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Stress, food, and inflammation: Psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition at the cutting edge
This 2010 article explored the interrelations between stress, food, and inflammation. There is evidence that dietary components can influence the key pathways involved in inflammation, while stressful situations and depression have been reported to modulate inflammation through the same processes. This paper discusses how stress may alter food choices, the possible induction of inappropriate metabolic reactions by stress after consumption of unhealthy foods, and the potential role of diet in affecting mood and pro-inflammatory responses to stressors. In fact, it is believed that vagus nerves are involved in changing the metabolic responses to food and inflammation. It has been documented that both depression and stress have negative impacts on vagal activation, demonstrating their contribution to the gut-brain interaction. Kiecolt-Glaser highlights that the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids can boost mood and vagal tone and has been found to affect the strength of the inflammatory responses to stressors. [NPID: immunology, immunity, the immune system, stress, inflammation, depression, vagus nerve, vagal activation, gut-brain axis, mood]
Year: 2010
