Good Lifestyle

You are what you eat. How many times did you hear this sentence? It's simple, it's perforating, and it's actually relatively true.

There is such a thing called the Gut-brain axis, which is the way your intestine communicates with your brain (and vice versa). The communication network in each organ is composed of neurons and in the enteric nervous system, which dictates the way the gastrointestinal tract feels, there are somewhere between200 and 600 million neurons. For the context, it is about as many neurons as in the spinal cord. In the brain, there is roughly100 billion neurons. So, for example, does it mean that what you eat could be a factor of symptoms of depression?

A new study suggests that it does.

Are regimes and depression related?

A recent study published inPhysiological relationships revealed that high sodium rates and low levels of potassium were associated with increased risk of vacuum in adolescents.

"Depression between adolescents in the United States increased by 30% over the last decade and we wanted to know why and how to reduce this number," said Sylvie Mrrug, Ph.D., President of the Department of Psychology of UAB in aPress release withUniversity of Alabama in Birmingham. "Very little research has been conducted on the diet and depression. Our study shows the need to pay attention to what our children ate."

The conclusions of this study help support ongoing research that food can affect mental health. It is not absurd to think that regularly eating fast sodium restoration objects on a regular basis. Let's go back to neurons and their relationship with the gut-brain axis for one second. Neurotransmitters are what helps to facilitate communication between the brain and the intestine, and one of these neurotransmitters is essential in the way the brain responds after eating something that causes gastrointestinal distress.

Neurotransmitter is called serotonin, which is the chemical that allows you to feel happy. Some95% of the serotonin supply of the body resides in the gastrointestinal tract. Perhaps it is not so difficult to believe that the regular consumption of highly transformed foods, often high in sodium, could trigger the depletion of this inducing chemical.

What else do we know about the relationship between diet and depression?

Sass de Cynthia, RD, CSSD, Nutritionist of the LAD's performance, says the conclusions of this parallel study what we already know about eating habits and mental health.

"Sodium is a marker for highly processed foods and potassium is a marker for products, so half of these two gives ideas in the greater situation of its nutritional status," she says.

The study mainly analyzed the levels of sodium and potassium of black teenagers inUrban and low-income areas, where fresh products may not be accessible or affordable. The 84 participants were invited to declare how they felt at the beginning of the study and at the end, a year and a half later. A urine sample has also been collected to measure sodium and potassium levels.

What does this particular study inform us of food and depression?

The results? A diet rich in sodium and low potassium predicts better an increase in teen depression.

"He also supports other research," says Sass. "Ato study A few years of return found that among young people, greater consumption of vegetables and fruit predicted greater well-being, including happiness, life satisfaction, even curiosity and creativity. The researchers refer to that as a flourishing. "

This particular study has explored two participants' factors: the effects of the body on the limitation of chemical exposure in processed foods, as well as increasing exposure to healthy nutrients. It has been found that some chemicals in processed foods can stimulate the inflammation and stress of the immune system.

RELATED: Your guide on theanti-inflammatory regime that cures your intestine, slows the signs of aging and helps you lose weight.

Conversely, increasing amounts of nutrient-rich foods such asFresh fruits and vegetables Feed beneficial intestinal bacteria, which are related to a better mood and for better immunity, as well as reduced inflammation.

"In my opinion, hit the daily target to produce and reduce or eliminate processed foods is the most important and powerful change you can do in your diet," says Sass. "This duo triggers a domino effect that influences mental and physical health in many ways and has the power to significantly improve the quality of life."

In short, you are what you eat and what you eat is probably probably affecting what you feel.