Tasty Trick for Depression and Anxiety

By Natalie Moore Posted March 11, 2017

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

If you suffer from anxiety or depression, some doctor has probably been trying to get you on antidepressants for years.

The mainstream hands them out like candy, even though they’ve been linked to everything from serious weight gain to weakened bones.

Those are risks you shouldn’t have to take… especially when some new research from the University of Virginia shows there’s an easy way to beat anxiety and depression without pills.

Just eat more yogurt.

This simple fermented food rich in probiotics (“good“ gut bugs) has been found to fight everything from Alzheimer’s to stomach problems.

And more recently, UVA researchers discovered it can help keep your mental health in check, too.

For this recent study, the scientists looked at the gut bacteria in stressed mice. After close examination, they found that a certain bacteria called Lactobacillus was missing. And with its loss came the onset of depression and anxiety symptoms.

However, after feeding the mice Lactobacillus, which is found in yogurt, the symptoms disappeared and the mice returned to nearly normal.

Additionally, the researchers found that Lactobacillus levels in the gut directly affect a certain compound in the blood called kynurenine, which can drive depression.

This means a single strain of bacteria can influence your mood and mental health.

Pretty incredible, right? One little bug can tame your anxiety and boost your mood. The researchers are hoping discovery could lead to a natural alternative to conventional antidepressants.

You can get more Lactobacilli in your diet by eating a daily dose of yogurt or other fermented dairy like kefir.

Can’t do dairy?

No problem.

You can eat other ferments like miso or tempeh, or pick up a probiotic supplement that contains Lactobacillus at your local pharmacy.

Live well,

Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily

Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: feedback@livingwelldaily.com – and click here to like us on Facebook.

Sources

^[1] Probiotic found in yogurt can reverse depression symptoms, UVA finds

Written By Natalie Moore

Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.

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