I see a lot of patients in my practice with mood disorders, specifically depression and anxiety.
While there may be a neurotransmitter imbalance in these conditions, it’s not the whole story, nor in my opinion the root cause.
We need to ask, why are the neurotransmitters out of balance?
Finding the underlying cause of why someone is exhibiting symptoms is my main goal.
And root causes will be different for everyone.
What naturopathic doctors have known and practiced for decades is that the entire body is connected. We’re not looking at bits, or parts, or tissues types. We’re looking at the entire, unique organism in the context of its specific and individual environment.
We also need to consider the nervous system isn’t just in the brain and spinal cord. The digestive track is richly supplied by millions of nerve cells making up what we call the enteric nervous system. Dr. Michael Gershwin calls it the Second Brain in his book of the same title.
There are more neurons here than in the spinal cord. And! The majority of the serotonin production in the body happens in the gut.
This is a two way road – from brain to gut and gut to brain. We can’t separate what is happening in one or the other. We have a healthy gut? Chances are VERY likely that we also have a healthy nervous system.
Knowing this information we can look at mood disorders differently. Is there a dietary component to depression and anxiety? You bet there is.
As the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
Lets talk about 4 ways that poor food and lousy nutrition can cause mental health issues (Tweet it!):
1. Food allergies / sensitivities:
If you’re eating a food that is reactive for you it’s going to disrupt that serotonin production in the gut. It’s also going to create inflammation which will decrease nutrient absorption. And scientists are showing more and more that depression and anxiety are connected to inflammation in the nervous system. When I eat my reactive foods I have really bad nightmares.
2. Nutrient deficiency
In addition to poor digestion and absorption, typical diets are often low in important nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, B-vitamins, iron, magnesium, and inflammation-fighting antioxidants. All of these nutrients are vital for entire body health – including the brain and digestive system.
3. Toxicity
We live in a dirty world and unfortunately we’re exposed to several toxins in the food we eat, water we drink, products we touch, and air we breath. Toxins will affect the cells’ ability to properly metabolize energy and function normally. This translates to poor digestion, sluggish energy, and poor moods.
4. Disrupted Microflora
Of the 3-5 pounds of micro-organisms that live with us inside our bodies, those of the digestive tract are probably the most well known. More and more studies are showing us that certain strains of bacteria can create different mental states and disease states in the body. It seems that all the health and happiness promoting bacteria thrive when we eat many vegetables and less refined, processed food including sugar. I think that is just so amazing!
Food is powerful medicine, for the entire body-mind!
On the flip side, diets rich in phytonutrients (that’s jargon for plant nutrients), essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and clean foods will promote mind-body health!
If you’re wondering if one of these considerations is true for you and your depression or anxiety, I’m here and happy to help. I’m trained to deal with all of these concerns, and help you get your body and mind as healthy as can be.
My favorite nutrition program is called The Plan by Lyn-Genet Recitas. It’s the opposite of a diet. It’s a nutrient-packed, high calorie, delicious way of eating that decreases inflammation in the body so it can heal. And when I say delicious I mean it: chocolate, cheese and wine are INCLUDED!!
Do you have any experience with mood concerns and using food as medicine for healing? I’d LOVE to hear about it in the comments below.
In the mean time, enjoy these daffodils! WOW!!
To your healthy, thriving, delightful gut, and life!
Dr. Tonia
I drink coffee every day and could cut down but to cut it out (I tried before) would be torture.