The gut-brain connection: How diet influences your mood
What you eat can affect your mood.
When we think about what affects our mood, we often blame stress, lack of sleep and even what the weather might be like.
Rarely do we look at what we eat and how that could be affecting how we feel.
Research has increasingly shown that diet plays an important role in regulating our moods, energy levels, and even mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
So, how does what you eat determine what happens to your brain?
The gut-brain connection
According to Dr. Lisa Mosconi, a neuroscientist and author of 'Brain Food', your gut and brain are in constant communication.
She shares that if your gut health is off, your mood and even your mental clarity can be affected.
The science behind the food-mood relationship starts in the gut.
The gut is often referred to as the 'second brain' because of the enteric nervous system that governs its function and its role in producing neurotransmitters such as serotonin.
In fact, nearly 90% of the body's serotonin is made in the digestive tract.
Nutrients that boost mental health
Dr. Uma Naidoo, a nutritional psychiatrist and author of 'This Is Your Brain on Food', says that a diet that is high in sugar and processed foods can contribute to anxiety and depression, while a more balanced, whole-foods-based diet can help stabilise and even improve mood.
Here's a look at what foods can boost your mood.
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