How does happiness arise? How does joy actually come about? There are many answers to this question. Our mood is controlled and changed by a multitude of external influences. Mood is fundamentally very volatile and unpredictable, as it changes more or less frequently, positively or negatively. Whether it's the weather, the work environment, family and friends, lifestyle, health, relationships, etc. (this list could go on indefinitely). The important thing is that all these things can influence and change our mood. The mood we display is therefore dependent on a multitude of variables and influences. However, perhaps the most important mood-influencing aspect of this list is the food we consume daily. It has long been known that our diet has an impact on our mood – our food significantly influences our mood, whether positively or negatively.
What has now come into focus for science is the connection between our diet and our gut microbiome, or more precisely, the microbes in our gut and our mental health. Various studies have shown that, for example, dysbiosis (an imbalance of "good" and "bad" bacteria in the gut) can contribute to various mental illnesses and thus lead to, for example, low mood, anxiety, and even depression.
Conversely, this means that when we eat, we shouldn't just focus on what makes our taste buds happy. We should also keep the health of our gut microbiome in mind and thus keep the trillions of microbes inside us satisfied! And why exactly is that? What we eat can positively and negatively influence the relationship we have with these tiny microbes within us. This means that the food we consume every day can influence, shape, and change this relationship.
You can think of it this way: your microbes are your partner (like in a human relationship) – aren't you happier when your partner is happy? So it's true – happy gut, happy mood!
Our gut is fundamentally a crucial part of who we are and also has a major influence on how we feel. Find out exactly why now!
Neurotransmitters - feelings of happiness produced by microbes
The microbes in our gut possess a whole host of impressive abilities. They help us digest our food, ensuring optimal nutrient absorption into our bodies—provided the food is healthy. They also act like tiny bodyguards within us, even neutralizing or killing various pathogens! But that's not all: different microbes can produce various vitamins and neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. It's estimated that around 90% of the happiness hormone serotonin is produced in our gut! This impressive figure alone demonstrates just how closely our mood is linked to our gut health, doesn't it?
The neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is responsible for reducing anxiety and stress and also has positive effects on our sleep, is also produced in our gut. Recent studies show that consuming probiotic, fermented whole foods can even help alleviate anxiety symptoms.This shows us all the more that our diet can have a major impact on our mood and that we should do our best to provide the trillions of tiny microbes in our gut with the best possible nutrients.
Leaky Gut & Lethargy
What exactly is leaky gut? Our intestines are lined with a protective barrier on the inside. When this barrier functions properly, it prevents pathogens, bacteria, and toxins from entering our bloodstream. If this barrier malfunctions, the intestinal lining usually has tears or holes, allowing invaders to easily enter our bloodstream and wreak havoc. This, in turn, can trigger inflammation and changes in the gut flora, which can lead to problems within the digestive tract and beyond. These inflammations can also cause symptoms such as headaches and lethargy. leading to mental lethargy or excessive sleepiness.
Conversely, this means that an imbalanced gut can negatively affect your mood. So, what can you do to restore your gut's balance? Probiotics are a great place to start, as they provide your gut with a whole host of beneficial microbes that help get your gut microbiome back on track. Our [product name] is a good example of this. Dailybacs®Through them, you ingest a whopping 60 billion "good" gut bacteria daily, actively supporting the health of your microbiome! As the perfect complement, we've also developed the Mood Up Addons, which elevate your mood to the next level with natural ingredients like ashwagandha and saffron.
Stress and the gut
You can imagine our gut as a beautiful garden of diverse organisms and plants that can only thrive in balance and with careful attention. If it's neglected, weeds seize the opportunity and spread quickly and uncontrollably. The beautiful flowers and herbs are thus crowded out by the weeds. Our gut "garden" is home to a vast array of thousands of different species and strains of bacteria. When our gut is in balance, it influences our well-being on many different levels. If this balance is disrupted, health problems can arise, which in turn can negatively affect our mood.
However, there is a fairly simple way to influence our gut health and thus the bacterial composition of our microbiome. This can be achieved, firstly, through a healthy, fiber-rich diet, and secondly, through a healthy and balanced lifestyle. The gut actively communicates with the brain via the so-called gut-brain axis. This connection shows that the gut is negatively affected by stress. Conversely, it also illustrates that an unhappy, unbalanced gut can lead to stress for the entire body.
That's precisely why it's extremely important to address stress management in order to protect your body from it in the long term. There are many ways to do this – be it meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, or a walk. Do what feels best for you and promises relaxation even in stressful situations.Because regular exercise and a nutrient-rich diet have been proven to contribute to improved microbial diversity and thus boost your mood to the next level! Learn more about gut health and your mood. here!
microbes & Mood
We've already established in this blog post that your gut health can influence your brain and mood, potentially resulting in anxiety and stress responses in the body. However, another crucial point that shouldn't be overlooked is that gut health also impacts digestion, affecting it for better or worse! If the population of "bad" gut bacteria in your microbiome is too large, you not only risk unpleasant symptoms like diarrhea or constipation, but it can also impair your body's ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins. This, in turn, can lead to various deficiencies in different vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B12 and vitamin D, in particular, are less readily absorbed by a compromised gut – and they are essential nutrients for mood and energy levels. That's precisely why they're included in our Mood Up Add-ons, designed to boost your mood to the next level! Low levels of these nutrients in your body can often lead to symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, and tension!
Ups and downs of blood sugar
It's common knowledge that fluctuations in blood sugar levels can affect mood and also cause fatigue, irritability, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and a drop in energy. Of course, many factors influence blood sugar balance, but our gut bacteria also play a significant role. If our microbiome is out of balance, it can be difficult for the body to maintain a stable blood sugar level. So, what exactly can you do to keep your blood sugar levels balanced? A healthy, balanced microbiome helps with this. You can easily support it by reducing refined sugar and highly processed foods. You should also replace simple carbohydrates with whole-grain products.
We hope we were able to give you an interesting insight into the symbiosis between the gut and mood, and finally, we just have our well-known rule of thumb for you:
Happy Gut, Happy You!
