Foods for Vagal Tone

Nutrition for the Vagus Nerve?

It’s true!

Foods can increase vagal tone through the gut-brain axis. For example:

🥦 Fiber sends signals through the vagus nerve to the brain and back to slow gut movements and make us feel full.

🥗 The Mediterranean Diet is associated with higher heart rate variability, which is a measure of vagal tone.

🐟 Probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, and B vitamins improve heart rate variability too.

The vagus nerve regulates everything from heart health to metabolic health to immune function, and it is strongly influenced by what is going on in the gut! That means that anything you do (or eat) to affect gut health will probably also affect vagal tone.

We love to nerd out on how everything in the body is connected. If you are trying to make sense of what is going on with your own health or how your symptoms relate, we can help.

Visit our website to schedule an appointment today! 📱

Reference

Young HA, Benton D. Heart-rate variability: a biomarker to study the influence of nutrition on physiological and psychological health?. Behav Pharmacol. 2018;29(2 and 3-Spec Issue):140-151. [link]

Try This Simple Breathing Exercise ☯️

Have ONE minute for an energy boost? 

Stop the scroll and try ⭐Belly Breathing⭐

Lots of people don’t even realize their breaths are short and shallow. It’s how we breathe when we’re anxious, but for some it becomes a pattern. Shallow breathing decreases oxygen to the brain and can make you feel tired and distracted.

For a quick energy boost, try taking one minute for intentional belly breathing:

1️⃣ Inhale through your nose for a count of 4. Make sure your belly expands rather than your chest. 

2️⃣ Exhale through your mouth for a count of 4. 

3️⃣ Repeat for one minute. 

Taking action to improve your health and feel better does not need to be hard! Even one minute makes a difference. 

Benefits of Positive Thinking

How to stop negative thoughts ⬇️⬇️

“Change your thoughts, change your life!”

“What you think, you become!”

“Positive vibes only!!”

While all these affirmations are true, and positivity does attract good things into your life…if you’ve ever been in a spiral of negative thinking, you know that breaking the cycle is easier said than done.

Here’s something that might help:

A newly published study showed 🔅mental imagery🔅 to be an effective distraction from negative thoughts.

The study involved 145 teenagers who were triggered into negative thinking and then guided to break that cycle with either verbal or visual mental imagery.

🍋🍋The visual imagery exercise was as simple as imagining what a lemon looked like in different conditions.

While both verbal & visual distraction improved the teenagers’ moods, the visual imagery also lit up the brain in ways that showed it helped to regulate the nervous system.

That’s a big win 🧠

Everyone will have negative thoughts sometimes. But the skills we have to stop them will determine whether it becomes a lifelong pattern or a mere fleeting moment.

Reference

Lawrence HR, Siegle GJ, Schwartz-Mette RA. Reimagining rumination? The unique role of mental imagery in adolescents' affective and physiological response to rumination and distraction. J Affect Disord. 2023;329:460-469. [link]

Ever Tried a Meditation App?

✨ 3 Meditation Apps to Try ✨

There is no shortage of science-backed benefits of meditation. 

Meditation can help with…

🔅 stress & anxiety

🔅 blood pressure

🔅 pain & inflammation

🔅 self-awareness

🔅 sleep

Lots of people think meditation is hard or overwhelming, but you can start reaping its benefits even if you only commit to 5 minutes a day! 

Here are 3 apps to check out that can help:

1️⃣ Headspace

Complete with explainer videos about mindfulness and options for all ages, Headspace is a simple place for anybody to begin.

2️⃣ Calm

Based on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques, Calm offers meditations that last from 3 to 30 minutes.

3️⃣ Ten Percent Happier

To complement the book and podcast by the same name, this app includes teachings, meditations, and challenges. 

Have you tried any of these apps? What do you think? ⤵️

Desk Stretches for Your Neck!

👋 Stop the scroll and try these now!

Most people sit with their neck forward for many hours a day—whether working at the computer or looking at their phone. 

Here are 3 quick stretches you can do to loosen your neck and train your muscles for better posture. 

1️⃣ Chin Tuck

Sit or stand tall with your shoulders down and your head facing forward. Lower your chin to your chest and hold for 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat. 

2️⃣ Head Turn

Begin upright and facing forward. Turn to look over your right shoulder and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the left side. 

3️⃣ Side Neck Stretch

Begin upright and facing forward. Lower your right ear to your right shoulder and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the left side. 

If you tend to stay working at your desk for long hours with no break, set a reminder on your phone to do these exercises! 

You might just feel better by the end of the day.