Nutrition to Support Your Gut-Brain Axis for a Better Mood
If you're grappling with gut issues like IBS, Celiac Disease, or symptoms like bloating and constipation, you're likely familiar with the mental toll they can take, including anxiety and depression.
But why does this happen?
The key is the gut-brain axis, a complex network linking your gut and brain. The trillions of bacteria that make up the gut microbiome influence not only your digestion but also your emotions and instincts.
I have helped hundreds of people heal their gut and reduce anxiety and depression through customized and targeted strategies that are built on the foundations that support the gut-brain axis.
I'm Kari, an integrative and functional dietitian dedicated to aiding women in healing from GI issues, fatigue, anxiety, hormonal imbalances, and autoimmune conditions. My holistic approach prioritizes YOU by addressing you as a whole person, not just as a set of symptoms.
In this post, we are going to unlock the power of nutrition to enhance your gut-brain axis and uplift your mood.
Understanding the Gut-Brain Connection
The gut-brain axis serves as a vital communication pathway between your digestive and central nervous systems, operating tirelessly 24/7. This intricate network involves various components, including the gastrointestinal tract, the gut microbiome, the enteric nervous system (ENS), and the central nervous system (CNS), which encompasses the brain and spinal cord.
The gut and the brain communicate through various channels, such as the nervous system, hormones, and the immune system. This communication affects important functions like digestion, nutrient absorption, mood, and cognitive function.
At the center of this communication is the microbiome, which consists of trillions of microorganisms. These microbes play key roles in producing neurotransmitters, short-chain fatty acids, and other substances. They also influence nervous system function, behaviors, and mood.
In short, these microbes really are in control of how you feel and what you think.
However, on the flip side, the brain can also influence gut function. Have you ever had butterflies in your stomach when you were nervous, stressed, or anxious? This is because thoughts produced in your brain will travel down your nervous system and communicate with your gut.
The Exposome
The Exposome is one of my favorite concepts that influences health. It refers to factors that influence the microbiome, your immune system, your stress levels, your diet, your sleep, etc. These are some of the most important factors that determine your health, as well as the health of your gut and brain.
Positive influences on the exposome and microbial diversity include factors like having a vaginal birth, breastfeeding, adequate sleep, time spent outdoors, and positive social interactions. Conversely, factors like antibiotic use, chronic stress, nutrient deficiencies, and toxin exposure can negatively disrupt the microbial balance and the health of your brain.
Understanding these dynamics underscores how the composition of your gut microbiome can profoundly impact your well-being, influencing emotions, decision-making, anxiety, depression, sleep, and more. Let’s dive in…
How GI Issues Affect Your Brain
In my practice, I often see clients with common gut issues like IBS, SIBO, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Many of my clients don’t have a diagnosis, but experience symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, reflux, and nausea. If you have these conditions, there's a 90% chance you're also dealing with the gut-brain disruption that causes both gut symptoms along with anxiety, depression, poor mood, and brain fog.
Gut-brain axis dysfunction can occur for several reasons:
- Communication Disruption:
- The gut and brain communicate through the spinal cord and the vagus nerve. This bidirectional communication can be severely derailed if the gut isn't producing and sending signals correctly.
- The gut makes over 30 neurotransmitters, including 90% of your body's serotonin. Serotonin is the "feel-good" chemical that helps you relax, stay in a good mood, and sleep well. It even affects how you feel pain. If you have low levels of diversity in your microbiome, chances are, your body’s ability to produce these “feel good” neurotransmitters is diminished.
- Chronic Inflammation:
- Many chronic gut issues cause inflammation. This inflammation can release special chemicals that affect the nervous system and spread throughout the body. Inflammation within the brain can also cause a myriad of symptoms, including cognitive dysfunction, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, etc.
- Nutrient Malabsorption:
- If your gut isn't absorbing nutrients properly due to damage to the gut lining stemming from issues like dysbiosis or leaky gut, your brain can suffer. The brain relies on key nutrients to function optimally.
- Microbiome Imbalance:
- Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, known as the microbiome. These tiny organisms play a crucial role in your overall health, including your brain function. An imbalance in these microbes can disrupt the gut-brain axis and contribute to mental health issues.
- Lifestyle Factors:
- Factors such as diet, stress, sleep, and physical activity can significantly impact gut health. Poor diet, high stress levels, lack of sleep, and inactivity can all harm your gut and disrupt the microbiome, leading to further complications with the gut-brain connection.
Foods to Include: Key Nutrients and Vitamins
When it comes to supporting your gut-brain axis, nutrition is one of the most important factors. There are several nutrition considerations that are needed to support optimal gut and brain function.
Foods to Include: Amino Acids
Amino acids play a crucial role in maintaining gut health and supporting the gut-brain axis. Here's how they help and the best sources to include in your diet:
Why Amino Acids are Important:
- Cell Protection and Defense:
- Amino acids help produce important substances like glutathione and nitric oxide.
- Glutathione protects cells from oxidative stress.
- Nitric oxide supports the gut's defense system.
