How to Increase Your Creativity by Improving Your Gut Health
- Brainz Magazine
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Malika Fudge is recognized for her work in change management, creativity, and productivity. She is the founder of Visionary Muse, a transformative coaching platform, and the author of the poetry book Being Is... Being Me, published in 2025.
Do you ever feel like your ideas just don’t flow, no matter how hard you try? Like you’re stuck in a fog and unable to focus. You may not realize it, but your gut does more than digest food. It influences your focus, clarity, and creative output. In this article, you’ll discover the key signs your gut may be holding back your ideas, the foods that boost brain power, simple habits to improve mental clarity, and practical ways to track your gut for creativity. Learn how small, targeted changes can unlock your full creative potential.
Why gut health matters
Your brain’s ability to think clearly, concentrate, and make creative choices is directly impacted by gut health. The gut-brain axis is a two-way communication system that connects the brain and digestive system through bacteria in the gut, neurotransmitters, and the vagus nerve. Signals from an unbalanced gut can affect mental clarity, focus, and memory. According to the Society of Neuroscience, the gut produces over 90 percent of the body’s serotonin, a neurotransmitter necessary for mood control, learning, and concentration. Research conducted by Stanford Medicine found that digestive problems are frequently associated with creative blocks and decreased cognitive performance, as disruptions in gut-brain signaling can impair mental clarity and focus, contributing to symptoms such as brain fog and difficulty concentrating.
Signs of a poor gut
Symptoms of poor gut health directly affect creative performance and mental clarity. Bloating, brain fog, exhaustion, mood swings, and low focus are common signs that can block creativity, focus, and productivity. When digestion is out of balance, the brain may struggle to stay clear and engaged, making creative work feel harder than it should. Tracking symptoms such as energy levels, focus, digestion, and mood can help identify patterns between gut health and brain fog, offering a practical first step toward improving both gut function and creative output.
Foods that boost creativity
Certain foods can help with mental clarity, focus, and idea formation by boosting the production of neurotransmitters, lowering inflammation, and keeping energy levels stable. When it comes to brain function and creativity, a few basic nutrients can have a significant impact. Fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, and kefir help keep your stomach healthy, which is strongly related to how your brain works. A healthy stomach can help improve mood, focus, and mental clarity. Omega-3-rich foods such as salmon, walnuts, and chia seeds provide necessary fats to the brain, improving memory, focus, and flexibility of thought.
Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are also beneficial, as they contain antioxidants and B vitamins that protect brain cells and provide consistent energy. This allows you to stay creatively engaged without feeling exhausted. Berries, eggs, dark chocolate, and whole grains are all foods that can support brain health. Experiment to see what works best for your focus and idea flow. Regularly consuming these foods can help reduce brain fog, enhance attention, and support your full creative potential.
Habits for mental clarity
Simple daily behaviors can promote gut health while also improving focus, creativity, and overall brain performance. The time of day when you eat matters. Eating a healthy breakfast in the morning and avoiding large late-night meals helps balance energy and maintain mental clarity. Staying hydrated, engaging in regular movement such as short walks or light stretching, and practicing mindfulness or deep breathing exercises all support digestion and reduce stress, promoting better brain function. Even small changes, such as pausing for a mindful moment between tasks or taking brief movement breaks, can help reduce brain fog, improve attention, and strengthen the gut-brain connection. Paying attention to these habits allows you to notice patterns in energy, concentration, and creativity, giving you practical tools to support both gut health and mental performance.
Track your gut daily
Monitoring your gut health can help you understand what supports or limits your ability to focus and generate ideas by revealing patterns between digestion and creative performance. These connections can be observed through a simple journaling practice that records meals, energy levels, mental clarity, mood, and ideas generated. Keep track of the foods, routines, and hydration habits that either strengthen or interfere with your creative flow. If you want to see tangible results, consider running a short experiment and tracking consistently for a week. Over time, this approach helps you make informed decisions that support gut health and brain function, turning everyday observations into actionable insights for creativity and productivity.
Common gut mistakes
Even small habits can sabotage gut health and, in turn, your creativity and mental clarity. Skipping meals or practicing extreme fasting can lower energy levels and make it difficult to concentrate. An overreliance on processed foods or sugar can upset the gut microbiome and contribute to brain fog. Ignoring stress or neglecting hydration further slows digestion and cognitive performance. Simple adjustments, such as eating balanced meals, limiting processed snacks, staying hydrated, and adding short stress relief practices, can correct these mistakes and help maintain a gut-friendly routine that supports both focus and creative flow.
Quick actions to try
Increasing your creativity does not have to be hard. Small, intentional actions can make a big difference. Add one to three brain-boosting foods today, such as leafy greens, fermented foods, or meals high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon or walnuts. Combine this with a basic habit, such as drinking plenty of water, eating mindfully, or taking a short walk, to improve digestion and mental clarity. Keep an eye on your energy, focus, and creative output over the next week to spot patterns and reinforce the importance of these changes. These simple actions, taken together, can enhance cognitive function, reduce brain fog, and increase the frequency of idea generation.
Ready to take action?
In summary, understanding the connection between gut health and creativity is an important step toward improving focus, clarity, and creative decision-making. While awareness leads to insight, real change happens when people feel safe enough to act. If you have noticed persistent brain fog, trouble focusing, or difficulty putting ideas into action, it may be time to assess how your daily routines and gut health are affecting your creative process and overall well being. Reach out to us for guidance and support as you navigate your next creative step with greater ease.
Read more from Malika Fudge
Malika Fudge, Creative Business Strategist and Author
Malika Fudge is an expert in emotional and behavioral change management. After using art as a personal tool for healing, Malika was inspired to merge her passions for creativity and I/O Psychology to empower others. She has since dedicated her work to guiding creatives through emotional growth and strategic success. Through her pioneering coaching platform, Visionary Muse, Malika has helped countless creatives turn their passions into profit without sacrificing their peace. Where creativity meets profit is her mission.
