Scientists agree that depression is caused by a form of chemical imbalance in the brain. For instance, if your brain does not produce enough serotonin, over time you can be diagnosed with depression, and be prescribed side-effect laden antidepressants like Prozac.
But for a lot of people on these drugs, their symptoms do not disappear. In fact, according to a study performed by The National Center for Biotechnology Information, only 40 to 60 people in 100 have seen any sort of improvement.
What about the rest?
Depression May Start In Your Gut Through Chronic Inflammation
The notion that depression may be the result of something that starts in your digestive system may seem surprising, to say the least. But scientists have found that depression is often a symptom of chronic inflammation, which could also explain why so many people don’t get better when put on antidepressants.
And inflammation is often at the root of nearly every disease, from metabolic disorders like obesity to cancer or dementia. And the easiest way to offset inflammation is through what you eat.
Highly processed foods that are the norm in a Western diet are known to significantly increase inflammatory markers - And that’s because the gut actually sees these foods as a ‘threat’. When you strip down the natural compounds of any type of food, the gut essentially stops recognizing it and wants to attack it.
When inflammation is triggered in the gut, it can travel directly to your brain through the vagus nerve, which acts as a direct link between the two organs. This is why many scientists are now considering that at least some depressive disorders could be triggered by gut health.
Can You Prevent This From Happening?
If depression is a symptom of inflammation in the gut, then this condition can be prevented by dedicating a little more attention to your gut health.
Simply put, you have to eat healthily. The more natural the ingredients, the less likely your gut will trigger inflammation. This means that fast foods, processed foods like chips or ham, or sugars should be limited, if not completely removed from your diet.
Additionally, you can also integrate more gut-friendly foods scientifically proven to protect your gut:
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Yogurt
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Almonds
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Peas
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Bananas
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Garlic
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Ginger
These foods come packed with probiotics, antioxidants, and fiber, all of which are scientifically-proven to protect and restore gut health.
Final Thoughts
Depression is a debilitating condition, and if the medication isn’t doing its job, you may very well feel hopeless. Yet, there seems to be another explanation for why this mental disorder develops.
But even if it’s not about depression, the health of your gut has plenty to say about the health of your brain, so a gut-friendly diet may be a good thing to consider.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, please get in touch with expert counsel at once.
If you want to reset and restore your gut...
