Feeling stressed? 🧠Feed your microbes
What to eat to calm the mind and be more resilient to stress
Why is it that we’re so resistant to the thought that what we eat can affect how we feel and think?
In science we’ve compartmentalised the body, exploring the actions of the liver, the heart, the gut, and the brain, as separate entities.
The philosopher Descartes argued that the mind and body are so wholly separate, that it’s impossible to think they might affect each other.
But what you eat can change your mood, help you think better, and - possibly - help to ease stress.
There are a number of probiotics and prebiotics that have been shown to lower stress levels, but what about what you eat?
What to eat to stress-less
The Mediterranean diet is one of the most studied diets, and there are multiple studies that show how it can change your gut microbiome.
It’s a way of eating that is rich in plant foods, like whole grains, fruit, vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and herbs and spices.
It also features plenty of healthy fats too from fatty fish, and extra virgin olive oil. All things your gut bacteria love.
While there are more studies on food and depression, there are early signs of a relationship between dietary patterns and stress.
A study of nearly 11,000 participants found that eating a Mediterranean diet was linked with having a better stress tolerance, and this relationship was clearer with a lower alcohol intake (about 1 small glass of wine or a can a beer, a day) compared to larger amounts.
A Mediterranean diet may lower the inflammatory effects of stress, and could potentially protect against future stress-related mental health disorders.
These two studies are observational studies, though, that show us patterns in a population, but can’t determine ‘cause-and-effect’.
When it comes to ‘cause-and-effect’ we can look to human randomised controlled trials.
While they didn’t notice any differences in stress between the groups, the researchers found that the more closely the participants followed the gut-centric diet, the less stressed they felt.
And those whose microbiomes who changed the most from eating the gut-centric diet, had the best stress improvements.
In the study they were encouraged to eat:
Fruits (3 servings/day) and Vegetables (6 servings/day)
Apples
Bananas
Berries
Peaches
Onions
Cabbage/Chicory
Leeks
Asparagus
Garlic
Carrots
Sweet potatoes
Bell Peppers
Artichokes/Jerusalem Artichokes
Grains (5 to 8 servings/day) and Legumes (3 to 4 servings/week)
Whole grain products
Oats
Quinoa
Barley
Nuts
Chia Seeds
Chickpeas/Hummous
Lentils
Flax seeds (ground)
Beans
Fermented Foods (2-3 servings/day)
Kefir
Sauerkraut
Kombucha
Probiotic-containing products (i.e., yoghurts, Yakult)
More detail with meal plans and recipes from the study supplementary information here.
Chat soon, Emily xx