How Changing Your Diet Can Affect Your Mood and Thinking

The food you eat doesn’t just fuel your body, it also plays a major role in your mental wellness. Your diet can influence your mood, energy levels, and even how well you think and focus. 

Read on as Lisa Webb, MBA, MPH, D.Psy, Ken Robins, MS, PhD, and Richard Bagley, MS, at Body & Mind Consulting in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, explain how changing your diet can affect your mood and thinking, as well as how our gut repair program can support your efforts.

Why your diet affects your mood and thinking

Your gut and brain are closely linked through the gut-brain axis, which is a communication system that connects your digestive system to your nervous system.

The bacteria in your gut help produce neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which regulate mood and cognitive function.

When you change your diet in ways that support your gut health, you also support your mental health. That’s because eating nutrient-dense whole foods nourishes your microbiome (the trillions of microorganisms thriving in your gut). The stronger and more robust your microbiome is, the better it can produce these mood-boost neurotransmitters.

The takeaway here is that a healthy gut microbiome is linked to lower stress levels, improved mood, and better concentration.

Foods that boost your mood and brain function

The following foods support both your gut and your brain:

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are a type of nondigestible fiber that feeds the good bacteria in your gut. Researchers found that people with anxiety and depression who included more prebiotics in their diet had a reduction in depression and anxiety because the prebiotics reduced their inflammatory response and increased serotonin availability.

Bananas, garlic, onions, asparagus, leeks, chicory root, tiger nut flour, and oats are just some of the foods that contain prebiotic fiber. 

You can also combine several of these ingredients — oats and bananas, fox example — for an added nutritional punch.

Fermented foods

Fermented foods contain probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that help balance your gut microbiome. (Prebiotics feed these probiotics.) 

To squeeze more probiotic-rich foods into your diet, consider eating more yogurt with live active cultures, kefir, kimchi, raw sauerkraut, miso, and tempeh.

You can also take probiotic supplements if needed.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids

Healthy fats, especially omega-3s, support gut health by reducing inflammation and promoting beneficial bacteria. They also enhance cognitive function and may help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

You can find healthy fats in salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, and mackerel.

Polyphenol-rich foods

Polyphenols are plant compounds with powerful antioxidant properties that support gut bacteria and brain function. They help protect against cognitive decline and improve mood.

Foods in this category include blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, green tea, and dark chocolate.

Fiber-rich foods

A fiber-rich diet helps maintain a balanced gut microbiome, which directly influences brain health and mood. Fiber also prevents energy crashes and keeps blood sugar stable, so you can have better focus.

Studies also show that eating enough soluble fiber each day can help reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Foods that contain high fiber include pears, apples, lentils, quinoa, and dark leafy greens.

Foods to limit for the sake of mood and thinking

Just as certain foods can support brain function, others can contribute to inattention and anxious feelings, disrupt the gut-brain connection, and negatively affect mood and cognition. 

Try to minimize:

• Refined sugars and artificial sweeteners (they can alter your gut microbiome!)
• Highly processed foods
• Fried and fast foods 
• Excess caffeine and alcohol
• Artificial dyes (these can be particularly bad for focusing)

These foods can contribute to inflammation, gut dysbiosis (imbalanced gut microbiota), brain fog, and even irritability.  

Small changes with a big impact

Improving your gut health doesn’t require drastic changes — small adjustments can make a significant difference. Start by incorporating probiotic and prebiotic foods and swapping processed snacks for fiber-rich alternatives.

Not sure where to start? 

Here at Body & Mind Consulting, we know that your mind and your gut aren’t two separate systems. That’s why we use a multifaceted approach for mood and thinking issues that may include therapy and gut repair.

Therapy

If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, or burnout, our licensed team can help you get the therapy you need. Counselor Richard Bagley uses a non-medication approach to uncover the root of your symptoms so you can start to feel like yourself again.

Assessments and evaluations

Richard can also recommend evaluations to confirm the source of your symptoms. For example, tests can confirm if attention hyperactivity deficit disorder (ADHD) is contributing to focus issues. This helps determine the root cause of your symptoms. 

Gut repair

Dr. Webb and Dr. Robins can help you jumpstart your gut health with our “Healthy Mind for Happier Life” wellness program. In this 60-day program, we focus on gut repair with personalized guidance, supplements, and coaching.

To book your consultation, give us a call at 615-310-1491 or request an appointment online today.