Feeding the Body to Feed the Mind.

When I became ill with chronic fatigue syndrome(25 years ago), after a third bout of viral meningitis, I had just had my 5th child four months previous. The general medical consensus was that it was unfortunate but no one could explain what was actually going on within my body system (or mind for that matter!) 

Many years later, many learnings later, courses attended, qualifications gained in nutrition, Qi gong, breathwork and trauma, and I now understand that as a diagnosed Coeliac (about 15 years ago) ,  my body was unable to assimilate or absorb vital nutrients which are important to feed each and every one of the cells in my body. This was a major contributor to my illness. The integrity of my gut had been systematically compromised with antibiotics over my younger years which had left my system weak and defenceless to pathogens, bacteria and viruses. This and  a nervous system that was very dysregulated left a mind that was vulnerable to depression and anxiety. 

However, if we look only at the physical body we ignore the mind body connection which is now being talked about in the world of functional medicine and is also considered a current topic of interest in the field of gastro enterology and endocrinology . 

 What we eat impacts our physical and mental wellbeing. So too is the environment we live in (think air fresheners, deodorisers, candles), what we drink, what we put on our bodies (yes including makeup and beauty products, deodorants, washing powders,) And importantly, the environment our cells live in. Yes! Your trillions of cells live in a fluid matrix which determines how effective communication is between the brain and the body  

So what is this connection and could it hold the key to improved symptoms of depression, anxiety and even more serious psychiatric conditions?  

Did you know that until the 70’s, according to Bessel Van der Kolk, a well-known psychologist and author of “The body keeps the Score”, that psychiatrists did not have access to prescription writing unlike their medical colleagues. Up until that time, Asylums were dotted over the country, intended to be, as the name suggests, a protective and safe space for recuperation and support for those individuals who were challenged with mental health issues. These same issues still challenge us today – even more so - in our modern world. Back then part of the solution was exposing the person to sunlight, beautiful tree lined areas with outdoor seats and shelter so that people could be out in the sun, the air and feel part of nature. Walks, playing games even swimming (yes many of these places had swimming pools!) were important therapeutic tools as was the ability to have human connection in a safe environment. I am not saying it was all scent and roses, however, with the introduction of more psychiatric medications and the ability for psychiatrists to medicate we soon lost these huge estates and people who benefited from these places were put into society on their own. 

Disconnection from a constant source of support would prove to be a step back as today we see the world of mental health requiring more interventions and more and more medications. It is not unusual for a person to be on an anti-depressant, and other medicatons such as a sleeping tablet, and whilst these medications have their place, the lack of monitoring and real patient doctor relationship, particularly post the pandemic, and the increased demand on medical services,  means we have created a world where the tablet is the quick answer but definitely not the cure. 

My own journey to good health has been a long one and it is this journey which has informed my faith and passion in the belief that when we use awareness tools to create balance in the body and the mind, and I include the nervous system in this description, we are moving in the right direction.  

There are so many experts in the field of Nervous System dysregulation, function and healing. I will acknowledge here Dr Gabor Mate , a Hungarian doctor with his own trauma and recovery history who is author of many books including “When the body says No” and his wonderful Compassionate Inquiry course in which he references childhood trauma and not being seen or heard as a vital element of our healing as adults; Dr Peter Levine, the father of Somatic movement offers the importance of connecting with the body in order to heal and author of many books including “Waking the Tiger” 

All of those mentioned in my article can be found free on YouTube and other platforms and are worth exploring.  

Experts in the field of mental health, addictions and trauma also include Dr Stephen Porges, the founder of the Polyvagal theory in which his research and peer reviewed papers re-educated  practitioners and therapists in the world of social engagement , trauma and nervous system work. 

These are all awarenesses which help us to understand and realise that there is always an opportunity for healing and that our bodies and minds are not separate but interconnected and if we can provide the right environment and the appropriate tools and space then healing is possible.  

