Discover the Mood Food Connection at Goodwood Wellbeing

29th July 2025

In a world where emotional fatigue, anxiety and burnout are on the rise, Goodwood Health & Wellbeing has unveiled a transformative new retreat designed to restore calm, clarity and resilience starting with the gut. With the first of this new retreat taking place this November, the Mood Food Connection Retreat is a four-day science-led journey that explores the powerful link between the food we eat and how we feel.

Rooted in the serene beauty of the 11,000-acre Goodwood Estate in the heart of the West Sussex countryside, this restorative experience is grounded in both modern neuroscience and centuries-old natural health principles. It brings to life the insights of clinical nutritionist and Goodwood Gut Health Lead, Stephanie Moore, author of Eat Your Brain Happy, whose work explores how diet shapes our brain chemistry and mental wellbeing.

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The gut-brain connection: What you eat changes how you feel

The idea that food affects mood is no longer just common sense; it’s neuroscience. Every meal we eat communicates with the brain not only through nutrients but through the intricate pathways of the gut microbiome. As Stephanie explains, “What we eat literally changes how our brain works. If we eat to support a healthy gut microbiome, the brain becomes well-nourished and balanced which leads to a calmer, happier state of mind.”

At the heart of the retreat are immersive workshops such as The Biology of an Unhappy Brain and Which is in Charge: Your Gut or Your Brain? which decode the relationship between diet, gut health and neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals are responsible for regulating mood, focus and motivation, yet their production depends largely on the nutrients we consume.

“Healthy fats like omega-3s, magnesium, B vitamins and protein are essential for brain balance,” Stephanie shares. “They support the production of neurotransmitters like GABA and serotonin which help us feel calm and focused.”

Food as medicine: What you eat and why it matters

Guests will enjoy a nourishing anti-inflammatory menu crafted to support mental clarity and gut integrity. Dishes are built around organic seasonal ingredients, many sourced from Goodwood’s own Home Farm, including oily fish, leafy greens, pulses, avocados, seeds and fermented foods, all designed to enhance gut microbiota diversity and reduce systemic inflammation.

“Gut permeability is a major contributor to anxiety and low mood,” explains Stephanie. “When harmful bacteria in the gut produce inflammatory compounds, these can leak into the bloodstream and even reach the brain, triggering symptoms of depression or brain fog.”

Throughout the retreat, participants will learn how to eat in ways that calm the nervous system, support digestion and reduce stress; practices that extend far beyond the plate. The retreat also includes expert consultations and integrative treatments such as cranial osteopathy, abdominal massage and reflexology as well as movement classes, guided breath walks and vagal tone sound therapy to promote emotional regulation.

A retreat designed for long-term change

This isn’t just a chance to unwind. It’s a chance to transform your relationship with food, mood and self-care. Guests will leave not only rested and restored but equipped with a personalised ‘Happy Brain Action Plan’ that supports mental resilience long after the retreat ends.

“The Mood Food Connection retreat provides both the theory and the experience,” says Stephanie. “You’ll understand how food shapes your brain, and you’ll live it through what you eat, how you move and how you restore. It’s about creating sustainable habits that support a balanced, resilient and happy mind.”

Guests can also choose to extend their stay to an overall five night retreat by combining the Mood Food Connection Retreat with the new Art & Ice Retreat, a contrast experience blending the Wim Hof Method of cold water immersion therapy with creative restoration amongst the new Goodwood Art Foundation. Together these immersive offerings reflect Goodwood’s commitment to long-term wellbeing where nature, nutrition and neuroscience come together in harmony.

The new Mood Food Connection Retreat begins on Sunday 16 November, Art & Ice Retreat begins on Wednesday 19 November.

  • mood food

  • Retreats

  • gut health

  • latest news

  • Health & Wellbeing

  • Health and Wellbeing

  • Wellness Retreat

  • Wellness Retreats