For years doctors have thought that depression and anxiety can lead to people experiencing problems with their digestive system. While in some cases this may still be true, new research is beginning to shed a little more light on this particular subject. Scientists are starting to believe that anxiety or depression can also be caused by problems in the gastrointestinal tract.
The gastrointestinal tract or GI tract can also be referred to as the second brain of your body. That’s because this tract is lined with the enteric nervous system or ENS. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “The ENS is two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum.”
What you eat affects the signals that these little nerve cells are sending up to your brains. For example, sugar can cause pleasure which causes the brain to produce dopamine. The only problem here is that it can become addictive to people who then begin to rely on the little burst of dopamine they get when they eat sweet foods for a short-lived moment of happiness.
Foods to improve your mood
Here are a few foods to consider throwing in your shopping cart if you’re hoping to help your GI tract to send some positive messages up to your brain –
Antioxidants: Berries are a wonderful source of antioxidants that can be added to shakes, thrown in with breakfast or a salad or just enjoyed individually.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fish contain lots of omega-3 fatty acids, so grab some salmon the next time you are at the store.
Fiber: Whole grains and beans can help you get a healthy helping of fibers in your diet. They aid your body in digesting sugars more slowly instead of just absorbing everything.
Vitamin D: If you aren’t getting enough sunlight in your life then add in a vitamin D supplement or grab a few mushrooms for your next salad.
Probiotics: Yogurts or cottage cheese are a great way to fit a bit more probiotics into your diet.
Recipes to try
Making changes in your diet can be a difficult thing to do. You have a routine that works for you, and having the added stress of making new things can seem too time consuming to be worth it. Here are a few great gut friendly recipes for you to try to get you started on the right track.
Miso Salmon
https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/healthy/miso-salmon/
Smoothie
https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/quick-and-easy/kefir-banana-almond-and-frozen-berry-smoothie/
Creamy Yogurt Porridge
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/creamy-yogurt-porridge
Quick Kimchi
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/quick-kimchi
Miso Brown Rice and Chicken Salad
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/miso-brown-rice-chicken-salad
Exotic Avocado Salad
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/exotic-avocado-salad
It can be amazing the changes that can happen in your body just by changing one simple thing. If eating something new could help you in your process of learning to manage your anxiety, wouldn’t it be worth it to give it a try?
