“What we eat directly affects how we feel”. These were the impassioned words of dietician Christine Stent Pinha in a recent Masiviwe webinar on the link between gut health and mental health.
In the past few years, the link between our digestive system and what we eat, and our mental health, has been getting a lot more attention. It is estimated that 60-80% of patients with depression or anxiety have gastrointestinal (stomach and gut) problems. However, Pinha is optimistic about what the science of nutrition is bringing to the mental health space. “We can eat in a way that can boost our gut health and our brain chemicals, which can improve our mental health. This is very exciting, as it gives us more control over how we feel,” says Pinha.
Chronic stress impacts both our brain, and our digestive system, or gut, which has in recent years been termed our “second brain” because of the findings around the importance of the gut to the state of our health. Stress can mean we have difficulty concentrating, have increased anxiety, depression, irritability, mind fog and fatigue. In terms of our gut, stress can cause constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion, bloating, pain and discomfort. It can also affect our ability to take in nutrients.
“We can’t easily change our stressors, but we can build our body to be stronger and more resilient to cope better. This can reduce the side effects and the symptoms associated with stress,” says Pinha.
Serotonin is a chemical that plays a key role in physical and mental health. Studies of the gut microbiome (the bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms that are in the stomach and intestines) have shown that 95% of this chemical is produced in the gut. It’s important therefore to ensure that the gut is healthy.
Some practical ways that we can change our eating habits to improve our mental health include:
Drinking gut-friendly liquids. Too much sugar is bad for the good bacteria in our gut. It is important to drink enough water, which can be flavoured with things such as lemons, orange, ginger or mint to improve the taste.
Eat at least two fruits and two cups of vegetables per day and try and vary them so that you cover the rainbow of food colours. Find what is in season as those are usually the cheapest. Try have as much variety as you can afford. Pawpaw and pineapple are particularly good for your gut.
Fibre is important to feed the bacteria in the gut. You can get good fibre from beans and oats and choose brown bread instead of white.
Eat healthy fats, if you can afford it, from avocados, olives, seeds and nuts. Avoid deep fried and processed foods. If it comes ready-made, it is probably filled with processed fat.
Quality proteins are needed to make serotonin. Try to include fish such as pilchards, lean chicken, eggs and even plant-based proteins such as tofu or soya in every meal.
Bring in fermented food, such as plain yoghurt with live cultures, or fermented cabbage.
Take a probiotic supplement if necessary, and especially if on anti-biotics.
To see the full webinar and learn more about the link between nutrition and mental health, click here: https://masiviwe.org.za/video-webinars/?playlist=7eb0e21&video=ffa9389