IS YOUR STOMACH making you sick?
Your gut health could be impacting your mood
It’s common to blame your grumpy mood on lack of sleep or hunger – but research has shown that your emotions can be altered by your gut health, having a huge effect on the way you think and feel.
‘Serotonin, the neurotransmitter that impacts mood, is found and made in the gut,’ explains Jessica Sepel, clinical nutritionist and author of Living The Healthy Life.
WHAT IS SEROTONIN?
‘Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood – helping to prevent depression. It is known as the “happy hormone”,’ Jessica says.
To put it simply, a neurotransmitter carries signals along and between nerves. Serotonin specifically is very strongly associated with the body’s contribution to wellbeing and happiness. Because so much of the body’s major serotonin can be found in the gastrointestinal tract, it has a direct link to our moods.
‘Up to 90 per cent of the serotonin produced in the body is found in the gut,’ Jessica adds. ‘Low serotonin is associated with low moods and depression.’
OTHER FACTORS
While serotonin is the major player when it comes to the link between gut health and mood, Jessica says that bad bacteria can also have a negative effect on your happiness. ‘Besides serotonin, gut bacteria is involved in the communication between the brain and the gut – influencing mood. This is why it is important to ensure you have a good balance of the good and bad bacteria in the gut,’ she says.
THE SIGNS
If you’re worried you have bad gut health, some telltale signs of an imbalance include gas, bloating, heartburn, diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome and constipation.
‘I believe the best way to treat this is to introduce probiotics into a person’s diet and take out foods that encourage the growth of bad bacteria, such as sugar, alcohol and processed foods,’ Jessica advises.
Be kind to your stomach – what you put in your mouth has a big effect on how you feel. Living The Healthy Life by Jessica Sepel (Pan Macmillan, $39.99) is out now.