Last updated on June 15th, 2023
Have you ever felt stressed, anxious, or had changes in your mood? Chances are, you have. Everyone deals with changes in their mental health at some point. Current statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration show that 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness, with 1 in 20 people experiencing a serious mental illness. With these numbers, it’s clear that caring for your mind matters.
Whether a life event or genetics triggers these mental health symptoms, they still impact how a person can function. At behavioral health centers and in community-based settings, residents may experience mental health symptoms requiring more assistance than others or have a more severe diagnosis. Treating these conditions involves using a multidisciplinary approach, which includes looking at all parts of a person’s lifestyle. What most people don’t realize, however, is the significant influence gut health has on mental health.
The Gut’s Role in Mental Health
Your gut includes the parts of the body that helps digest food and process it into waste. It’s made up of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, gall bladder, liver, and pancreas. The link between the gut and the brain, or the gut-brain axis, is complex; the two body parts communicate bidirectionally through the vagus nerve, often called the “second brain” in the gut. This second brain also allows the digestive and central nervous systems to communicate.
The gut-brain relationship influences everything from our mood and behavior to our immune function and susceptibility to disease. Microbes found in the gut are either positively or negatively affected by what enters the digestive tract and are easily imbalanced if a person consumes large portions of unhealthy food.
Every person’s gut microbiota is unique and determined by DNA, so there’s no way to predict exactly what types cause change. One thing researchers know for sure is that this gut microbial balance impacts a person’s cognition, emotions, and behavior. When it enters dysbiosis or a state of imbalance, the gut becomes inflamed — increasing the risk of mood fluctuations that manifest as anxiety or depression.
Some more facts about gut health and mental health are:
- More than half of all people diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) also have mood disorders.
- Antidepressants, which help treat psychiatric symptoms like depression or anxiety, are often used to treat IBS.
- Neurochemicals are partially produced in the gut. In fact, 95% of the body’s supply of serotonin is produced by gut bacteria.
Strategies to Improve Gut Health
It’s no secret that you are what you eat. Diets high in fat or sugar are linked with health conditions like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. But, these diets also increase your risk of anxiety and depression because of inflammation and elevated cortisol levels. Sugar also inhibits how well your body can produce brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which helps neurons develop in the brain and long-term memory retention.
Consuming a healthy, balanced diet that includes brain-healthy foods can help reduce the risk for these conditions, simultaneously improving memory, focus, and a person’s overall cognitive function. While many foods are probiotics and great for the brain, here are some of our favorites:
- Berries: Berries like blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries are high in antioxidants that protect the brain from harmful molecules. They’re also full of flavonoids, which help strengthen cognition.
- Fish: Fatty fish, specifically, are essential for brain health. Salmon, sardines, mackerel, and other types of seafood contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help build cell membranes and promote brain-cell communication — like what happens in your gut.
- Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds are rich in vitamin E, another essential nutrient for cognitive health. They also have healthy fats and antioxidants. Adding pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, almonds, cashews, and more are easy ways to maintain a brain-healthy diet.
- Whole grains: Whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal have complex carbohydrates that provide the brain with a steady supply of energy and B vitamins that support brain function. Switching a traditional white bread for a whole-grain loaf at the grocery is another way to incorporate whole grains into your diet.
- Dark chocolate: Like berries, dark chocolate contains flavonoids that can improve blood flow to the brain and enhance cognitive function. Indulging in dark chocolate also fuels your brain with caffeine and theobromine, stimulating focus and improving mood.
- Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, collard greens, and other leafy greens are excellent for both gut and brain health because they contain prebiotic fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut. They’re also full of folate, which helps reduce the risk of depression and cognitive impairment.
We incorporate all these foods (and more!) into our food service plans, making it feasible for your behavioral health community’s culinary program to serve nutritious foods that are good for the brain and the gut.
Awareness and Action
Dr. Andrew W. Saul once said, “Good nutrition and vitamins do not directly cure disease; the body does. You provide the raw materials and the inborn wisdom of your body makes the repairs.” While this quote focuses on physical health, it also applies to mental health conditions. Regardless of diagnosis, people should have access to the balanced diet and nutrition support they deserve.
As a part of Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to ensure all our partners have the food management support they need to promote positive mental health for residents. With a focus on creating a dining experience that feeds the body and mind, Culinary Services Group can help your treatment center to help residents make a healthy gut and a happy brain.
Schedule a consultation with a Culinary Service Group team member to learn more about how our food service management could benefit your treatment center.