- Building Blocks for Protein:
- Amino acids are the building blocks for protein, and they are essential for repairing the gut lining, which is an ongoing process in the body.
- Supporting Gut Functions:
- They aid the intestinal endocrine function.
- Gut microbiota uses amino acids for their own protein synthesis.
Best Sources of Amino Acids:
- Bone Broth:
- Bone broth is one of the best sources of amino acids, making it a powerful gut healer.
- Animal Meats:
- High-quality animal meats, such as those from organic, grass-fed animals, wild-caught fish, and high-quality eggs and dairy products, are excellent protein sources.
- These proteins provide essential amino acids that support gut health.
- Glutamine:
- Glutamine is a standout amino acid for gut healing.
- It boosts immune cell activity in the gut, supports the health of the intestinal tract, and reduces inflammation.
- Professional-grade supplements can help you add glutamine to your diet. A good starting point is around 5 grams per day, adjusted as recommended by your healthcare provider.
Incorporating these amino acid-rich foods into your diet can significantly support your gut health and the gut-brain axis, helping you feel better both physically and mentally.
Foods to Include: Probiotic-Rich and Prebiotic-Rich Foods
Probiotic-Rich Foods
Probiotic-rich foods are essential for boosting the levels of beneficial bacteria like lactobacillus and bifidobacterium in your gut. These foods have several benefits:
- Increased GABA Levels: Lacto-fermented foods increase GABA, a neurotransmitter that promotes calmness and relaxation and is essential for deep sleep.
- Reduced Epinephrine: These foods can lower epinephrine levels, reducing panic, worry, irritability, and distress.
- Additional Benefits: Probiotics help reduce inflammation, improve vitamin synthesis, support the gut barrier function, enhance the immune response, and compete with pathogens by occupying more binding sites in the gut.
Best Sources:
- Sauerkraut
- Lacto-fermented vegetables
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Kombucha
- Miso
- Sourdough
- Cheese
Prebiotic-Rich Foods
Prebiotic-rich foods contain non-digestible fibers that nourish beneficial gut bacteria. These fibers serve as food for the good bacteria in your microbiome and offer numerous benefits:
- Microbiome and Gut Barrier Support: They enhance the function of the gut barrier and support the overall microbiome.
- Blood Sugar Regulation: Prebiotics help improve blood sugar levels.
- Colon Protection: They protect colon cells and support the production of short-chain fatty acids.
- Cholesterol Management: Prebiotics help lower cholesterol levels.
- Improved Digestion: They reduce protein fermentation, enhance digestion, regulate bowel movements, improve mineral absorption, and support immune regulation.
Best Sources:
- Jerusalem Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Green Bananas
- Garlic
- Onions
- Leeks
- Jicama
- Oats
- Apples
- Chicory Root
- Flaxseed
- Seaweed
Foods to Include: Fiber
Fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy gut and promoting the growth of good bacteria. One key type of fiber to include in your diet is fermentable fiber, also known as soluble fiber. Aim to consume between 25 and 35 grams of fiber per day. If you have GI-related issues, start with a lower amount and gradually increase it as tolerated.
Fermentable Fiber
Fermentable fibers are digested by your gut bacteria, producing beneficial compounds. Here are some excellent sources:
- Inulin: Found in foods like garlic, onions, and leeks.
- Pectin: Present in fruits such as pears, apples, plums, and oranges.
- Raffinose: Found in beans, cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.
Resistant Starch
Resistant starch is a type of starch that is highly beneficial for the gut. It is fermented by microbes to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are the main source of nutrition for the cells in your colon. More SCFAs in your diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other conditions like digestive disorders and colon cancer. Resistant starch is also anti-inflammatory and can enhance glycemic control and improve cholesterol levels.
Best Sources:
- Cooked and cooled rice and potatoes
- Raw potato starch
- Under-ripe bananas
- Beta-glucans: found in oat bran, oatmeal, and whole oat products
- Beans
Foods to Include: Antioxidants & Polyphenols:
Antioxidants
Oxidative damage in the brain can lead to neurological dysfunction, including depression, anxiety, panic, and acute anxiety distress. Antioxidants help combat this damage and support brain health.
Vitamin C:
- Importance: Vitamin C is highly concentrated in the adrenal glands, which use it to regulate cortisol production and release. A deficiency in Vitamin C can result in increased cortisol production, leading to a heightened stress response and more inflammation in both the brain and the body.
- Food Sources: Berries, Citrus fruits
Selenium:
- Importance: Selenium is a mineral and an antioxidant that aids in the production of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. A person's selenium status is inversely related to the frequency and severity of anxiety, depression, and chronic fatigue.
- Food Sources: Salmon, Oysters, Sardines, Tuna, Dark cuts of chicken, Brazil nuts, Cashews, Sunflower seeds
Polyphenols
Polyphenols are plant compounds that have powerful antioxidant properties and support gut and brain health. They help reduce inflammation, combat oxidative stress, and promote a healthy gut microbiome, which is crucial for the gut-brain axis.
Why Polyphenols are Important:
- Anti-inflammatory: Polyphenols help reduce inflammation, which is beneficial for both gut and brain health.
