Can food contribute to a good mood? Scientists say yes, and they don't mean that a full belly is reason enough to be content. See what to eat to feel good.

It turns out that some food products affect our nervous system and stimulate the production of hormones and substances that improve our well-being. This is very important information, especially in today's times when the stress and anxiety of a pandemic make us "not ourselves" at times.

The unique bond between the gut and the brain

How is it possible that our diet affects our mood? It is about the relationship between the nervous system and the digestive system. Between the intestines, which are an important element of the digestive system and the brain, there is a so-called the axis that connects these two organs physically (via the vagus nerve) and biochemically (via neurotransmitters).

The so-called good bacteria that are part of the intestinal microbiota, i.e. a group of microorganisms inhabiting the digestive system. We owe their presence, among others, to a proper and he althy diet, full of fiber, vegetables and dairy products.

Serotonin is also an important element of the cooperation between the digestive and nervous systems. It is a tissue hormone which is also a neurotransmitter, i.e. a substance that sends signals between nerve cells. It is found mainly in the intestinal mucosa, but is also found in the nervous system and platelets.

Serotonin is called the happiness hormone because it affects a person's mood. When its level in the body is correct, we feel happier, calmer, we do not feel anxious, we do not suffer from depressed mood, we are focused, more emotionally stable. On the other hand, people suffering from depression - as research shows - have low levels of serotonin.

When the gut lacks "good" bacteria, communication on the gut-brain axis is impaired. The body also has problems with the production of neurotransmitters, including serotonin. Then it becomes necessary to supply bacteria from the outside in the form of probiotics.

Substances important to the brain

But probiotics and serotonin aren't everything. For the brain to function properly and to produce the substances necessary for a good mood, other ingredients are also needednutritional.

It is very important to consume magnesium, which affects the work of the central nervous system and improves our concentration, or B vitamins, which are responsible for the work of nerve cells. Choline deficiency (vitamin B4) causes nervousness, and vitamin B1 - increases our susceptibility to stress. Vitamins B6 and B12 are involved in the production of neurotransmitters, especially serotonin from an amino acid called tryptophan (without it, the body would not be able to produce it).

Supplementation - support for the diet

Unfortunately, our diet is not always what it should be. Rush caused by work and excess duties means that instead of eating a he althy home-made meal, we often reach for the ready-made meal, full of preservatives and the so-called "Chemistry". No wonder that not only do we suffer from abdominal pain, but also deficiencies of vitamins, minerals and other valuable nutrients.

Then supplementation is the rescue - in the form of tablets, we can take vitamins and minerals, but also provide the body with valuable probiotics.

Exactly which substances are worth supplementing in order to have a good mood, feel happy and approach problems at work with a smile?

  • Omega-3 fatty acids

A growing body of research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids (found in oily fish such as sardines, salmon and mackerel, fish oil, walnuts, flaxseeds and chia) play an important role in brain function and their deficiencies are associated with mental problems.

  • Probiotics

Probiotics are best known for their effects on the proper functioning of the digestive system, but research confirms that the good bacteria in the gut send and receive signals to the brain (that is, they are responsible for the function of the gut-brain axis). The results of scientific observations published in 2022 showed a positive effect of probiotics on people with symptoms of depression. Probiotic strains that have shown a beneficial effect on mental he alth in research are called psychobiotics.

  • B vitamins

B vitamins are important nutrients for the brain. They are also involved in the production of serotonin and dopamine, which help regulate your mood. They are found in nuts, beans, poultry, offal, fish, and whole grains.

Vitamin B is also folic acid, the deficiency of which affects depressive states. Perhaps this is due to the fact that folic acid is involved in the metabolism of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, which are neurotransmitters important for mood. The source of folic acid isspinach, artichokes, lentils, avocado, broccoli.

  • Vitamin D

Known as the solar vitamin, it is formed in the body through synthesis in the skin under the influence of UV rays. In our climate, we are exposed to its deficiencies, while vitamin D increases serotonin levels, and its deficiency may be associated with mood disorders, especially seasonal depression. Vitamin D in food is present in small amounts: in sea fish, cheese, egg yolks, milk.

  • Tryptophan

Tryptophan, as we mentioned, is an amino acid necessary for the production of serotonin. Its deficiency causes a drop in energy, worse mood and even depression. Tryptophan is a substance found in certain foods, such as: salmon, nuts and seeds (e.g. pumpkin seeds), poultry, eggs, tofu, soybeans, milk, cheese and pineapple, and oat bran.

About a diet that has a positive effect on our mood says prof. dr hab. n. med. Ewa Stachowska from the Chair and Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics of the Pomeranian Medical University

Our mood and well-being, of course, depend on many factors, including our genes, but it is also influenced by the way we eat. Specialists recommend the MIND diet, which affects the mood and has a neuroprotective effect.

The MIND diet is based on a blood pressure-regulating diet and the Mediterranean diet. It is a simple diet, because it is derived from the diet of poor people, it is friendly to people and the environment. It is full of plant ingredients, grains, legumes, herbs, fish, but low in meat, especially red meat (at most once a month).

The MIND diet should also include dark berries, because they contain valuable ingredients that inhibit the aging process, polyphenols and other neuroprotective ingredients. We should eat them at least twice a week. There is also little fat in the MIND diet, and if anything is that he althy olive oil, rapeseed oil. All animal and trans fats are forbidden.

Speaking of a diet that affects the mood, it is worth mentioning the ingredients that are necessary in communication between the digestive and nervous systems, i.e. the gut-brain axis. It is primarily vegetable fiber, which is not only a "remnant sweeper", but mainly an ingredient influencing the intestinal bacterial flora.

Dietary fiber "feeds" good bacteria, and thanks to this they produce short-chain fatty acids, neurotransmitters and vitamins, including from group B, which are essential for the functioning of the nervous system. Therefore, our plates should contain a lot of colorful, plant-rich vegetablesfiber.

In situations where our microbiota is strained (poor diet, chronic stress, medications - also psychotropic), it is worth helping with ready-made compositions of probiotic bacteria. Among them there are those that have shown "mood-improving" effects in research, e.g. the duoLactobacillus helveticus Rosell®- 52 andBifidobacterium longum Rosell®- 175. They were tested by he althy people who live under stress, and by people suffering from depression. The use of probiotics improved their results in psychological tests, which confirmed their better well-being. However, the somatic results were equally important: less gastrointestinal discomfort caused by stress, decreased levels of cortisol in the urine, or biochemical changes related to greater production of serotonin from tryptophan.

Category:

Diets