Far away from the brain is our enteric nervous system, which is a neural network in our gastrointestinal tract. Being the most complex somewhat independent neural network outside the brain, it has been named the “second brain” by medics. It sends signals to the brain with current status, and the brain responds by sending motor signals towards the gut, including bowel movements.

The gut plays a surprisingly large part in the synthesis of neurotransmitters. Precursors, such as tyrosinase L-DOPA, are present in the microbial flora of the gut, where microbes act as manufacturers for the assembly of neurotransmitters. Neuropods then send the neurotransmitters towards the vagus nerve, one of the 12 cranial nerves, towards the brain. Overproduction or underproduction in neurotransmitters is possible through the deregulation of the flora. Deregulation of the flora is possible through not eating enough fiber, antioxidants and eating inflammatory food, such as soft drinks and fried foods, but is also possible through the consumption of chewing tobacco or “snus”-style nicotine pouches.

The alimentation we consume can impact our mood and emotions more than previously thought. Cortisol works closely with neurotransmitters such as dopamine, adrenaline, norepinephrine, dopamine and acetylcholine, triggering them to work, for example, in a period of high stress (fight or flight). Hormonal dysregulation as a result of not having a nutritious lifestyle will in turn trigger volatile emotions as a result of the endocrine system going haywire, however, a damage to the flora of the gut will in turn damage the bacteria helping produce neurotransmitters. This in turn is going to produce a need for upregulation, where more neurotransmitter receptors are going to be present in result of a shortage of a specific neurotransmitter, or down regulation, where less receptors will be used due to a increase in a specific neurotransmitter. This is dangerous, as while for the most part what this means is agitation or a shortened attention span on the behalf of upregulation or a blunted emotional affinity on the behalf of upregulation, it may also translate to complex neurological symptoms, such as depressive episodes and anxiety, or even in rare cases hallucinations and delusions.

Lastly, the gut-brain axis can be responsible even for poor self-worth. As a result of neuroplasticity, the brain forms neurological connections with each new thing learned from reward processing, habit forming and control. These new connections fire neurotransmitters such as dopamine or serotonin upon a positive feat being achieved, such as weight loss, to which the body will want more of due to the good mood it is put in. But how much weight can you even lose before it turns into an addiction? A poor diet leading to neurotransmitters in too high of an affinity due to over excitement of the flora will lead to too much dopamine and serotonin travelling through the brain, and when that area of the person’s memories is activated as result of a stimuli (eg weight loss), a feat can very quickly become unhealthy. Unless that feat is specifically achieved, the body won't feel as good, leading to a craving for more, leading to poor self image and even unhealthier lifestyle habits.

It is very important to make sure you eat a balanced meal with everything your body requires in adequate quantities. Moreover, it is also important to avoid consumption of fast food, soft drinks and alcohol. An incorrect assumption is that chewing tobacco is a healthier alternative to smoking. In reality, it dysregulates your body just as much, it's just a matter of picking your poison. With social media being so popular, you may come across many different opinions, ranging from vegans to carnivores, however, it is best you consult with a medic and make sure to eat as much high quality protein (not powder protein), fruits, vegetables, and fats as you can, avoiding packaged food.

There is the conspiracy floating around that recent increases in rates of mental illness can be justified by the lack of quality in today's diet. Microplastics need no introduction. If the human stomach cannot digest cellulose, we cannot digest plastics, so what happens? The answer is easy. Even if we excrete the microplastics, our microflora is already bombarded. Non-food compounds plague the plate of today. Therefore we can say, yes, that microplastics (and other things found in today's average supermarket buy) play a role in the dereglation of the brain, unfortunately, the genetic pool is becoming smaller and there are around a million causes for illness, therefore it is highly reductionist to claim that food is the only factor that contributes to a pathology.