The food - mood connection

The relationship between nutrition and mental health may not feel intuitive first, but our brain needs the proper balance of gut bacteria to make the chemicals it needs to stay stable and healthy. At the same time, the gut requires your brain to be stable and healthy, so that it can maintain the proper balance of gut bacteria.

The central nervous system produces chemicals, such as dopamine, serotonin and acetyl choline, that are important for regulating mood and processing thought and emotion. When microbiota is compromised and healthy bacteria are not present, production of neurotransmitters (all very important for the mood regulation) such as dopamine, glutamate and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is impacted. Many psychiatric disorders are rooted in deficiencies of these brain chemicals.

Serotonin:

A key chemical deficient in the brains of depressed and anxious people plays a major role in regulating the GUT-BRAIN AXIS. Serotonin plays several roles in your body, including influencing learning, memory, happiness as well as regulating body temperature, sleep, sexual behaviour and hunger. Serotonin, together with another neurotransmitter dopamine, plays a role in the quality of your sleep (how well and how long you sleep). Your brain also needs serotonin to make MELATONINE, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Did you know more than 90 percent of serotonin receptors are found in the gut?

Dopamine:             

Dopamine is known as the “feel-good” hormone. It gives you a sense of pleasure. It also gives you the motivation to do something when you’re feeling pleasure. When you’re doing something pleasurable, your brain releases a large amount of dopamine. You feel good and you seek more of that feeling. This is why junk food and sugar are so addictive. They trigger the release of a large amount of dopamine into your brain, which gives you the feeling that you’re on top of the world and you want to repeat that experience. Having right amount of dopamine makes you feel happy, motivated, alert and focused.

GABA:

GABA is known for producing a calming effect. It’s thought to play a major role in controlling nerve cell hyperactivity associated with anxiety, stress and fear. GABA is available as a dietary supplement. However, there is not any strong scientific evidence to support the use of a GABA supplement for treating medical conditions. GABA is present in some fermented foods, including kimchi, miso and tempeh. It’s also found in green, black and oolong tea.

What can affect your mental health in negative way?

Caffeine:

Most studies show that less than 100mg of caffeine has little or no effect on anxiety. Between 100-400mg results are mixed. Above 400mg/day) can trigger or worsen anxiety. No need to quit caffeine entirely but consider cutting down slowly to prevent symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. You can always switch to decaf, although decaf coffee does contain small amount (less than 100mg for sure) of caffeine.

Alcohol:

You may feel like alcohol is your coping mechanism and a way to deal with depression, stress, anxiety and other difficult feelings. Alcohol affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition, so you may feel relaxed, less anxious, and more confident after a drink. But these effects quickly wear off. The chemical changes in your brain can soon lead to more negative feelings, such as anger, depression or anxiety, regardless of your mood. Alcohol also affects your sleep, can cause bloating, upset stomach and migraines.

Bad fats:

trans fats such as margarine and hydrogenated oils (vegetable, corn, sunflower and safflower), fried and deep fried in oil food

Nitrates:

 additive used in bacon, salami, sausage and other cured meats.

Gluten:

If you have coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, avoid all wheat products, such as bread, pizza, pasta and many alcoholic drinks.

Sugar:

the brain relies on glucose, a type of sugar, from the food we eat, in order to survive and function. Over a twenty-four-hour period, the brain needs only 62 grams of glucose to do its job. You can easily meet this requirement via healthy whole foods. Too much sugar in the brain can lead to inflammation, which can result into mood disorders.

High – Glycaemic-Load carbohydrates:

Refined carbohydrates do not taste sweet, but body still processes them in much the same way it does sugar. No need to cut the carbohydrates completely, but the quality of the carbs you eat matters. High GI carbs include potatoes, white bread and white rice. Honey, orange juice and wholemeal bread are medium – GI foods. Please do note a large quantity of any carbs, no matter what their GI, places a high glycaemic load on your body. Choosing the right type of carbohydrates and eating them in reasonable amount is essential to improve any mood related symptoms.

Artificial sweeteners:

Artificial sugar replacements are increasingly common in foods. One study showed that people who consume artificial sweeteners mostly via diet drinks, are more depressed than those who don`t. Artificial sweeteners can be toxic to the brain, altering brain concentrations of mood-regulating neurotransmitters. Some artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin, sucralose, and aspartame, have been shown to alter the composition of the gut microbiome in animal studies, however we are still lacking enough evidence when comes to human studies.

To embrace mood:

Probiotics – lactobacillus is a bacteria, that breaks down sugar into lactic acid, prevents harmful bacteria from lining the intestine and protects body against fungal infection. Stress is a big factor for lactobacillus deficiency. (yogurt, kefir, tempeh, miso, natto, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and certain cheeses)

Prebiotics - beans, oats, bananas, berries, garlic, onions, asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke and leeks

Low GI carbohydrates - quinoa, millet, buckwheat, chia seeds, flaxseeds, black rice

Healthy fats - monosaturated fats like olive oil, nuts, nut butters and avocado

Omega 3 fatty acids – oily fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring and sardines), hemp, linseed, chia (all in the form of oil too)

Spices and herbs - saffron, turmeric, oregano, lavender, passionflower, chamomile, lemon balm, green tea – Theanine, ashwagandha

Tryptophan – this precursor of serotonin, however only purified form of TRP can reach the brain, which can not be found in food sources such as turkey and chickpeas, unless eaten with other carbohydrates (when carbohydrates are eaten, body produces insulin, which diverts other amino acids to your muscles, but leaves TRP untouched). In this case supplementation might be a better option.  

Vitamin D – increasingly more recognised as a necessary substance called a neurosteroid, which crosses the blood-brain barrier and enters brain cells.

Magnesium – deficiency is linked to high anxiety levels, magnesium supplementation can ease stress responses, changing levels of harmful stress chemicals in the brain.

Blueberries – The study found that blueberry-enriched diet increased serotonin levels in the brain and reduced free radicals and inflammation.