Food for thought: How your belly controls your brain | Ruairi Robertson | TEDxFulbrightSantaMonica

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Published 2015-12-07

"Have you ever had a gut feeling or butterflies in your stomach? Has hunger ever changed your mood? Our bellies and brains are physically and biochemically connected in a number of ways, meaning the state of our intestines can alter the way our brains work and behave, giving a whole new meaning to 'Food for thought'.

As a nutritionist, microbiologist and neuroscientist, Ruairi Robertson is passionate about the link between our bellies and brains. His research is examining how our intestines and the microbes within them can influence both physical and mental health, and most importantly how our diets influence this relationship. Ruairi has travelled the world researching food, and believes it is the key to global public health. Ruairi is a PhD student in University College Cork in Ireland and current Fulbright Scholar (2015/16) to Harvard University.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

All Comments (21)

@tylerworrell7866 3 years ago

"90% of Serotonin is produced in the intestine." This should be on billboards across the country.
@jasontrinidad7872 3 years ago

Quarantine got me wanting to change my life around
@rustinstardust2094 5 years ago

"...There is some food for thought." Not only is this guy a genius, suggesting a theory which could change the world...but an excellent writer as well.
@GoCanucks2011 2 years ago

Everything you do - Everything you encounter - Everything you experience - ------- is changing your brain --------
@OlympischbriesjeNadaAverage 7 years ago

All those commends on how cute the guy looks. It's not him, it's his bacteria looking good.
@djrandomwalker7656 6 years ago

my great grandfather lived till 99 , all he had in dinner was a mango and yogurt based drink we call lassi in India.
@marycotta31 3 years ago

This explains why Covid can be so severe for some, and mild for others. Take care of your microbiome and they will take care of you!
@drums34 5 years ago

Beyond being one of the best TED ever, this TED gives the answer of life. It tells to take care of your stomach so not drinking, eating well, sleeping well and more importantly HAVE A GOOD POSTURE. Because posture can block your diaphragm and we know that diaphragm massages the stomach. Take care of your body and enjoy your life
@roysreceptive 7 years ago

This is a just about as perfect a TED Talk as I've seen - Thoughtful, engaging, informative, timely.
@christianaiacampo5491 4 years ago

My doctor did tell me when I came in for depression that the best long term treatment is to start exercising regularly and eating properly.
@norwegianblue2764 1 year ago

I have watched 100 TED talks, including many of the "most downloaded," and I have to say this is my favorite so far. Brilliant speaker, good topic, authentic, no negatives.
@icystorm9968 2 years ago

This guy is Entertaining, engaging, educated and attractive. I NEED MORE BACTERIA!
@thecitizenjoan 5 years ago

I agree with this 100% this supports the conclusion I've come to recently just in paying attention to how my moods have changed since I've become vegan. I notice when I eat junk food like mass produced pizzas and fried chicken I get in these really depressive moods and anything can tick me off, I also notice I get really depressed when I'm constipated. But since I've changed my diet I feel happier less irritable. I figured that my what I'm eating must affect my moods somehow, so happy YouTube suggested this to me.
@bogasixtyeight5153 5 years ago

1. Eat fermented vegetables 2. Stop eating conventional meats 3. Stop eating foods high in sugar. 4. Stop conventional dairy
@swapnakhare4794 3 years ago

Ayurveda, the Indian traditional medicinal system has always talked about the gut being a central pillar of human health (mental and physical). This is just one more validation for it from the western science.
@katik7206 7 years ago

We are all aware that we have bacteria in our gut and through out the body, but I never realized it was a 9:1 ratio (9 bacteria to every 1 human cell). I also never considered how much what we eat can affect that bacteria, the bacteria affects not only our digestive system, but also our brains and the way we think. It surprised me that there was enough of a connection with the gut and brain that it can actually produce serotonin to create either depression (a low level of serotonin) or anxiety (a high level). And that if we are noticing symptoms we can correct them by eating more starch (to decrease serotonin levels by 10%), or eat more protein (to increase serotonin levels by 35%) for breakfast. This video makes you think of what your body and consider that the food we eat alone can affect our moods, digestive system, and even personality. This was very informational and interesting considering how much what we eat really does have an impact on us in many ways.
@wise-up-parenting 5 years ago

Incredible research, I'm so fascinated! I recently started eliminating sugar and adding healthy fats to my diet and instantly noticed a decrease in my stress levels and increase in mood. I think my gut thanked .e with some seratonin. Phew!
@williamkz 1 year ago

Excellent talk by Ruairi. One thing that seems relatively overlooked in the comments is the role of antibiotics. We are quick to demand antibiotics from our doctors and doctors are quick to prescribe them (maybe to avoid complaints or long conversations). But it is likely that the inordinate amount of inappropriate antibiotics that we consume is killing vital gut bacteria and having an adverse effect on our health.
@Swanky95472 5 years ago

I need an intelligent man like this in my life!!!
@rwinters1301 7 years ago

"You are more bacteria than you are human"- yes. Most Americans, antibiotic-crazed, hand-sanitizer-crazed, don't get this. Thanks for shining a light on the microbiome. :-)