 

One major emerging area of scientific study which is creating a great deal of excitement is the connection between the gut brain and brain brain via the vagus nerve. WoW! that’s a lot of words right there! 

Let me break this down – So it turns out that when we are being formed in the womb we have two “clumps” of neurons that are very key to our future mind body connection – the nerves that stay in the gut , known as the Enteric Nervous System and the nervous system tissue that migrates to form our brain and both these areas of neurones are connected via the very important Vagus Nerve. 

The Vagus nerve 

 This is a nerve  known as the 10th cranial nerve because it is the 10th nerve that migrates from our brain stem, It wanders (hence its name) down the side of the neck (both sides have a vagus nerve by the way but it has never been pluralized! The Vagus nerve literally wanders all over the body connecting in with our organs as it travels in the same pathway as the carotid artery (side of neck),  connecting with the lungs, the heart and passing around the oesophagus through the diaphragm and connecting to all of our vital visceral organs, as it branches out.  80% of the information goes from our body back up this bidirectional superhighway of the Vagus nerve to feed information to our brain about the world we live in. The threat of danger or the signal of safety are the triggers to producing different chemicals in our body. It is the brain’s job to make sense of the information coming from our senses and our perception of this danger and safety, to decide which chemicals to fire in our body. If the Brain senses we are in danger then chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline are fired putting us into fight or flight . However, if the brain detects no danger and safety is the perception then other chemicals are secreted which invite slowing of the heart and relaxation of the nervous system. This includes hormones of attachment & connection. 

When we are perceiving danger, then thriving, recovery or healing will not happen.  We have no time to eat, to rest or procreate either. Only 20% of the information is relayed back from the brain to the body. Let this awareness sink in for a moment. This is important for us to understand because in the world I occupy in which I teach Functional breathing it is important to understand that we can influence the messages that can be sent to the brain via this very important vagus nerve. More simply put - We can change our internal state by changing our breath patterns.  

The Vagus Nerve is part of our automatic or autonomic nervous system, ie, all the actions that the body does without us having to tell it to for example digesting, heart beating, swallowing, breathing.  It is the parasympathetic part of this nervous system, ie, the rest and digest. (There is also another primitive part of the Vagus nerve which is known as Dorsal Vagal or Freeze or collapse but we wont cover this in this article.)  

The Vagus nerve can help to provide the brake to the accelerator of the fight/flight sympathetic part of our nervous system. However, when we are in chronic stress the vagal brake may not be effective, our system is in such a chronic state of stress and distress that we can no longer cue the safety response thus rendering the vagal brake ineffective.  

 

So how does what we eat literally feed into all of this? You may or may not be aware of the chemicals which influence brain function –such as dopamine, serotonin, GABA. Our brain health is reliant on these chemicals to keep it stable and healthy & calm so that the messages we receive help keep us in balance. Our Gut microbiome play a major role in this process. When our microbiome is happy & balanced, being fed the right food  known as prebiotics ie, soluble fibre -they  then produce these lovely brain chemicals known as  neurotransmitters as well as other chemicals to support our whole body & brain system. 

If we don’t eat enough fibre then there is no food to feed the microbes and thus our mental health suffers as a result. Hunter Gatherer man was known through studies today of indigenous tribes to have consumed more thatn 150 grammes of fibre per day. We are lucky if we can achieve the recommended 30 grammes per day.  

Furthermore if we do not have the building blocks of these neurotransmitters through the food we eat then we can never make them. The building blocks include amino acids which come from protein.  

Short chain fatty acids are one of the essential by-products of our microbiome consuming fibre. One, in particular, called butyrate , helps to produce serotonin. And if you have ever suffered from depressive symptoms you will know that SSRI’s prescribed by doctors enhance serotonin uptake – 

Did you know that all cells have “receptors” on them? Our cells are 3 dimensional and on the surface of our cells we have receptors for all sorts of chemicals, and molecules. It is like a lock and key mechanism. The lock is on the cell membrane and the key is the perfect fit for the lock. Butyrate is like a key.  The Vagus nerve has receptors on it for this short chain fatty acid and it then transports it to the brain to make serotonin. So this nerve really is like a super highway ensuring that essential chemicals and nutrients find their way to the brain.  

