Stomach pain
It may surprise you to know that most of the happy hormone serotonin is actually produced in the gut, not the brain, and as such issues of food intolerance can significantly impact on our mood and mental wellbeing.
1 in 4 people in the UK will suffer problems with their mood or mental health every year, with anti-depressant prescriptions increasing by over 40% in the last 5 years.
According to charity Allergy UK, a shocking 45% of us suffer with food and drink intolerances, and with so many people in the UK suffering with low mood, identifying the root cause is essential to treat the problem.
Recent research from YorkTest Laboratories, leading experts in food intolerance testing, has found that 97% of their customers reported problems relating to mood as a significant symptom of their food intolerance, of which 73% felt that their mood had significantly improved after altering their diets to remove foods to which they reacted.
In addition, in a recent paper published in the journal of Nutrition and Food Science, over 81% of patients reported a significant improvement in mood and mental wellbeing as a direct consequence of applying the dietary changes recommended by YorkTest.
“Most people are aware that a healthy diet is important to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other physical health problems. Recent evidence also suggests that good nutrition is just as important for our mental health and that a number of mental health conditions may be influenced by dietary factors; this body of evidence linking diet with mental health is growing. A healthy diet can help recovery and lift your mood, although it should always sit alongside any treatments recommended by your doctor.” Eva Cyhlarova, Research Director, Mental Health Foundation.
So how is it that the food we eat can have such a significant impact on our mood? Dr. Gill Hart, Scientific Director at YorkTest Laboratories, explains:
“Many people will not be aware that 90% of serotonin, the brain’s ‘happy hormone’ is produced in the gut, and that the nervous tissue in our gut does much more than merely handling digestion – it is heavily involved in influencing our mental state. It is for these reasons that the gut is often referred to as the ‘second brain’. In addition, research has shown that depression is frequently associated with gastrointestinal inflammation – a common symptom of food intolerance. By tackling unidentified food intolerances, not only will physical symptoms benefit, but mental health symptoms can often show significant improvement.”
Watch the video below where Dr Hilary Jones talks about mood and pain and how it is affected by what we eat.
Tagged in Diet Healthy eating Healthy Diet Plan