DEAR DOCTORS: I was diagnosed with depression in grad school, and I've been dealing with it ever since. I take medication and see a therapist. It helps, but I still struggle. I read about a new study that says depression has to do with your gut and with what you eat. I'd like to know more about that.
DEAR READER: A large body of research links the composition of the human gut microbiome to mood and mental health. This interaction between the trillions of microbes that live in our gut and a certain part of the nervous system has come to be known as the gut-brain axis. And because the gut microbiome is shaped and influenced by what we eat, the takeaway is that diet can play a role in mental health.
