Anxiety has increased by 25% worldwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported in The Lancet. This rise is attributed to heightened stress and uncertainty during the pandemic, leading to a significant spike in anxiety disorders.
The gut and brain are connected through the vagus nerve, which transmits neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA. Stress can alter gut bacteria, which in turn affects neurotransmitter production, leading to heightened anxiety.
Serotonin, often called the 'happiness hormone,' is produced mainly in the gut. Its receptors are located in the gut, and its production is influenced by gut bacteria. Low serotonin levels can contribute to anxiety and depression.
Stress can change the composition of gut bacteria within two hours. Chronic stress can lead to further alterations in gut microbiome, which may exacerbate anxiety over time.
Sugar can activate dopamine reward pathways in the brain, similar to how cocaine does. This can create a cycle of craving and emotional highs and lows, contributing to anxiety and stress eating.
A diet rich in fiber, healthy fats, and plant-based foods can support gut health, which in turn can improve mental health. Nutrient-dense foods like leafy greens, colorful vegetables, and healthy proteins can help calm the mind and reduce anxiety.
Foods like choline-rich eggs, antioxidant-packed vegetables, calming teas, and omega-3-rich salmon can help reduce anxiety. Dark chocolate, paired with citrus fruits, can also provide serotonin and iron, aiding in mood regulation.
Dietary changes can start to show improvements in anxiety symptoms within one to three weeks. People often notice better sleep and reduced anxiety levels as their gut health improves.
The anti-anxiety plate consists of half leafy greens and colorful vegetables, a healthy fat like avocado, a clean protein like tofu or cauliflower, and whole grains like quinoa. This balanced meal supports gut health and mental well-being.
Dehydration can lead to increased anxiety. Staying hydrated with water or calming teas like chamomile can help regulate mood and reduce anxiety symptoms.
1 in 3 people have anxiety. It’s the most common mental health disorder in the world. And many of us know what anxiety feels like: palms sweating before a job interview, losing your appetite before a looming deadline, a pit in your stomach when you get bad news. It’s not just in your head, it’s in your gut.
Today, we’ll learn how food could help us cope. Our guest explains the rising global trend toward increased anxiety: its rise through the pandemic, and explosion among young people.
Dr. Uma Naidoo is on the forefront of nutritional psychiatry. She directs the first hospital-based Nutritional Psychiatry Service in the US, at Massachusetts General Hospital and teaches at Harvard Medical School.
Uma will help you understand the symptoms and biology of anxiety, painting a picture of the risks it poses for long-term health. And her diet tips will help you fuel your gut for a healthy mind.
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Timecodes:
00:00 Change your diet to beat anxiety
01:23 Quickfire questions
02:52 What is anxiety?
05:58 Are humans more anxious now than in the past?
08:50 This is where anxiety occurs in the brain
11:29 The gut-brain connection
12:45 Serotonin: the happiness hormone
20:05 How gut bacteria impact the brain
21:20 What happens 2 hours after stress?
23:10 Foods that disrupt dopamine pathways
24:50 Is food addiction real?
30:35 How chronic stress affects hunger
34:00 The importance of feeding good gut microbes
41:00 Eat more of these vegetables
45:02 How to overcome diet anxiety
49:20 How to use Uma’s ‘Calm’ approach
53:13 The anti-anxiety plate
Find Uma's Cauliflower Tikka Massala recipe here)
Get Uma's latest book 'Calm Your Mind With Food')
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati)
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector)
Free resources from ZOE
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition)
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks)
Mentioned in today's episode
Eat to Beat Stress (2020), published in American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine)
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Episode transcripts are available here).