Why Should Supporting the Vagus Nerve & Calming the Nervous System be Your TOP PRIORITY?

If your Doctor, or Practitioner isn’t talking to you about this, then it’s time to see someone new! I always add vagal work & nervous system work as one on the TOP PRIORITIES in the personalized game-plans I create for my clients; because calming the nervous system & supporting/stimulating the vagus nerve is crucial for good health and is the MOST important step to take, if you want to heal your body.

Your vagus nerve is the longest nerve in your body & the word "vagus" means “wanderer,” in Latin. This is an accurate description, since the vagus nerve wanders all over the body, connecting your brain to various organs (including the gut, heart, lungs, etc). The vagus nerve also plays a key role in your parasympathetic nervous system (rest & digest), so it influences your breathing, digestive function, & heart rate. When the body is in “fight-or-flight mode,” it causes vagal tone to be low, which not only affects the health of your entire body, but it also wreaks havoc on your nervous system. If your nervous system & vagal tone are suffering, then things that were dormant in the body can rise to the surface, causing old symptoms (or new symptoms) to rear their ugly heads. This is why nervous system/vagus nerve work should be done DAILY and should take priority over expensive supplements & protocols.

What throws off vagal tone & causes a dysregulated nervous system?

*unresolved past trauma

*dysfunctional relationships

*poorly managed work stress/life stress

*stressful life events, like car accidents, moving, remodeling, changing jobs, divorce, separation , death of a loved one, etc

*high toxic load in the body from parasites, heavy metals, chemicals, mold, fungus, wifi radiation, etc

*certain emotions, like anger, frustration, unforgiveness, hatred, anxiety, worry, jealousy, bitterness, etc (these emotions lower your vibrational frequency, which lowers your immune system & allows pathogens to thrive in your body)

When you attempt to stimulate your vagus nerve, please choose only one thing at a time from the list below for a few days, to see how you feel first, before including any other tips from the list. You don’t want to add ten things at once, or be too aggressive with vagus nerve stimulation, as this can be stressful to a body that’s already feeling overwhelmed.

How to support/stimulate your vagus nerve & calm your nervous system:

*loud singing, loud humming, and loud gargling

*deep & slow breathing (there are lots of free tutorials on proper breathing techniques for the nervous system online/youtube)

*prayer, visualization, meditation & guided meditation (there are lots of free videos for guided meditation online/youtube)

*listening to healing frequencies (there are lots of free healing frequency videos online/youtube…you can also download some for a few dollars)

*probiotics and fermented foods (get probiotics on my Fullscript link for 20% OFF right here)

*gentle exercise (like walking, tai chi, yoga, etc)

*craniosacral massage, full-body massage, reiki, & reflexology

*dry brushing (click here for a video tutorial)

*laughing and socializing with trusted friends & family

*spending time in nature & listening to the sounds of nature (like birds chirping)

*red light therapy (use my code APM to save $$ on my favorite red light panel  here, or you can get free red light from the morning sunrise)

*grounding (putting your bare feet on the grass, dirt, sand, or untreated concrete…or putting your bare hands on a tree trunk (my favorite grounding mats are here and you can use my code APM to save $$ on my favorite grounding sheets, here)

*enemas & colonics (make sure you’re having 2-3, easy to pass bowel movements per day) The link for my favorite enema products is here 

*Keeping a gratitude journal, or writing out your thoughts & feelings.

*Taking breaks from social media, the news, etc (we we’re meant to know about every little thing happening in the wold; it’s very hard on our nervous system, so it’s important to limit the time spent viewing these things)

*cold showers/cold plunging (I hesitated to put this on the list, because I have mixed feeling about cold plunging. If you have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, extreme temperatures can make your symptoms worse. Cold plunging is all the rage right now, but I DO NOT believe in one-size-fits-all approaches. We are all different, so what works for one might not work for another. I personally believe a long plunge in the cold can be potentially harmful for some, so it’s best to get in-and-out very quickly, or to start gently (like ending your hot shower with lukewarm water, not ice-cold water, or splashing cold water on just your face, etc). If you plan on experimenting with cold showers/cold plunging, please exercise extreme caution. There are plenty of other ways to stimulate the vagus nerve, that don’t include the possibility of causing more stress to your body, if you’re already extra sensitive to things. For women, it’s best to avoid cold/plunging when you’re on your cycle, as well.

*somatic exercises to realize tension, anxiety, and trauma, etc. Click here for a Youtube account has a ton of helpful videos!

*feeling and working through your emotions. Click below for my PDF on working through your emotions:

A Step-By Step Guide to Feel And Work Through Your Emotions-.pdf

Download PDF • 41KB

*addressing poorly managed stress, lower frequency emotions (like anger, unforgiveness, hatred, anxiety, worry, jealousy, bitterness, etc),and any unresolved trauma with EMDR therapy, EFT & EFT tapping, hypnosis, MBSR therapy, the Gupta program, & other limbic brain retraining therapies (there are lots of free downloads and free trials online & on youtube).

There are two programs that I highly recommend for this! Both of the programs I mention below have been game changers for myself and my clients!

The first is the Primal Trust program, by Doctor Cathleen King. Click here for more info!

The second is Feel To Heal, by Amanda Panacea. Click here for more info!

I'd love to hear from you! What are some of your favorite ways to stimulate your vagus nerve and calm your nervous system?

 If you want access to my FREE online course for regulating the nervous system, see the picture below, where I've circled the button you need to click at the top of my webpage.

*This post is for educational purpose only and is not intended as medical advice.