Column: Improve your gut health to boost moods and mental wellbeing

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​Happy New Year, and how many of you have started the new year with a resolution or two? How many of those resolutions are about losing weight?

​Rather than focusing your resolution on weight loss, why not focus on your gut health?

It is interesting that, as mental ill-health increases, so do many other factors impacted on by poor diet and nutrition. The link between gut health and mental health has received increasing attention in recent years.

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This relationship is primarily governed by the brain-gut axis, a communication pathway between the gastrointestinal system and the brain.

Guest columnist Vicky Waring is a mental health champion.Guest columnist Vicky Waring is a mental health champion.
Guest columnist Vicky Waring is a mental health champion.

This system allows the gut and the brain to influence each other in ways that impact our mood, cognition, and overall mental well-being.

The gut contains trillions of bacteria, known as the microbiome, which play a crucial role in digesting food, regulating metabolism, and modulating the immune system.

But these microorganisms also influence the brain through the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, often called the ‘feel-good’ chemical.

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In fact, about 90 per cent of serotonin is produced in the gut, suggesting gut health directly impacts mood regulation and emotional stability. If we improve our gut health we can positively affect mood, energy levels, and overall mental wellbeing so try and adopt a gut friendly diet:

Guest columnist Vicky Waring looks at the link between positive gut health and improved mental wellbeing.Guest columnist Vicky Waring looks at the link between positive gut health and improved mental wellbeing.
Guest columnist Vicky Waring looks at the link between positive gut health and improved mental wellbeing.

Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.

Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, and kombucha contain probiotics (live beneficial bacteria) can help balance your gut microbiota and improve gut health.

Prebiotics are foods that nourish beneficial gut bacteria. Sources include garlic, onions, asparagus, bananas, oats, and leeks.

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Omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like fatty fish and walnuts may help reduce inflammation and support mental health.

High amounts of sugar, refined carbs, and unhealthy fats can disrupt the gut microbiome and potentially exacerbate depression.

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