Can food affect your mood?

Have you ever noticed how other people (or even maybe you personally) may sometimes display unexplained signs of anger, anxiety, or other less desirable states, and wondered what could be the reason? There can be so many factors at play, and we don’t always know another person’s story. This month’s article will focus on how the food that we eat may contribute to our mood.

Did you know that our gut bacteria are considered to be our second brain? Ongoing research has indicated that there is a strong connection between the brain and the gut microbiome. Eating healthier has been shown to contribute to improved mood, lower anxiety, better memory, less brain fog, feeling calm, and being better able to regulate emotions. Recent studies have demonstrated the positive influence of a healthy microbiome on patients suffering from anxiety and depression and how gut inflammation can impair mental health.

A simple thing to do to improve your intake of healthier foods is to switch one thing out at a time. For example, if you find yourself wanting to reach for processed food such as a chocolate bar or piece of cake to satisfy a mid-afternoon sugar craving, maybe try having an apple or orange instead.

What is your experience? Do you find that what you eat influences how you feel?

References

AlAmmar, W. A., Albeesh, F. H., & Khattab, R. Y. (2020). Food and Mood: the Corresponsive Effect. Current Nutrition Reports, 9(3), 296–308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-020-00331-3

Firth, J., Gangwisch, J. E., Borisini, A., Wootton, R. E., & Mayer, E. A. (2020). Food and mood: How do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ, 369, m2382–m2382. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2382

Foster, J. A. (2013). Gut feelings: bacteria and the brain. Cerebrum. 2013, 9–9.

Peirce, J.M. & Alvi?a, K. (2019) The role of inflammation and the gut microbiome in depression and anxiety. J Neuro Res. 97: 1223– 1241. https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.24476