No, not Vegas! That’s where the casinos are! This is about your Vagus Nerve. Never heard of it? Well – it’s connected to nearly organ in your body – which means it is Central Control. Starting at the brain stem, and wandering down both sides of the body, it sends signals from your brain to your organs and tells them how to behave. It is like a train stopping at every station along the way, until it reaches its destination - in your intestines. It is responsible for swallowing, speech, digestion, respiration and heart-rate, among other things. YIKES – that’s a lot of train track!
It can trigger symptoms like anxiety, depression, worry, insomnia, and even leaky gut, because it is connected to your throat, heart, lungs, and belly. But - the good news is – when the Vagus Nerve is properly stimulated - it can also activate your immune response, decrease inflammation, improve your memory, let you know if you’ve just tasted a terrific meal, or elevate your mood. This is because the stimulation activates your body’s relaxation response and helps you to deal with stress and a wide range of other conditions.
Some fun ways to stimulate the positive effects of this nerve are singing (or humming) laughing, or even gargling plain water. Take a closer look at the picture above for other ways to bring the good stuff. Hey – this is better than Black-Jack! To your health!
~Ruth