Gut Health & Depression: Is There Really a Connection?

Ravyn Ramos
Apr 14
3 min read

Updated: Nov 19

It is said that one should trust the gut. However, perhaps the gut has the power to influence the way you feel, the amount of energy you possess, and the possibility of becoming depressed.

To provide mental healthcare, we consider the entire body in Solshine Wellness. We even wish to peep beneath the crust to observe the relation of the stomach and the feelings.

We are going to take a look at how the gut and brain are connected and how your mind can be fixed by mending your gut.

The Gut-Brain Axis: Your Body’s Secret Communication System

The gut and your brain are constantly in conversation with each other through what is known as the gut-brain axis; a combination of immune signals, nerves and hormones. Imagine it is a two-way street: what your mind is up to can modify the functioning of your stomach and vice versa.

The gut is now known by scientists as the second brain. It possesses its own nervous system producing and responding to much of the same chemicals that influence mood, such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA.

An interesting fact: approximately 90 per cent of all serotonin that is produced in your body is produced in the gut and not the brain. Therefore, in case your digestive system is not in balance, it can influence your mood as well.

How Gut Health Can Contribute to Depression

A healthy gut microbiome (the bacteria and microbes that reside in your digestive system), when healthy, helps to regulate inflammation, boosts the immune system, and produces feel-good chemicals.

However, once the microbiome is disproportionate (due to stress, food, sickness, or drugs) it may lead to:

Intestinal and body inflammation.
Gut permeability allows the entry of toxins into the blood.
Less serotonin production
Lack of nutrient absorption of vitamins, including B and magnesium, which are essential for mood.

In the long term, these issues may result in fatigue, mental fog, poor mood, anxiety, and even depression symptoms.

Signs Your Gut Might Be Affecting Your Mental Health

Perhaps it is your guts talking. The following are some of the signals that you may wish to investigate:

* You tend to bloat, gas or to be constipated.

* You experience difficulty in digesting food or you have the nausea frequently.

* You are a lover of sweets or experience lack of energy after consuming sugar.

* You have such problems with your skin as eczema or acne.

The symptoms are: You are anxious or depressed, and it does not get any better through talk therapy and medications.

You are either too excited or have a lack of concentration.

How to Support Your Gut—and Your Mind

The positive thing is that you do not have to go through a significant makeover to begin to feel good. Even little, daily changes can make significant changes in the long-run.

Here are a few places to start:

Increase the quantity of fiber rich products such as leafy greens, berries, oats and beans.
Fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir are to be included provided you are able to stand them.
Exercise your body every day- it aids in digestion and it helps to control moods.
Release stress using such practices as breathwork, acupuncture, or journaling.

The Solshine Approach

At Solshine Wellness, we understand that mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum. If you're struggling with symptoms of Depression Treatment Seattle, we’ll help you explore all the possible contributing factors—including your digestion, hormones, sleep, and more.

Through a personalized combination of nutrition support, acupuncture, targeted supplements, and integrative therapies, we work to heal from the inside out—starting with the gut, and expanding to the whole self.