odern life, with its frenetic pace and advancing urbanization, has radically transformed our lifestyle and our relationship with food. As the pursuit of personal fulfillment and growing social pressures overstimulate us, our nervous system is constantly put to the test. This overstimulation is not without consequences: it is reflected in our eating habits, orienting us towards high-calorie, processed and nutrient-poor foods, which contribute to the increase in chronic diseases and mental illnesses. Over 700 million people in the world are obese and obesity-related mortality continues to rise, while 38% of the European population is affected by mental disorders every year. These numbers are the result of a series of food choices and dynamics that we often underestimate, but which represent a central element in mental health.
Nutritional deficiencies play a crucial role: deficiencies in B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids are associated with an increased risk of developing depression and job function email database anxiety. For example, only 20% of the population in many Western countries reaches the recommended daily intake of magnesium, while fruit and vegetable consumption is only about 40% of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. The antioxidant system, which is essential for brain function and protection from oxidative stress, depends on the intake of key nutrients that are often lacking in Western diets.
composed of over 1,000 bacterial species and responsible for a wide range of functions, including the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. This complex ecosystem contains 3.3 million genes, approximately 150 times larger than the human genome. Its health is directly linked to our mental state, and intestinal dysbiosis – an imbalance in the bacterial flora – can lead to a 20-30% increase in the risk of mental disorders. In animal models, colonization of the intestinal tract with Bifidobacterium infantis significantly reduced the stress response, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of probiotics.