How Does Nutrition Impact Our Mental Health?
This week at I Am Here, we’re asking: How Does Nutrition Impact Our Mental Health?
• What’s the link between what we eat and how we feel?
• How can gut health influence our emotional wellbeing?
• What simple dietary choices can support our mental clarity and resilience?
The phrase you are what you eat has never been more relevant. Emerging science shows that nutrition affects everything, from our energy levels to our emotional balance.
Our gut is home to trillions of microbes that not only help digest food but also produce essential molecules tied to mood, focus, and immunity. So, yes, that second brain in our belly deserves some love!
What Are We Watching This Week?
This week, we’re watching The Hidden Wonders of the Gut Microbiome by Dr. Erika Ebbel Angle. In it, she discusses why the gut microbiome is the most important organ you’ve probably never heard of.
The gut is the second brain, and gut health affects your overall health. This means that you are what you eat, but you are also the metabolites that live in your gut and produce the substances you need for emotional balance, energy levels, and disease prevention.
Poor lifestyle choices cause gut imbalances, which can lead to neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune conditions, and even anxiety and depression.
Dr. Angle explores three critical molecules and how they work in the body to impact wellness. She also shares practical tips for supporting your gut through what you eat, how you move, and how you live.
Watch the full video here – 10 minute watch
What Are We Reading This Week?
We are reading a CNN piece on the best diets for 2025. It outlines the best diets for 2025—not to promote fads, but to highlight sustainable, evidence-based ways of eating that support both physical and mental health.
The focus is on nourishment, not restriction. Mediterranean and DASH diets continue to rank high, and new trends are giving more attention to mental wellbeing, plant-based eating, and lifestyle flexibility.
The article is packed with practical insights on how nutrition impacts mood, brain health, and even conditions like anxiety and depression.
Read the full article here – 5-minute read
Who Are We Quoting This Week?
“Every time you eat or drink, you are either feeding disease or fighting it.”
– Heather Morgan, MS, NLC
This reminder reframes nutrition not as a chore, but as an act of care—for your body, your brain, and your overall wellbeing.
At I Am Here, we believe small, intentional choices—like what we eat—can support our emotional resilience.