Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the nervous system and they have a vital role on our mood and behavior.
🧠Neurotransmitters are produced in the brain and in the gut (and other places, but less so).
💡For example, serotonin in the brain is mostly located in the gut (intestines).
❓What do you think happens when our gut health isn’t properly functioning?
🚨If we have an imbalanced gut and we eat non-nutrient-dense foods, we are in a world of mental-health-hurt. Sure, it may not show up right away but it will.
🚧Neurotransmitters also require nutrients to be created. If you are eating a nutrient-poor diet that is not bioavailable (plant-based foods) and have poor gut health, you will likely feel the adverse mental health effects.
Let’s talk serotonin again.
⚖️As mentioned, most serotonin resides in our gut. Serotonin is a mood stabilizer and regulates sleep, appetite, body temperature, and more.
❗️Yes, even though it’s mostly in the gut: serotonin regulates mood, anxiety, and fear.
🥛Nutritionally, serotonin requires B-vitamins, tryptophan, and omega-3 fats to be made and utilized. Especially the amino acid, tryptophan.(Whole milk is one of the greatest sources of tryptophan).
❓See why any diet that wants to lower tryptophan and omega-3 fats is not ideal?
⁉️See why having gut disease and being on a plant-based diet has a higher risk for mental health disease?
🥜You can eat pineapples (but caution: fructose and salicylates), soy (caution: excess estrogen), and nuts/seeds (caution: gut destroyers) for the tryptophan, but what about the B-vitamins and omega-3s? (no to flax seeds: see estrogen)
❓Do you know what low serotonin looks like?
🌱Erratic moods and behavior.
💡Heal your gut. And eats lots of meat and fat.🥩
💤If you are struggling with sleep on a meat-based low carb diet, you may be struggling with tryptophan and serotonin.
🎙Check out the Cutting Against the Grain Podcast on Sleep: https://cutting-against-the-grain.simplecast.com/episodes/why-you-may-not-be-sleeping-on-a-low-carb-diet
