The brain is the hungriest organ in the body
Inbalances in nutrition & nutrients can impact brain function & mental health symptoms.
No child chooses to struggle.
No child chooses to have anxiety, OCD, ADHD, ASD, SPD ADD, PDA and more
Struggles with anxiety, sensory processing, sleep & eating can span all of these disorders
Struggling tummies.
Special Educational Needs (SEN) children have a higher propensity for Gastro-Intestinal (GI) issues that can impact nutrient absorption, mood, anxiety & ability to thrive
Underlying GI issues can be reflected in constipation, diarrhoea, struggles with eating - picky or restricted eating - struggles with sleep, fractious behaviour and mood
A starving brain is not a thriving brain
Tummies & Brains are linked
The gut is also known as the ‘Second Brain’
The Gut Brain Connection
Gut Brain axis
The Gut-Brain Axis links the gut to the brain via the vagus nerve - a direct phone line connecting the two.
What goes on in the gut microbiome impacts not only brain function, mood and behaviour, but also the immune system and inflammation.
Microbiome
The gut microbiome is home to an eco-system of trillions of bacteria that is always evolving and is unique to every person and every child.
The gut microbiota is influenced by many factors from the moment we are born, such as environment, genetics, sleep, stress and the foods we eat.
Vagus Nerve
The Vagus Nerve connects the brain and the gut, keeping them both in constant communication.
For every 1 message sent by the brain to the gut, there are 10 messages from the gut to the brain.
The mental health jigsaw is made up of many different pieces
Nutrition & the gut microbiome can be influential pieces of that jigsaw
Whilst a diverse diet of home cooked meals should offer sufficient nutrients, not every child eats or absorbs enough to avoid deficiencies
Depleted nutrition can be a factor in depleted brain function
Research
Thousands of medical research studies across the world signpost links between nutrition, the microbiome and mental health symptoms.
Professionals in nutritional psychiatry and integrated medicine are already using this research in supporting those with mental health struggles.
“ The brain, like the body, needs the right nutrients to function properly ”
Dr Alex Richardson
University of Oxford Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Founder Director of FAB Research
Nutrition can play an important role in behaviour, learning and mood. Scientific evidence shows that diet is important not only for physical health, but also for optimal mental development and functioning.
Dr Alex Richardson is a leading researcher into the role of nutrition in ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and other related conditions. For example, the Oxford–Durham Study supplementing children's diet with fish oils, with staggering results.
What we eat influences our brain, mood, and mental health
Prof Felice Jacka
Director of the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University Australia & President of the ISNPR
Within the field of Nutritional Psychiatry, research initiatives at the Food & Mood Centre identify nutrition-based approaches to prevent and treat mental disorders that may improve brain and mental health.
Professor Felice Jacka has spearheaded many trials including the SMILES study showing how nutrition can influence depression.
The food-mood relationship impacts lives at various levels, from microbiology to public health.
Evident role of nutrition in treating mental illness
Prof Julia Rucklidge
Professor of Clinical Psychology Mental Health and Nutrition Research Canterbury University New Zealand
Nutritional interventions can be effective in treating many psychiatric and psychological symptoms.
The Mental Health & Nutrition Research Lab run studies on many different psychological disorders, including ADHD, anxiety, depression and stress.
Professor Julia Rucklidge leads studies with diet and micronuttients as treatment paths for mental health, with remarkable results.
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