Today we’re getting technical with the Vagus nerve which is probably the most important nerve I work with in my treatment… kinda why I picked it 😉. It helps you to reduce stress and anxiety as well as supports gut health & mental wellbeing.
Why it is important to you?
The Vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve, the name "vagus" means "wandering" in Latin, originating at the base of your brain it travels to various organs throughout the body, including the throat, tongue, ears, lungs, gut, heart, liver, spleen, gallbladder, kidney, pancreas, intestines, and reproductive organs.
The Vagus nerve transmits messages in both directions and serves as the parasympathetic nervous system's command center, which regulates your capacity for relaxation and stress relief. These fibers communicate, sending commands to monitor and control the function of your organs. These fibers carry 80% of the information from your body to your brain. Like a muscle, it can be strengthened by stimulation or weakened by lack thereof. You can have an overactive or underactive vagal response, with a poor vagal nerve tone being associated with depression, heart attacks and inflammation.
How does the Vagus Nerve Function:
— Hormonally. Links your stomach, heart and brain. The word "gut feeling" refers to a true phenomenon. Your Vagus nerve in your intestines transmits messages to your brain, including those that deal with stress, worry, and fear.
— Stress management. The Sympathetic or more commonly known as the “Fight or Flight” response, causes your body to release cortisol and adrenalin, which raises your blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate and makes you more alert and energized. The Vagus nerve is a component of the parasympathetic or "Rest and Digest" response, which normalizes breathing, slows down the heart rhythm.
— Helps with memory. Studies have shown that stimulating your vagal nerve helps strengthen and consolidate memories.
— Reduces Inflammation: Instead of the typical inflammation that results from illness or damage, an excessive amount of inflammation causes problems including rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other inflammatory reactions.
— Improves mood, heart rate, digestion and immune response
The Body’s organs that the Vagus Nerve Influences:
-Gut: improves digestive flow and juice secretion. Stimulates peristalsis movement of the stomach to have a bowel movement -Heart: optimizes blood pressure and heart rate -Liver and pancreas: balances blood glucose, releases bile acid -Gallbladder: releases bile -Spleen: lowers inflammation -Bladder: contractions to urinate -Kidneys: releases sodium, increases blood flow, and manages blood glucose -Reproductive organs: assists with fertility and uterine muscles
People who have a greater Vagus response recover faster after stress, injury, or sickness. Additionally, studies have shown that Vagus nerve stimulation helps reduce inflammation, sadness, loneliness, irregular heartbeats, and heart attacks. 60% of your vagal nerve tone is genetically determined, leaving the other 40% up to you.
Here are various methods for doing that:
-Yoga and regular physical activity and exercise
-Conscious breathing
-Singing and humming
-Laughing
-Massage of carotid sinus on the sides of your neck
-Intermittent Fasting or the 5:2 Diet
-Loving, kindness & gratitude meditations and prayer
-Foot massage or reflexology
-Aromatherapy especially lavender and bergamot
-Gargling
-Holding your breath for six to eight counts, breath out with lips pursed for a count of six (for ten minutes to get the full benefit)
-Taking a deep breath and then making a humming or ‘aaaah’ sound on breathing out
-Grounding or earthing
-Omega 3 supplements and Pro-biotics
-Cut down on sugar and eat more plants
-Coldwater splashed on your face, cold showers etc
Vagal nerve signals can become weak or the nerve can become irritated due to heavy metal toxicity, poor posture, hiatal hernia, excess alcohol, stress, PTSD and brain trauma eg concussion. The following are signs of a weak vagal nerve tone or dis-regulated firing of the nerve.
Signs of a Weak or damaged Vagus Nerve:
-Difficulty speaking, loss of voice, hoarse or wheezy voice -Mood issues, Depression and Anxiety -Chronic Fatigue, loss of memory or concentration -Weight gain due to chronic fatigue, depression or anxiety -Inability to relax and Insomnia -Unusual heart rate -Abnormal blood pressure -Decreased production of stomach acid -Heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux -IBS and IBD -Trouble drinking liquids -Loss of the gag reflex -Slow digestion, abdominal bloating or pain -Blood Sugar Imbalances and diabetes -Loss of appetite -Nausea or vomiting especially vomiting undigested food hours after eating -Weight loss due to nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite or feeling full shortly after starting a meal -Chronic Inflammation -Dizziness and Fainting
I hope we all have healthier and happier Vagus nerves this year!
Let me know if you've tried any of these tips and how they've worked for you?
Heal, Hands and Health
Dr Geraldine
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