Let’s not forget also the role of EFA Essential fatty acids derived from fish oils for brain health and development. EFA are omega 3’s and are essential because we cannot make them, but our bodies and brains need them. They help reduce inflammation in body and brain and support your cell membrane so that nutrients can flow in and out of your cells with ease.  When the brain is inflamed it has a negative impact on our mental health. Poor blood flow reduced signalling mechanisms from one brain cell to another can cause all sorts of problems for our cognitive thinking & mental health. We need the proper balance of chemicals to creates  firing and wiring of our neurons. We really are just a body bathed in a chemical soup and without the essential micronutrients of our vitamins and minerals the messages that our brain sends to the body and to all our of our internal systems can get misunderstood.  

Mitochondria 

A conversation about energy in our bodies would not be complete without a mention of these little organelles which exist in every cell of our body except blood cells. They deserve an article all on their own. Suffice to say that Brain and body energy requires mictochondria to be operating optimally within the cells. Much of our modern day food depletes mitochondria and one of the big contributing factors is sugar, (glucose and fructose). Fructose is a particular issue as it is metabolized in the liver and this depletes our energy reserves. Ultra processed foods also deplete our mitochondria as do many medications. My advice is to try and eat fresh real food, get adequate sleep, reduce or cut out alcohol, get out into the sunshine and fresh air and move. 

In conclusion, there are a few awarenesses which we need to keep in mind when we are looking for solutions as to why we are experiencing symptoms such as brain fog, poor memory, poor sleep, inability to concentrate, depressive symptoms and so many more. (Just also bear in mind that dysfunctional breathing can also contribute to many of these symptoms and learning how to breathe for health supports sleep which then has a knock on effect on the rest of our systems including brain health. 

 

Just remember:  

You are what you eat, what you absorb and what you eat ate (ie , the quality of the food you eat for example – a grass fed cow has more Vitamins and minerals in its milk and also in the meat . This animal will have grazed out doors and its body will have absorbed the sunlight and so is strong and healthy. This will impact the person who consumes this meat too, as opposed to the en masse factory farmed, grain fed, antibiotic laden animals who will not be an ideal source of good nutrients for you. This also applies to the quality of our eggs. 

Secondly , What we put in our mouths matters. What we absorb and are able to process via our digestive tract also matters. This begins with the right balance of microbes in our mouths (try not to use mouth washes as they can kill our lovely oral microbiome),  the appropriate salivation to start the digestive process, the right ph of stomach acid (anti acids are not the solution but add to the problem), to further break down the food and to cleave the vitamins and minerals from this food and then the ability of the intestines to move (motility) the food matter through .  

We need to feed our gut bacteria prebiotics which is insoluble fibre.  The absorption of nutrients is important and a topic all on its own. Just know that gut permeability is real. When our intestinal lining is damaged or broken down then absorption of nutrients is impaired. This obviously affects us as we need the nutrients to support the individual cells of our body and brain. Poor absorption equals deficiency equals poor physical health and lack of energy and poor brain health. Dr Alessio Fasano has researched the impact of gluten on the gut (leaky gut) and he can also be found on youtube.  

Other areas to be aware of which affect our mental wellbeing and physical health are : 

Inflammation – There are many ways to reduce inflammation in the body. In the functional medicine world where Doctors look at the root cause rather than the symptom of an illness they call this inflammaging! If there is inflammation in the body there is inflammation in the brain. Turmeric and ginger are great for supporting the reduction of inflammation in the body as are many other herbs and spices.  

