Vitamin B12 and folate (B9) are important vitamins for maintaining a healthy nervous system. These B vitamins are needed for producing norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine. Norepinephrine and serotonin are neurotransmitters in the brain which influence mental health and your mood.  

Studies have also shown that there is a strong connection between foods and the brain that can help fight depression and boost your mood. They include calcium, chromium, folate, iron, magnesium, omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamins B6 and B12, vitamin D3 and zinc. 

In addition to improving your mood and fighting depression, all these vitamins and minerals help reduce stress, mental tiredness, and fatigue. Homeopathy is a medical system based on the belief that the body can cure itself. Tiny amounts of natural substances, like plants and minerals are used to stimulate the healing process. The basic belief behind homeopathy is “like cures like.” In other words, something that brings on symptoms in a healthy person can—in a very small dose—treat an illness with similar symptoms, and this is meant to trigger the body’s natural defenses.

Gut Biome 

The diverse population of microbes or bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract play an important role in the health of the gut, from physical health to obesity, to inflammatory skin disorders. Studies are now showing that promoting good health also includes the health of your brain and neurological systems.

The Gut-Brain Connection 

Both good and bad bacteria populate our microbiome that normally exist in a balance that leans toward good bacteria to prevent the overgrowth of the bad. When there is an imbalance of the microbiome due to inflammation, for example, can lead to a leaky gut syndrome where undigested particles leak through the intestinal wall and end up in our bloodstream, which affects our brain. 

When there is an imbalance of bacteria in the microbiome, it can cause the immune system to overreact and contribute to the inflammation of the GI tract. This leads to the development of symptoms of diseases that occur throughout the body, but also in the brain. This communication and connection between the GI tract and the brain is known as the “gut-brain axis” which can be altered by eating unhealthy foods, taking antibiotics, chemotherapy or radiation treatments. 

Therefore, it is important to maintain and restore the health of your microbiome by maintaining a strong balance of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. This is done by eating a well-balanced diet, getting enough probiotics through eating Kefir or plain yogurt, fresh sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, miso, apple cider vinegar, or taking a good quality probiotic that nurture the growth of good bacteria in the gut, all of which can reduce the symptoms of mental health disorders. The gut is truly connected to the brain. 

Abbe Lang, a health coach and homeopath based in Marlton, informs clients about the importance of physical and mental health. For more information or to make an appointment, call 856-452-3434 email [email protected] or visit AbbeLange.com.