Mental Health Awareness Week - A Week of Wellness: Food For Thought
Here at FatFace, food is the way to our hearts and minds.
Today, we’re teaming up with The Gut Stuff to explore the link between our brains and guts, and how you can support your gut.
Your guide to a healthy gut
- 1. The gut and the brain are intrinsically linked with communication going both ways - think of it as two friends keeping each other company and feeding off each other.
- 2. These friends ‘chat’ both physically via the vagus nerve (like a telephone wire) and chemically (like wireless) through hormones called neurotransmitters.
- 3. We call this back-and-forth communication pathway between the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract the ‘gut-brain axis’.
- 4. Neurotransmitters play a key role in regulating how your gut works and your mood.
- 5. Different types of microbes and their byproducts may increase or decrease the risk of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
- 6. So by treating our gut to some TLC, we’re treating our minds too.
How to look after your brain and gut
Try to de-stress
Stress can decrease the variety of microbes in your gut. Focus on what helps you de-stress, whether it’s a yoga class, a walk or a long soak in the tub.
Make time to sit down
Try to avoid eating on the go - sit down without distractions (like screens) and really focus on the food in front of you.
Keep a stress diary
It could be working out too hard, not getting enough sleep, worrying about work or family - sometimes it’s tricky to work out why we’re stressed. We are all unique, but do what you can to get to know yourself better and managing your stress might become a little easier.
Focus on brain food
Think about fibre
Your microbes’ favourite food? Fibre. We need 30g a day but 9/10 of us aren’t getting enough (an apple is around 2.5g). When your microbes chomp down on fibre, they release compounds that provide your gut cells with fuel, and support mental health too.
It’s all about variety
Research shows that by aiming to eat 30 different types of plant a week (vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, pulses, legumes, nuts and seeds), you encourage a more diverse mix of microbes. And variety is key to keeping your microbes happy.
Need a little inspiration?
The gut-loving recipes to know
Whip up a meal that your mind and body will love...
The Gut Stuff
Created by The Mac Twins, The Gut Stuff is on a mission to empower gut health in everyone, working with a team of experts including scientists, nutritionists, dieticians and medics to bring people the latest gut health science to help tell fact from fiction.