A first step is to reduce your intake of ultra processed foods, reduce your sugar, increase oily fish consumption eg, mackerel, sardines, salmon  and also eat food rich in polyphenols (think colours of the rainbow) – berries, fruits, peppers. I also like to say “Eat Real Food”. If your food comes in a box or a packet think very carefully about its content. Does it have a list of ingredients you don’t even recognise as food? These ingredients, once eaten, go to make up your cells. If you want to stay healthy try and reduce the number of ingredients you don’t recognise as there are many chemicals in our food. Dr William Davis refers to this as “FrankenFood”. 

Hydration- We are made of about 80% water. Our cells need water to function, our brains need water, our lymphatic system which is our waste system around the body and also key to our immune system needs water and staying hydrated supports good brain function. 6-8 glasses of water is the recommended quantity. Add herbal teas, kombucha, kefir to your daily diet. Remember too that caffeine dehydrates as does alcohol. If you feel thirsty check in and ask yourself have you given your body adequate hydration today.  

Sleep – while we sleep deeply our brain’s “Glymphatic system “cleans out the debris from old cells and by products of cell energy . We are constantly renewing our cells so just like a car blows out its exhaust fumes after we put the fuel into the engine so too do our cells have waste. Tao tangles and beta amyloid plaques which have been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease also get removed when the brain is being given its nightly wash. However, the sleep cycle can be interrupted by not providing our bodies with the right environment to support that cycle. Dr Christopher Palmer’s book is a worthy read – called “Brain Energy”. He is Asst professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is interviewed by many on YouTube so easily found if you prefer to listen to what he has to say.  

Food to support our body and mind 

Omega 3 essential fatty acids (fish oils) 

Olive Oil, avocado oil, walnut oil  

Fibre – Soluble (Inulin) and insoluble (Green leafy veg, garlic onions); Greens, beans, onions, berries, seeds eg sunflower, flaxseed, chia, pumpkin & mushrooms. 

Herbs & Spices including Turmeric, Ginger, Pepper 

Mushrooms have been consumed for 1,000s of years. Mushrooms support our immune function, help alleviate depression and anxiety. They have been used as medicine in ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. 

Mushrooms contain therapeutic bio active ingredients for our bodies and brains; They also contain dietary fibres, vitamins and minerals and phenolic compounds. There are 12,000 species worldwide 2,000 of which are edible. They are Low in fat, high in protein, high in dietary fibre,  

 

Pubmed: Edible mushrooms as functional ingredients for development of healthier and more sustainable muscle foods: A flexitarian approach. Apr 2021;23;26(9):2463.doi:Arun K Das, Pramod K Nanda,  

Edible Mushrooms as Functional Ingredients for Development of Healthier and More Sustainable Muscle Foods: A Flexitarian Approach - PMC 

 

My approach will always be Food First. If you are going to supplement do a food diary first and see where the gaps lie in your nutrient intake. Then just add in one supplement for 3 months and changes in sleep, behaviour, eating, energy, thoughts, bowel movements & Urination  

Instead of spending time on Social Media, Netflix  why not inform yourself on how your body works, what it needs to be well and the small things you can do for it. YouTube is filled with great videos and I have mentioned reliable contributors in the field of functional medicine in this article.  

In the last 70+ years we have become more inclined to seek answers at the GP’s door, and whilst it can be a helpful point of contact if you have an acute situation it is important to remind ourselves that chronic issues are the body’s way of telling us something needs addressing in our system. I have found personally that it is not a one size fits all but a question of combining ways to relax the nervous system through mindfulness based practices, movement and this can range from Qi gong which I teach to yoga, pilates, gym work, swimming, walking or running . Addressing our gut microbiome needs and supporting this is a huge step in the right direction. Our world is a very stress filled one and this also impacts our whole body system . If you find something which works for you keep doing it allowing it to support you as you then discover maybe another solution . Keep adding and incorporating all of these supports and slowly it will make a difference.  

I will leave you with an invitation to release all expectations of who you should be, what you should be doing and where you should be going and just allow the present moment to arise with feet on the earth and a gentle breath. Healing begins when you take the first step.  

Guest blog written by Patricia Martin, Founder & Owner of Tricia Wellness.

Written January 2025

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