- Antioxidant Effects: They combat oxidative stress, protecting brain cells from damage.
- Microbiome Support: Polyphenols promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, supporting overall gut health and enhancing the gut-brain connection.
Best Sources of Polyphenols:
- Fruits: Berries (such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries), apples, and grapes
- Vegetables: Spinach, kale, and red onions
- Beverages: Green tea, black tea, and red wine (in moderation)
- Nuts and Seeds: Walnuts, almonds, and flaxseeds
- Others: Dark chocolate, olive oil, and spices like turmeric and ginger
What to Avoid
Maintaining a healthy gut-brain axis involves not only adding beneficial foods to your diet but also being mindful of what to avoid. Certain foods and substances can disrupt gut health, increase inflammation, and negatively impact your mental well-being. Here’s a guide on what to limit or avoid to support your gut and brain health without making extreme changes.
Alcohol
- Why to Avoid: Excessive alcohol consumption can harm the gut lining, disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, and increase inflammation.
- Recommendation: If you choose to drink, be sure to limit the amount you consume in a week.
Calorically Dense Foods
- Why to Avoid: Foods high in calories but low in nutrients can contribute to weight gain and metabolic issues, which can negatively affect gut health.
- Examples: Fast food, junk food, and high-fat snacks.
Frequent Snacking
- Why to Avoid: Constant eating can disrupt the natural cycles of digestion and rest that are important for maintaining a healthy gut.
- Recommendation: Allow time between meals for your digestive system to rest.
Sugar
- Why to Avoid: High sugar intake can lead to an imbalance in gut bacteria and promote inflammation. It can also contribute to blood sugar spikes and crashes, which affect mood and energy levels.
- Examples: Sodas, candies, baked goods, and sugary drinks.
Refined/Simple Carbohydrates
- Why to Avoid: Refined carbs can spike blood sugar levels and are often low in fiber, which is essential for gut health.
- Examples: White bread, pastries, white sugar
Animal Fats
- Why to Avoid: High consumption of animal fats can lead to increased inflammation and negatively impact gut health.
- Recommendation: Choose healthier fats like those found in fish, nuts, and seeds.
Gums and Emulsifiers
- Why to Avoid: Additives like gums and emulsifiers used to thicken and stabilize processed foods can disrupt gut bacteria and cause digestive issues.
- Examples: Xanthan gum, carrageenan, and lecithin.
Maltodextrin
- Why to Avoid: This common food additive can affect the gut microbiome and lead to digestive discomfort.
- Examples: Found in many processed foods, including snacks and sauces.
Artificial Sweeteners
- Why to Avoid: Some artificial sweeteners can negatively impact gut bacteria and potentially lead to digestive issues.
- Examples: Aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose, often found in diet sodas and sugar-free products.
By being mindful of these foods and substances, you can better support your gut-brain axis and overall health. Small, gradual changes can make a significant difference without feeling overwhelming or restrictive.
Supplements to Consider
In addition to a healthy diet, certain supplements and mucilaginous herbs can further support your gut health:
Supplements:
- Immunoglobulins: Antibodies that support immune function and gut health by binding to harmful pathogens and toxins.
- L-Glutamine: An amino acid crucial for gut repair and maintaining intestinal lining integrity.
- Zinc Carnosine: Combines zinc and carnosine to promote gut lining repair and reduce inflammation.
Mucilaginous Herbs:
- Marshmallow Root: Rich in mucilage, soothes and protects mucous membranes of the digestive tract.
- Slippery Elm Bark: Contains high levels of mucilage, which is effective for soothing and healing irritated digestive tissues.
- Psyllium Husk: Soluble fiber that softens stools and promotes regular bowel movements.
- Aloe Vera: Contains mucilaginous compounds that soothe and repair the digestive tract lining.
- To learn more about the uses of mucilaginous herbs, check out this blog post.
Incorporating these supplements and herbs into your routine can optimize gut health and support a healthy gut-brain axis. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements or herbs.
Key takeaways
Understanding and nurturing the gut-brain axis is essential for overall well-being. By focusing on nutrition and incorporating beneficial foods, supplements, and mucilaginous herbs, you can support a healthy gut microbiome and improve mental health outcomes. Remember, small changes can make a big difference in your gut health journey.
Prioritize your gut health to support mental well-being. Incorporate a variety of fiber-rich foods, antioxidants, polyphenols, and supplements into your diet. Avoid processed foods, excessive sugar, and artificial additives that can disrupt gut health. By taking a holistic approach and addressing the gut-brain connection, you can reduce anxiety and improve overall health and vitality.
If you want to explore your gut-brain connection more deeply, watch this presentation I made on my YouTube channel.
Also, check out my interview with my friend and fellow dietitian, Christa Biegler, on the Less Stressed Life podcast and this interview with my mentor Erin Skinner on Anxiety and Gut Health.
If you want to explore how I can support you on this journey, schedule a free Discovery Call to learn more about my holistic approach. You deserve to have good digestion and live free from anxiety, depression, and poor cognitive function.
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