When we have food, (what is the last food you had today?). It transports it to the stomach through the food pipe all the while digesting it with enzymes, which I am sure a lot of you know. But what you may not be aware of is that there we have a big family (Trillions of bacteria that have formed a village inside your gut)- before you go eww, they are actually good for us. They most belong to two smaller communities/companies – let’s call them the Jens and Kens. They are helpful. They give us vitamins and other stuff. They are good employees. They make energy for the company (us, our brain) and then there are bad employees. The Kims and the Jims. (No intentional name defamation here people)

Lacto

One correlation study showed a positive correlation with butyrate producing bacteria with higher quality of life.

Let’s bring the connection together.

They produce very similar neurotransmitters as brain substances (serotonin) and then report to the Manager (the ENS). This is why you have seen an uptick of many probiotic foods, fermented kombucha, yoghurt with culture etc. Interestingly you know two hours of stress, itself has the power of changing your gut flora in two hours per a study by [1]

While most of these bacteria helping producing different vitamins, digestion, the ratio itself is important. But there also other not so
helpful bacteria that can increase in number depending on our diet, stress our other mental/physical health. These gut bacteria in
turn have the ability to modulate gut lining, permeability and the messages it sends to the ENS. Since a lot of the effects are more
subtle, and chronic they have been historically downplayed.

• College Kids- 30.3 percent that developed depression, their diets were found to contain 51 per cent sugar and 49 percent at sweetened drinks as part of their normal diet which was 3-4x then other participants.

If you remember the gut bacteria that was associated with higher quality of life indicators was often depleted in depressed subject while inflammation causing bacteria was higher.

2. Lactobacillus, found in cultured yoghurt was found to reverse depression in rats.

3. A quick note: Probiotics needs sufficient prebiotics food to be efficient. A 2010 study 55 health men and women reported improved mood after receiving probiotics when compared to placebo.

4. A study dating back 20 years showed a 0.95 correlation between eating sugar and depression that was found to be true across six countries!

• College Kids- 30.3 percent that developed depression, their diets were found to contain 51 per cent sugar and 49 percent at sweetened drinks as part of their normal diet which was 3-4x then other participants.

If you remember the gut bacteria that was associated with higher quality of life indicators was often depleted in depressed subject while inflammation causing bacteria was higher.

2. Lactobacillus, found in cultured yoghurt was found to reverse depression in rats.

3. A quick note: Probiotics needs sufficient prebiotics food to be efficient. A 2010 study 55 health men and women reported improved mood after receiving probiotics when compared to placebo.

4. A study dating back 20 years showed a 0.95 correlation between eating sugar and depression that was found to be true across six countries!

Some interesting research – schizophrenic humans to guts of lab mice.
Gut bacteria also have the ability to produce many chemical that are used by brain as neurotransmitters- dopamine, serotonin,GABA,
One study how lactobacillus and streptococcus can result in changes in dopamine levels and may predispose you to Parkinson’s
disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Two hours of stress to cause alteration in your gut— one exam, a fight with your spouse, one stressful patient easily gives two hours
of stress. 

• While not everyone needs to follow these to the tee, if your patient suffering from a mental health condition, you want to recommend removal of known food items that increase the risk of it and incorporate better alternatives

I would like to say, people love to say “oh one day of ice-cream not going to do anything or just have a slice of pizza if you are hungry. Sure, one day is not going to do anything. But what you do 80-90% of the time is. 

Anyway, the 

ENS: The gut flora (the employees) gives reports to the managers (through neurotransmitters and chemicals) the ENS- who work as a communicator between the higher ups and the employees. And but also can give direct directions, orders again through receptors for neurotransmitters through the bacteria, which can make it toxic for some, which can change or cause indigestion, bloating but also cause problem with absorption of some vital nutrients. We don’t really think of it that way, but food themselves are chemicals which when digested product new substances
that can very different effect on the ENS and subsequently on the CNS dpending on the type of receptor it interacts
with whether that maybe GABA, Cannabinoids, Opiates, NE etc. Research deems that the ENS is sophisticated to
respond very differently to different diets. It can control secretion blood flow, hormone release, motility and goes
back and forth with the CNS.

Now all these neurotransmitters travel to the brain and makes sure the Head of the company can function, make sound decision, if all it gets is crappy Neurotransmitters, and all it feels is fatigued, or anxious or sad. Can it really make that decision; Can you really make that decision.

Now Imagine day in and day out, all you are getting is these transmitters in the ratio that continue to make you feel anxious or confused, or tired or depressed?

And what’s worse, is the comfort foods that media has almost programmed us to eat when we are sad, tend to make things worse.

The brain:  So, the bacteria can only produce substances based on what the food it has right. You can’t expect to cook a five-star meal when all you were given is soda and the first thing you could find at dunking donuts, right? Also, the more chronically you eat, now you have different little friends staying in your stomach, which can produce different chemicals in your brain. So, lets Neurotransmitters then through the second brain goes to the Head of the company- your real brain and feeds the brain and energy. But what if you are surviving of coffee or I don’t know Vapes.  What do you think? Let me know in the the video comments on my youtube or DM me on twitter (now X or insta)- I would love . below

Ok, so we get the gist that the food we are eating and the bacteria we have in our gut is affecting how we feel. And not just happy or sad, but how productive we are or even how paranoid or crazy we become to some extent. 

So what should I eat. 

(Food has been a love hate relationship- l love food, but thinking day in and day out what to eat and what to makre hree quare meals a day has me dying and on top of that make it good for my health and gut has me dying)

But here is what evidence says- what to eat: What Food to eat for your mental health. s