the brain. Our guts are the largest surface area, larger than our skin, that brings information into our bodies. What happens in our guts can affect our health.

Our guts are key regulators of our immune and nervous systems. Increasing the likelihood that we really are what we eat. There is more evidence to suggest that nutrition impacts the vagus nerve, changing our brain and our actions.

Women, food and mood

It turns out that women may be more susceptible to the dietary effects on mental health than men. Lina Begdache, assistant professor of health and wellness studies at Binghamton University, studies diet and mood. Her latest research shows a link between women’s mental health and their diet.

The research team led by Begadache, found that skipping breakfast, eating processed foods, and fast food, increased mental distress. The participants eating more fruit, and dark, leafy green vegetables improved their mental well-being. Begdache believes that diet and exercise should be the first line of defence for improving mental well-being.

“We found a general relationship between eating healthy, following healthy dietary practices, exercise and mental well-being. Interestingly, we found that for unhealthy dietary patterns, the level of mental distress was higher in women than in men, which confirmed that women are more susceptible to unhealthy eating than men.”

Lina Begadache

Kids and food

And it starts young. In a study from England, researchers found a link in children’s mental health with increased fruit and vegetable consumption. When tracking more than 9,000 UK school children, the kids eating five servings of fruits and vegetables had higher mental well-being scores.

“We found that eating well was associated with better mental wellbeing in children. And that among secondary school children in particular, there was a really strong link between eating a nutritious diet, packed with fruit and vegetables, and having better mental wellbeing.

Dr. Richard Hayhoe

Gut health and processed food

One more great reason to limit processed foods and eat whole, unprocessed plant-based foods is carboxymethylcellulose. A common food additive, known as an emulsifier, is added to many processed foods to enhance texture and extend shelf life. Food companies have been using these since the 1960s. There has been no testing on human health because it was thought they were eliminated without absorption in the guts.

Researchers have recently found that carboxymethylcellulose, and some other emulsifiers, alter gut bacteria causing more severe disease in a range of chronic inflammatory conditions, including colitis, metabolic syndrome and colon cancer.

This extensively used food additive alters gut bacteria and nutrients changing our health from the inside out.

It starts in the gut

Edith Cowan University (ECU) found that people eating 470 grams of fruit or vegetables can reduce their stress levels by 10%. This is when compared with eating half that amount. One apple is about 150 grams.

Researcher, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini from ECU’s Institute for Nutrition Research, believes that the study strengthens the link between diet and mental wellbeing. Approximately 1 in 10 people around the world live with a mental health disorder.

Vegetables and fruits contain important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and carotenoids that can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and therefore improve mental wellbeing. Inflammation and oxidative stress in the body are recognized factors that can lead to increased stress, anxiety and lower mood.

Simone Radavelli-Bagatini

Improve your health with one simple habit. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fresh or frozen, raw or cooked. Your guts will be healthier and you can improve your well-being.

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla

PS Deep breathing helps stimulate your vagus nerve and calms you down too, but like eating a healthy diet it works better if practiced regularly.