Have you ever gone longer than usual without eating and felt moody? Or even skipped a meal and realised you’re cranky? This is a normal reaction to going long without food. It is also because the gut and your mental health are linked. When you don’t eat for a while, blood glucose levels drop. This makes your hormone levels fluctuate. Your body releases cortisol—a stress hormone, and adrenaline—the fight or flight hormone, to try and rebalance blood glucose levels. Cortisol has a direct effect on your mood and can make you angry, moody, or sad. But that’s only when you don’t eat. What you eat also directly impacts your mental health.

Your gut is home to millions of friendly gut bacteria referred to as a gut microbiome. The friendly bacteria play a pivotal role in digestion, absorption of nutrients, waste expulsion, and immunity. They also send signals to the brain, which sends signals back, and this is where your gut health has a direct impact on your mental health.

How gut bacteria affect mental health

The friendly gut bacteria directly affect neurotransmitters like serotonin—the happy hormone and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Serotonin is produced in the gut and gut bacteria can affect its production and transmission. Studies have found that people with gut conditions have higher instances of depression.

Your digestive tract can also be part of your emotional response. For instance, a panic attack or anxiety can induce nausea or diarrhoea. Strong emotions can show symptoms in the gut. This can include heartburn, acid reflux, stomach cramps, or constipation. When you feel nauseous before an interview, this isn’t something to overlook. Your mental state can affect how your gut feels, and your gut can also influence your mental health. Psychological help, like talk therapy, can help reduce gut symptoms even among people with digestive conditions. This is because stress can worsen gut symptoms. In addition, a better diet can also improve your mental health.

How to keep your gut healthy

Doctors have found that the gut-brain axis can directly impact mental health. Some experts have even suggested using digestive methods to help manage mental conditions like depression and anxiety. However, your mental health isn’t just affected by your gut. For many people, the environment they’re in contributes directly to their mental health. In this instance, managing gut health simply helps reduce symptoms.

It’s important to eat a balanced diet at all times. But keep in mind what you’re doing for your friendly gut bacteria, not just your nutrition. An easy diet to follow is the Mediterranean diet, which contains fruits, vegetables, nuts, fatty fish, unsaturated fats, low sugar, and complex carbs. This diet is also low in red meat and processed foods. Such a diet can improve the diversity of your gut bacteria, ensuring you have all the flora necessary to digest food and absorb nutrients. In addition, gut bacteria play a role in keeping the walls of the digestive tract with enough mucus to prevent the leaking of inflammatory and waste products. The Mediterranean diet contains foods known as prebiotics, which feed the friendly gut bacteria, and probiotics, which contain living friendly gut bacteria.

A healthy gut also reduces the risk of diabetes, arthritis, cancer, heart disease, bloating, and fluctuating weight. Other things you can do to improve your gut health include the following.

1.      Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water each day helps increase the diversity of gut microbiota. In addition, water prevents the growth of bad gut bacteria that lead to complications like infections and constipation. Adults must make sure they drink at least eight glasses of water daily.

2.      Eat lots of plant-based foods

Plant-based foods contain compounds known as polyphenols. These are compounds with antioxidants that help prevent various diseases. In addition, they contain fibre, which contributes to a healthy gut microbiome. Whole grains like oats are also highly nutritious and great for your gut health. Try to eat legumes like beans, lentils, or peas multiple times a week.

3.      Eat fermented foods

Unless recommended by your doctor, avoid taking probiotic supplements. Instead, opt for a healthier diet to give you a more diverse range of healthy gut bacteria. Fermented foods like sauerkraut, yoghurt, kefir, and maziwa mala (sour milk) are great sources of probiotics.

4.      Take antibiotics responsibly

Antibiotics are meant to target bacteria that are causing illness within your body. However, antibiotics still affect the gut microbiota. When you’re taking antibiotics, they limit the number of good bacteria colonising the digestive tract. When you misuse antibiotics, you can completely alter your gut bacteria. Overusing antibiotics also leads to antibiotic resistance.

5.      Reduce processed foods

Over-consuming processed foods can lead to the reduction of friendly gut bacteria. This can cause the intestinal walls to reduce the mucus membranes that ensure no leaky gut. Ultra-processed foods increase the risk of inflammation, irritable bowel, and a leaky gut.

Having a snack once in a while isn’t bad for you, but ensure your diet is rich in fibre, leafy greens, and lean meats instead.