The Link Between Food and Mood

Anxiety and depression are ever growing issues in modern day society, with an estimated 25% of the adult population suffering from these conditions. Even worse, patients are often left feeling like they don’t have options to ease their symptoms other than trying different pharmaceuticals. While pharmaceuticals have a necessary time and place, there are many things under our control that can be done to help ease symptoms of depression and anxiety. So, what can you do to support mental health?

Prioritize Gut Health

You’ve likely heard that “all health begins in the gut” and this statement remains true for supporting brain health. That’s because the majority of your neurotransmitters—signaling chemicals released in the brain to provide pleasure, excitement, feelings of calm, and more—are produced in your gut. In fact, anywhere from 90-95% of your serotonin, the “feel good” chemical, is produced by the bacteria in your gut. 

The best way to support a robust microbiome is to focus on probiotic and prebiotic rich foods. Probiotic rich foods are foods that contain the healthy bacteria themselves, and examples include yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut and tempeh. Prebiotic foods are fiber rich foods that serve as the main fuel source for these gut bugs and include foods such as apples, jicama and garlic. Prioritizing fiber is a great start in supporting mental health since this meta-analysis found that for every 5g increase in fiber consumed, there was a 5% decreased chance of having depression. 

Balance Your Macronutrients

We are big proponents of balancing blood sugar around here, not only for the metabolic health benefits, but also for brain health. That’s because symptoms of low blood sugar can mimic symptoms of anxiety. When blood sugar drops, your body will naturally produce more of the stress hormone cortisol in order to help raise blood sugar levels. This hormone primes your body to “fight or flight,” potentially resulting in some symptoms commonly experienced during bouts of anxiety such as pounding heart, shakiness and cold sweats. To regulate your blood sugar, aim to build your plate with a base of non-starchy veggies, a palm sized serving of protein, 1-2 servings of healthy fats and 0-2 servings of starchy carbohydrates. Be sure to learn more about our meal planning platform, The Being Collective.

Prioritize Important Micronutrients

While all micronutrients are essential for optimal health, there are two types of micronutrients that have the biggest impact on brain health: magnesium and B vitamins. Magnesium is used as a cofactor in many reactions in the body. More specifically, it is needed to support your nervous system and aid in neurotransmitter synthesis. Meta-analyses confirm the importance of magnesium for the nervous system, showing supplementation to be beneficial in reducing symptoms of anxiety.  

Similar to magnesium, B vitamins are critical in supporting neurotransmitter synthesis. Overall, increased intake of B vitamins through foods such as animal proteins, legumes and leafy greens are associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety. When working with clients with anxiety and depression, our team always starts with nutrient deficiency tests to assess for possible culprits like these that may be making symptoms worse. 

Reduce inflammation

Inflammation is highly correlated with mood disorders. In fact, those who have attempted suicide have been found to have higher levels of inflammatory proteins such as IL-6. Another study found that administering inflammation-promoting drugs led to increases in depressive symptoms. Researchers hypothesize that inflammation can impair cell to cell communication, lead to cell destruction and reduce pleasure, as increased inflammation can blunt the chemical reward response in the brain. To reduce inflammation, focus on increasing your intake of whole foods such as fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, seeds and high-quality animal protein, and decrease your intake of inflammatory foods such as added sugar, refined grains, omega 6 rich seed oils and alcohol.

Address Lifestyle Factors

How you live your life is just as important as what you put on your fork! While a whole article could be written on lifestyle factors alone, a few things you can do to support mental health include exercising regularly and adopting a meditation practice. A meta-analysis found exercise to be as effective as antidepressants in mild to moderate cases of depression. Similarly, in a randomized controlled trial, meditation was found to be as effective as a popular anti-anxiety drug in reducing anxiety. If you haven’t incorporated these items into your daily routine, start by aiming to hit 8,000-10,000 steps per day and downloading a meditation app such as Calm or Waking Up with Sam Harris. Start small - even incorporating 5 minutes of meditation or deep breathing can make a positive impact when done consistently.

Try implementing some of these above tips to help feel more in control of your symptoms of anxiety and depression. What you eat, how you move your body, and how you handle your stress can have profound impacts on how you feel!