Sandhya Raghavan
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Written By: Sandhya Raghavan | Updated : August 22, 2017 10:14 PM IST
Do you remember how it is to have butterflies in the stomach? It's a funny feeling you feel in your stomach when you are nervous or excited. Would you believe it if I told you that it is your stomach's way of communicating with your brain to start a stress response? Probably not. But there is mounting evidence to support the idea that your stomach and your brain may, in fact, be conspiring.
It was long speculated that your gut health is somehow tied to your mental health. Now research also says that social anxiety can be reduced by eating right. As bizarre as it sounds, but the answer to tackling social anxiety lies not just in your brain, but also in your stomach. Researchers Matthew Hilimire, Catherine Forestell Jordan DeVylder set out to investigate the connection between probiotics and social anxiety and were thrilled to find that those who eat a diet rich in fermented foods had decreased levels of social anxiety.1
What is the connection between the mind and the stomach?
Scientists have proven that the gut microbiota, or the organisms in the stomach, aid gut-brain communication and influence brain chemistry and our consequent behaviour. Traditional Japanese and Mediterranean dietary practices like eating fruits, vegetables, fish, cereals, modest amounts of lean meats and fermented soy products, all of which are great for the gut health, help in reduced risk of anxiety and depression.Those who have good dietary habits were less likely to be depressed and anxious2.
But with the advent of processed food culture, where foods are pumped with artificial sugars and preservatives, gut health has long been suffering. Unhealthy foods that are bad for the stomach cause low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. And this is often related to mental health disorders. Eating a probiotic-rich diet helps you heal your stomach, aiding in better communication between your mind and your gut and reduced instances of mental health problems like anxiety. If you are someone who has been grappling with social anxiety and mental health problems, you should include probiotics in your diet since it nourishes the friendly bacteria in your stomach.
reduced instances of mental health problems like anxiety. If you are someone who has been grappling with social anxiety and mental health problems, you should include probiotics in your diet since it nourishes the friendly bacteria in your stomach.
Best probiotics for your stomach health
Yoghurt: Easily available and delicious, homemade yoghurt are one of the best foods you could have for gut health.3
Kombucha tea: It is nothing but black tea fermented with a tea fungus. Warm or cold, kombucha tea is a great way to heal your gut.4
Sour pickles: Pickled veggies (minus all the oil and preservatives) are rich in probiotics. But insist on a homemade one.3
Kimchi: This Korean staple is yet another powerhouse of probiotic nutrients. Here's a simple recipe to make this delicious side dish at home.5
Dark chocolate: This may put a smile on your face, but dark chocolate is one of the best sources of probiotics for your body and tastes a lot better than plain yoghurt.6
References:
1.Hilimire, M. R., DeVylder, J. E., & Forestell, C. A. (2015). Fermented foods, neuroticism, and social anxiety: An interaction model. Psychiatry research, 228(2), 203-208.
2.Selhub, E. M., Logan, A. C., & Bested, A. C. (2014). Fermented foods, microbiota, and mental health: ancient practice meets nutritional psychiatry. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 33(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/1880-6805-33-2
3.https://www.thehealthsite.com/photo-gallery/fitness-top-6-foods-with-probiotics-that-help-digestion-t915-329038/
4.https://www.thehealthsite.com/fitness/health-benefits-of-kombucha-tea-b0617-500539/
5.https://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/health-benefits-of-kimchi-po0115-263418/
6.Hayek, N. (2013). Chocolate, gut microbiota, and human health. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 4, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2013.00011
