What if the food on your plate could influence more than just how you feel physically, but also your mental health, mood and anxiety?

For years, people have talked about the gut-brain connection as a “gut feeling” or “butterflies in your stomach.” Today, scientists are digging deeper into the biology behind that relationship, exploring how the foods we eat and the microbes living in our gut (the gut microbiome) may be linked to mental health conditions like anxiety and stress.

In this episode, Dr. Mark Pimentel helps us separate what we know from what we’re still learning about the complex gut-brain connection. Then, we hear from Lex, a therapist who experienced regular panic attacks and began investigating whether his diet could be playing a role. Could food be one piece of the puzzle when it comes to mental health? And how can we explore that connection without jumping to conclusions?