Bitesize: How Your Microbiome Controls Your Mood, Focus and Mental Health

Angela is joined by Dr Emily Leeming, to talk about the intricate relationship between diet, gut health, and mental well-being. They discuss how serotonin produced in the gut is utilised for digestion and muscle contractions, while gut microbes play a crucial role in supplying the brain with tryptophan, a building block for serotonin. Emily and Angela also discuss the significant findings from population studies and a randomised control trial that link poor dietary choices, particularly ultra-processed foods, to increased prevalence of mental health disorders. KEY TAKEAWAYS Gut-Brain Connection: Your gut and brain are in constant communication, impacting mental health. Diet and Mental Health: A poor diet increases the risk of mental health issues, while a Mediterranean diet can improve symptoms. Serotonin and the Gut: Gut microbes help provide building blocks for serotonin production in the brain. Microbiome and ADHD/Autism: Differences exist in the microbiome of individuals with ADHD and autism, but causation is unclear. Probiotics and Mental Health: Specific strains of probiotics may help with symptoms like sleep disturbances. Estrogen Recycling: The microbiome affects estrogen levels, impacting menopause symptoms. Stress and the Microbiome: Chronic stress disrupts gut bacteria, affecting immune function and stress response.   TIMESTAMPS & KEY TOPICS: 0:05 – Gut and brain are constantly connected 0:17 – Introduction to High Performance Health Podcast 4:37 – Link between diet and mental health disorders 6:57 – 13% of people report good mental health 7:55 – Microbiome differences in ADHD and autism 9:23 – Importance of specific probiotic strains 11:03 – Estrogen recycling and gut bacteria 13:49 – Stress negatively impacts the microbiome 15:56 – Closing thoughts and key takeaways   VALUABLE RESOURCES Get a free snapshot of your health and personalised report at http://www.yourtotalhealthcheck.com/ Join The High Performance Health Community LVLUP HEALTH: Slow aging, repair gut health boost collagen and recovery and more with LVLUP Health’s amazing products. Save 15% with code ANGELA at https://lvluphealth.com/angela   Listen to the full episode right here ABOUT THE HOST Angela Foster is an award winning Nutritionist, Health & Performance Coach, Speaker and Host of the High Performance Health podcast. A former Corporate lawyer turned industry leader in biohacking and health optimisation for women, Angela has been featured in various media including Huff Post, Runners world, The Health Optimisation Summit, BrainTap, The Women’s Biohacking Conference, Livestrong & Natural Health Magazine. Angela is the creator of BioSyncing®️ a blueprint for ambitious entrepreneurial women to biohack their health so they can 10X how they show up in their business and their family without burning out.  The High Performance Health Podcast is a top rated global podcast. Each week, Angela brings you a new insight, biohack or high performance habit to help you unlock optimal health, longevity and higher performance. Hit the follow button to make sure you get notified each time Angela releases a new episode. CONTACT DETAILS Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Affiliate Disclaimer: Note this description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. While this channel may earn minimal sums when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is under no obligation to use these links. Thank you for supporting the show! Disclaimer: The High Performance Health Podcast is for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of professional or coaching advice and no client relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for medical or other professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should seek the assistance of their medical doctor or other health care professional for before taking any steps to implement any of the items discussed in this podcast.