Post: A scientist who studies the link between our gut and brain shared 3 diet tweaks that could improve your mental health

Dr. Valerie Taylor researches the gut-brain axis and has found that a nutritious diet could help with mental health. Valerie Taylor studies the link between our gut health and mental health.

She said gut microbes, the brain, and central nervous system can influence one another via the "gut-brain axis."

Her tips for caring for gut health include eating a nutritious diet that suits you best.

A professor of psychiatry shared three ways caring for our gut health could improve our mental health.

Valerie Taylor, who is based at the University of Calgary, studies the relationship between the gut microbiome — the trillions of microorganisms in the digestive system — and the brain.

The gut microbiome is a rapidly growing area of research, with more than 40 times as much funding for related research in the US in 2016 as there was in 2007.

Research suggests that gut microbes, the brain, and the central nervous system can influence each other via what is known as the " gut-brain axis ," including by regulating the production of certain chemicals.

For example, when people get stressed, their bodies release more of the "stress hormone" cortisol, which can make the gastrointestinal system digest food faster, leading to diarrhea or an upset stomach , Taylor said.

Although the research is promising, Taylor doesn’t think that addressing gut health can "cure" mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.But a greater understanding of the gut-brain axis could encourage people to make lifestyle changes that could improve their gut and mental health, Taylor said. Experts are increasingly questioning the idea that depression, for instance, is solely caused by low serotonin levels , instead believing it is linked to a combination of biological, genetic, environmental, and psychosocial factors — including the gut-brain axis.Taylor said, based on her research, the following gut-friendly lifestyle changes could help those with mental health issues to maintain a more stable mood after their symptoms improve — with therapy , drugs, or time — and could prevent particularly serious symptoms in people who are predisposed to them. 1) Eat a nutritious diet that fits with […]

A scientist who studies the link between our gut and brain shared 3 diet tweaks that could improve your mental health