The connection between gut health and mental health
Why you need to start paying more attention to your gut.
Our gut and our brain are inextricably connected, and the gut is often overlooked when we are suffering with our mental health. But the truth is, the gut is sometimes where our mental suffering begins, all of our organs rely on the gut (including the brain), to supply them with the right nutrients for optimal function. So by neglecting your gut health, you are essentially neglecting ALL of your organs health as well.
The gut has become a hot topic online recently, people labelling recipes as “gut friendly” and even supermarket foods being marketed as “good for the gut”. But what is the gut - and what does it actually need?
To put it simply:
The gut is the long, winding tube in your body that starts at your mouth and ends at your rectum. It’s main job is to break down food, absorb nutrients and get rid of waste. But it's more than just a digestive system — it’s full of bacteria and other microorganisms that support your immune system, produce essential nutrients, and even affect your mood and mental health. Your gut needs the following to thrive: Healthy bacteria, fiber-rich foods, hydration, less processed sugar, stress management and a varied diet.
Now we know what the gut is and how it is linked to the brain, lets delve into how what we eat affects our brain function…
1) The gut creates your “mood messengers”
The gut houses millions and millions of microorganisms, these tiny yet powerful things help to make the neurotransmitters in your brain. Neurotransmitters are essentially the little messengers that help send signals from your brain to your body and vice versa. So if we do not have enough microorganisms, this slows the production of neurotransmitters, which can lead to low mood and even depression. Things like serotonin and dopamine are made in the gut (up to 90% of them!), so if you want to regulate your mood, you have to keep your gut regulated first.
2) Inflammation is the brains worst nightmare
An inflamed gut is caused by poor nutrition, and so many people overlook the inflammatory responses of their own bodies that they never understand why they always feel “meh”. Inflammation in the gut directly links to brain health, which can lead to cognitive decline and increase the risk of mental health diseases. So when you next experience bloating or discomfort after eating, don’t just normalise it, think about how it could be affecting your mood as well as your body.
3) The vagus nerve relies on a healthy gut
The vagus nerve is a key channel of communication between the gut and the brain, it relays information back and forth and supports the optimal functions of the body. So, when your gut is imbalanced, the vagus nerve communication weakens which can lead to (you guessed it), mood swings and mental decline.
4) Stress can impact your digestion
You can be eating the “healthiest” foods ever, but if your environment is keeping you in a stressed state, you will still face digestive issues. Now you know how the gut and the brain are linked, you will know that gut issues cannot be overlooked, so if you are eating all the right things but still not seeing any results, understand that the brain and the gut come as a pair. You can’t look after one and not the other, you need to reduce your stress levels to help your gut (and of course your brain).
So what do I do now?
I’m not giving you this scientific knowledge to scare you, infact the opposite. Now you know how connected these two organs are, you can start to change your relationship with them to be more healthy.
And by healthy I don’t mean eating only salad for the rest of your life, I mean being more attentive to what each organ needs for optimal function, looking for signs of inflammation or other gut issues, and understanding that often mental suffering starts from gut.
Mental health should be a priority, but it cannot happen without physical health as well. Learn about your body and it’s wonderful ways, when you start to listen to your gut (no pun intended), you can truly start to understand YOUR body and what it needs.
