Gut health is closely related to digestive function and immunity. It even affects your mental health.
This is because the gut microbiome affects brain function and emotions. In fact, people with depression often have problems with their gut microbiome.
Therefore, taking care of gut health will also help prevent depression, explains Dr. Joseph Mercola, a senior researcher at the American College of Nutrition, in detail.
Eating changes your mood
Older adults who followed the DASH diet, which are low in sugar and high in fresh fruits and vegetables, were 11% less likely to develop depression.
A 2018 study found that people who ate inflammatory foods were 1.4 times more likely to develop depression.
Therefore, following an anti-inflammatory diet is a way to avoid the risk of depression. Sugar, known as an inflammatory food, significantly increases the risk of mental illness and depression, in particular.
People who eat a lot of processed foods are more likely to be deficient in vitamin B12 and vitamin D, which also increases the risk of depression.
In particular, vitamin B12 is a representative antidepressant component and is abundant in fresh vegetables such as spinach and avocado. One study found that older adults deficient in vitamin B12 had a 51% increased risk of depression.
Conversely, eating healthy foods can have therapeutic effects as well as prevention of depression.
A study by Macquarie University, Australia, of 17-35-year-olds with symptoms of depression, found that subjects ate a lot of vegetables, fruits, dairy products, nuts, healthy fats, and anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric and cinnamon, as well as refined carbohydrates and sugar. , asked to improve their diet by reducing their intake of processed meats and drinks. After 3 weeks of healthy eating, their depression levels returned to the normal range.
Probiotics are effective for depression
Probiotic intake is just as important as a healthy diet for gut health. Consumption of probiotics, which proliferates beneficial lactic acid bacteria and suppresses harmful bacteria, is also particularly effective for people with depression.
In a four-week study of people suffering from depression, one group was prescribed a high-dose probiotic containing eight strains along with an antidepressant, while the other group was prescribed an antidepressant plus a placebo. Several measures, including stool samples, brain scans, and depression tests, confirmed the extent of improvement. Depression was improved to some extent in all groups, but the improvement effect was greatest in the group taking probiotics consistently.
Although depression can be caused by external factors, a healthy diet and good gut health also play an important role in the onset and recovery of depression. 
