Disordered Eating, Anxiety, and Gut Issues: Why It’s All Connected
Mental health, GI issues, and disordered eating may seem like separate challenges, but they are often interconnected, with each influencing the others in profound ways.
Erica Golden, a dietitian specializing in these overlapping areas, has seen firsthand how addressing one issue can lead to improvements across all three. Drawing from her extensive experience working with clients facing PTSD, anxiety, depression, and GI disorders, Erica emphasizes a holistic approach that focuses on healing the gut-brain connection, improving relationships with food, and supporting mental well-being.
By understanding how these areas are linked, we can begin to break the cycle and build a foundation for better health and a more balanced life.
How Mental Health, GI Issues, and Disordered Eating Are Linked
The connection between mental health, gastrointestinal (GI) issues, and disordered eating is rooted in the gut-brain axis—a complex communication network between the gut and the brain that impacts mood, digestion, and overall well-being. When one area is disrupted, it often triggers a ripple effect on the others, creating a cycle of worsening symptoms.
Trauma is often at the root of this cycle. As Erica explains, “Trauma can physically damage the gut. It changes the permeability of the gut, the composition of the microbiome, and even the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, letting more toxins into the brain. It’s wild when you start to learn how interconnected these things are.” These physical changes in the gut can increase inflammation, disrupt neurotransmitter production, and worsen mental health symptoms.
GI issues, such as bloating, diarrhea, or constipation, further complicate the picture. Poor gut health can interfere with nutrient absorption, leaving the brain without the building blocks it needs to function properly. Additionally, the discomfort of chronic GI symptoms can contribute to feelings of shame and stress, which often lead to disordered eating patterns as individuals attempt to regain control.
Disordered eating, in turn, perpetuates the cycle. People often turn to restrictive diets to try to control their GI symptoms. This can cause severe fear around food or lead to cycles of overeating and under-eating, which can wreak havoc on the gut microbiome, impair digestion, and deprive the body of essential nutrients. Erica highlights, “If we have trauma that starts this process, it can lead to damage in the gut. But then, if we have gut issues, we’ll see changes in the brain. It’s all connected.”
This cycle can feel overwhelming, but Erica emphasizes that healing is possible. “When your gut is healthy and you’re absorbing what you’re supposed to, a lot of other things can fall into balance as well,” she explains. By addressing the gut-brain connection and understanding how mental health, GI issues, and disordered eating influence one another, it becomes possible to break the cycle and achieve lasting improvements in overall health.
Practical Advice: Steps to Heal the Gut-Brain Connection
Making meaningful changes to improve mental health, gut health, and disordered eating doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Erica Golden’s approach focuses on small, actionable steps that prioritize addition rather than restriction. Here are some practical strategies she recommends:
1. Track Your Plant Points
“One of the most powerful tools people can use to improve their gut and mental health is increasing plant diversity,” Erica explains. She encourages clients to aim for 30-35 different plants per week, a concept she refers to as “plant points.” Each unique plant—whether it’s a fruit, vegetable, whole grain, nut, seed, or legume—counts as one point. Even small additions, like trying a new apple variety or sprinkling seeds on your toast, can help boost variety.
“It’s not about portion size,” Erica emphasizes. “It’s about variety and color. The more diverse your plant intake, the healthier your gut microbiome becomes, which has a ripple effect on your mental health.” To stay on track, Erica suggests using a printable habit tracker or simply keeping notes on your phone.
2. Add Fermented Foods
Fermented foods are another powerful tool for supporting the gut-brain connection. Erica recommends incorporating 4-5 different types of fermented foods daily, such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, or tempeh. These foods are rich in probiotics, which can help restore balance to the gut microbiome.
“Fermented foods are some of the most impactful changes people can make,” she says. “I’ve seen clients experience dramatic transformations when they start eating a variety of fermented foods regularly.” Erica also encourages making fermented foods at home, which can provide more variety than you can find in your grocery store. “Almost every culture has its own fermented foods, so it’s a great way to connect with your heritage while improving your health.”
3. Start with Breakfast
Erica advises starting small to avoid feeling overwhelmed. One place to start? Breakfast. For breakfast, she recommends building a nutrient-dense meal with protein, fiber, and vegetables. “A simple breakfast scramble with leftover veggies and eggs is a great way to start the day,” she says. Pair it with a piece of fruit or whole grain toast, or even a small smoothie for a balanced meal.
If you love smoothies, Erica suggests balancing them with protein and fiber. “Many smoothies are just fruit and sugar, leaving you hungry again in 30 minutes,” she explains. “Add kefir, nut butter, or seeds to make it more satisfying, and pair it with something to chew, like toast or a boiled egg.”
4. Focus on Addition, Not Restriction
Rather than eliminating foods, Erica encourages focusing on what you can add to your diet. “When you focus on adding more variety and nutrients, it naturally crowds out less helpful choices,” she says. “It’s a much more positive and sustainable approach.”
By starting with these small, manageable changes, you can begin to heal your gut-brain connection and create a foundation for better mental and physical well-being.
5. Prioritize the Most Pressing Issues First
Erica’s treatment philosophy focuses on gradual, sustainable changes rather than overwhelming clients with many changes at once. “We set one or two small goals at a time, three at most,” she says. “Prioritize the most pressing issues first—whether it’s chronic GI distress or severe anxiety—and build from there. It’s about creating progress without adding stress.”
6. Don’t Forget About Lifestyle
In addition to nutrition, Erica highlights the importance of lifestyle factors like movement, exposure to sunlight, mindfulness practices, and breathing exercises. “Sometimes we have to start with these foundational habits before we can even tackle the diet,” she notes. “If someone isn’t sleeping well or is too fatigued to prepare meals, we have to address those barriers first.”
Erica Golden, RDN, LD, IFNCP is a registered dietitian nutritionist providing virtual nutrition and lifestyle counseling to individuals with depression, anxiety, and gut-brain axis disorders like IBS. She also works with clients with eating disorders using holistic, integrative and functional nutrition care.