This month our team is sharing ideas about “beating the blahs” in November. This, of course, is the non-technical term for dips in mood, increases in anxiety and stress, and overall decreased sense of wellbeing that many people face in the colder months of winter (and apparently fall this year in Calgary).
Even though many of us will struggle more with mental health challenges in the winter, the link between diet and mental health is a year-long issue. This week we had the chance to talk with our resident Registered Dietician, Rory Hornstein, about the link between diet, mental health, and wellness and here’s what she had to say.
“Studies suggest probiotic applications to the gut can reduce anxiety and depression via the vagus nerve.
Questions remain that touch the core of being human:
(i) Do our microbes influence happiness and to what extent?
(ii) What components of the gut microbiota and their function relates to mental health?
(iii) What role do environmental pollutants (and diet) play in this microbes-host ecosystem?
Quick Tip: Reach for real food first. Eat a minimum of five fruit & vegetables and at least five servings of whole grains daily
Lower bacterial diversity has been observed in people with inflammatory bowel disease, psoriatic arthritis, type 1 diabetes, atopic eczema, coeliac disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and arterial stiffness. The association between reduced diversity and disease indicates that a species-rich gut ecosystem is more robust against environmental influences, as functionally related microbes in an intact ecosystem. Consequently, diversity seems to be a generally good indicator of a “healthy gut”. Specific foods and dietary patterns can all influence the abundance of different types of bacteria in the gut, which in turn can affect health. Changes to the gut microbiota can occur within days of changing diet. We can increasingly modify health through food and measure the effects through our microbes or metabolites. Fiber is a key nutrient for a healthy microbiome.
(i) High-intensity sweeteners are commonly used as sugar alternatives, being many times sweeter than sugar with minimal calories. Despite being “generally recognized as safe” by regulatory agencies, some animal studies have shown that these sugar substitutes may have negative effects on the gut microbiota. Sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin have been shown to disrupt the balance and diversity of gut microbiota.
(ii) Food additives, such as emulsifiers, which are commonly found in processed foods, have also been shown to affect the gut microbiota.
(iii) Other areas of concern include the side effects of popular restrictive diets on gut health. These include some strict vegan diets, raw food or “clean eating” diets, gluten-free diets, and low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) diets used to treat irritable bowel syndrome. I have completed FODMAP training through Monash University in Australia.
This is one of my favorite resources on gut microbiota and diet. It is evidence based – the link below highlights a few of the articles on gut microbiome as related to mental health”. https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/?s=mental+health
Rory brings her insight and skill-base to our team, as we help our clients navigate mental health challenges, achieve performance goals, and build healthy relationships & lifestyle. We are a collaborative team and a wellness home and are excited to work with our clients on multiple facets of mental health and wellness. This, right here, is why I love the collaboration on our team.