“When I feel good, I eat healthy, but when I’m anxious or depressed, all bets are off.”
It’s a conundrum I hear after every Mediterranean Diet class I teach. We all know, deep down, it’s better to reach for the apple than the ice cream. But knowing and doing are two different things. After all, when hasn’t a pint of Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough felt like the perfect end for a rough day? For a few blissful spoonfuls, it feels like self-care. Then the carton is empty, the moment has passed, and you’re left feeling worse than when you started.
So why does this hell-cycle tend to happen? And more importantly, how can we break free and choose foods that actually lift us up, even when we’re feeling low?
It turns out there’s a real scientific explanation. The gut and brain are in constant conversation via what researchers call the gut-brain axis—a feedback loop where mood, diet and digestion are inseparably linked.
Our gut microbiome—the trillions of microbes living in the digestive tract—communicates directly with the brain through the vagus nerve and neurotransmitters like serotonin (about 90% of which is produced in the gut) and dopamine (around 50% of which originates there too).
When the microbiome is balanced, we often feel calmer, clearer and more energized. But stress, processed foods and antibiotics can disrupt this delicate ecosystem, fueling anxiety, depression and digestive issues. Diets rich in fiber, fermented foods and healthy fats—like the Mediterranean diet—support microbial diversity and mental well-being, while mindful eating and stress-reducing practices strengthen the gut-brain connection.
Local Breema expert Dr. Alexandra Johnson confirms, “Specific bacteria have been correlated to anxiety, depression and other mood disorders.”
Local Wisdom
Cordelia Sidijaya sees the impact of this science every day.
“As a holistic gut health specialist and RN, I often see clients who don’t realize that some of the foods that they are eating are impacting their hormones, mental health and overall well-being. Once they start to eliminate the toxins that are neurotoxic, endocrine and hormone disruptors, they are relieved how their anxiety and fatigue goes away, and their stress resilience and overall mood improves. They also improve their brain-gut connection.”
In spite of the common complaint that diet advice is constantly changing—and that’s true if you’re getting your nutrition information from online influencers (aka marketers)—in reality, the Mediterranean diet has stood the test of time, recognized for centuries as one of the top health and weight management approaches.
Science continues to back it up with more recent findings supporting the role of probiotic foods on physical and mental health:
- Diets rich in prebiotic fibers and less processed food are linked to improved mood.
- Highly processed, inflammatory foods are associated with greater risk of depression and anxiety.
- Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut may help ease anxiety, especially social anxiety.
Probiotic supplements show mixed results—whole-food diets tend to be more effective. But stress management requires more than a dietary approach.
Local holistic nutrition expert Alisha Slaughter puts it this way: “What we eat is one of the most accessible tools we have to support mental well-being. Diet shapes the gut–brain connection, which plays an important role in how we experience stress and anxiety. Nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods help support stable energy and mood.
“At the same time, the body must feel relaxed in order to digest and absorb nourishment,” she continues. “Combining stress management with nutrition creates a foundation for gut health and emotional resilience.”
Personalized Nutrition
Of course, no two guts are the same. Individual differences in the microbiome matter; what works for one person may not for another.
Some local experts, like Dr. Laura Paris and Dr. Johnson, are bringing advanced microbiome testing into their practices. By sending a simple stool sample to a lab, they can identify digestive imbalances and create targeted treatment plans.
Paris recommends shotgun sequencing microbiome tests, explaining that they’re “the most advanced way to map the entire ecosystem, pinpoint mood-related imbalances, and guide targeted protocols to shift the microbiome in the right direction.”
Anyone who’s dealt with a few days of constipation knows firsthand how digestion affects mood. Microbiome testing simply takes that gut instinct and gives it scientific precision.
Closing the Loop
We’ve all been there, spoon in hand, chasing comfort in a pint of ice cream. But as the science and local experts remind us, the real path to comfort isn’t about numbing stress—it’s about nourishing the gut so it can support the brain. From fermented foods to mindful eating to personalized microbiome insights, we have more tools than ever to strengthen this two-way connection.
And here’s the hopeful part: the same way stress can spiral into poor food choices, healthy choices can spark a virtuous cycle of resilience, energy and balance. Which means the next time life throws a curveball, we might find ourselves slowing down to take some slow, deep breaths before reaching for the organic apple, maybe sliced and made sweeter with a sprinkle of cinnamon—not because we should, but because it doesn’t feel like a compromise when it tastes sweet and satisfying AND makes us feel good.
Dr. Alexandra Johnson: alexandrajohnsonmd.com
Alisha Slaughter: myalchemy.life
Cordelia Sidijaya, RN: corcoaching.net
Dr. Laura Paris: parishealingarts.com
Or learn more about these local gut health practitioners at the Santa Cruz Wellness Expo. For details, visit elizabethborelli.com/scwellnessexpo.
