In this special series, guest writer Dr Libby Weaver shares her health insights. This week she discusses the connection between mental health and nutrition.
We often think of food in terms of energy, weight or physical health – but its impact on how we feel emotionally is just as
I’ve lost count of how many women have told me they’re doing “everything right” – they’re eating well, moving their body, prioritising rest where they can – yet they still feel flat, anxious, foggy or deeply tired. When that happens, I gently invite them to consider not just what they’re eating, but how that food is nourishing their brain and wider nervous system.
Your body needs specific nutrients to build the very chemicals that influence your mood, focus and sense of calm. These are your neurotransmitters – serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and others – and they don’t just magically appear. They’re created through a series of complex biochemical reactions that rely on things like amino acids (from protein), iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamin C, B vitamins and copper. It’s a symphony that plays quietly in the background of your life – and if even one of those instruments is missing, the harmony can start to unravel.
The wonderful research of clinical psychologist Professor Julia Rucklidge at the University of Canterbury is sparking renewed interest in this critical link between nutrition and mental health. Her work shows how addressing micronutrient deficiencies and enhancing nutritional intake can significantly improve mental wellbeing. Her current research is focused on balancing the emotions of dysregulated teens with micronutrients, and she’s seen firsthand how “nutrients change lives”. She’s also the co-author of The Better Brain, a book that explores how nutrition can help overcome anxiety, combat depression and reduce ADHD and stress. The Food and Mood Centre at Deakin University in Australia has also done pioneering work in this area.
I, too, am deeply concerned that this approach is not just being overlooked – it’s being neglected. Food can literally be medicine. The body needs nutrients to build the substances that allow us to feel calm, inspired, motivated and resilient. Without enough of them, we’re trying to navigate life without the very ingredients that help us adapt, recover and thrive.
Take iron, for example. While we often associate it with energy, it’s also a key player in the production of dopamine and serotonin – the very chemicals that help us feel motivated and emotionally steady. Iron deficiency is incredibly common, especially among menstruating women, pregnant women, teenage girls and those navigating perimenopause. The symptoms – low mood, irritability, brain fog, anxiety – often mirror what we think of as “mental load”, which is why it’s so easy to chalk them up to “stress” and modern life, and never dig deeper. But when your brain is under-resourced, it doesn’t matter how organised you are – it’s still operating from a place of depletion.
Magnesium is another unsung hero in the nourishment–mental health conversation. Often referred to as the “relaxation mineral”, magnesium plays a critical role in relaxation mechanisms inside us. Along with iron, it helps regulate the body’s stress response by supporting GABA – a neurotransmitter that essentially puts the brakes on excessive stimulation in the brain. Without enough of these two nutrients, we’re more likely to feel jittery, restless or overwhelmed. Unfortunately, magnesium is also one of the depleted minerals in modern diets – partly due to soil depletion, partly due to our high intake of ultra-processed foods and partly because stress itself uses up magnesium at a rapid rate. It’s a vicious cycle: the more stressed we are, the more magnesium we burn through – and the less we have to calm ourselves in the first place.
And then there’s the gut. So many people are surprised to learn that around 80% of the body’s serotonin is actually made in the gut. This is just one piece of the incredible relationship between our digestive system and our brain – a two-way conversation known as the gut–brain axis. If the gut is inflamed, it doesn’t just affect your digestion. It can disrupt your neurotransmitter production, your immune system, iron absorption and even your sleep. It’s all connected.
What you eat – and what you absorb – shapes your mental resilience far more than most people realise. Whole, colourful plant foods supply antioxidants that soothe the nervous system. Fermented foods support the gut microbiome, which helps regulate mood. And a steady intake of good quality protein, iron and magnesium provide the building blocks for brain chemicals that keep you grounded, energised and emotionally buoyant. But of course, this only works if your digestion is functioning well enough to extract and absorb those nutrients. Chronic stress, certain medications, inadequate stomach acid or gut infections can all interfere with that process – which are some reasons why even people who eat in a nutritious way sometimes feel flat.
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Advertise with NZME.Mental wellbeing is multifaceted. It’s shaped by factors including your upbringing, your experiences, your hormones, your relationships, your responses to challenges, and the world around you. But your biochemistry underpins all of it. And when you don’t have the raw materials to build emotional resilience, everything feels harder. So if you’ve been feeling more anxious, tired, overwhelmed or flat – even though you’re doing your best – know that it might not be “just stress” or “just life”. Your brain might be quietly crying out for more of what it needs. You don’t have to overhaul everything. Just start by asking: is my food truly nourishing me? Is my gut in a good place? Am I absorbing what I consume?
Because sometimes, the path to feeling better doesn’t begin with a mindset shift – it starts with nutrients.
More from Dr Libby
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