Vagus Nerve Health Benefits

A Bit About the Vagus Nerve:

Digestive Wellness

Watch this space for posts on how just breathing can nourish this important and all-healing cranial nerve

The Vagus nerve has been gathering lots of attention lately. Much has been learned about it and its importance to our overall health is being uncovered!

Its the longest of the cranial nerves, and is named so because it "wanders" like a vagabond. It sends out fibres from your brainstem to your visceral organs, not working inside itself at all.

Here's a brief list of all the good things its been learned that it does for our good health and good living!:

Wash Away the Body Stress Blockages

For every emotional event in your life, there is a physical response in your body. Make it positive!

1. Reduces inflammation, in all areas of the body: on a cellular level!

2. It initiates the body's relaxation response: makes us all zen, yum

3. Its the translator from the brain sending messages to the digestion

4. It helps you breathe: healthy breathing is basis for emotional and physical wellbeing

5. It helps retain memories ie., fighting Alzeheimer's potential

6. It improves cardio function by controlling heart rate

The power this nerve has to maintain balance health and wellbeing in our daily lives is astonishing, and it has opened up a whole new field of medicine called "bioelectronics"...as the interest is focused on the results of gently pulsed and electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve to encourage our bodies to heal themselves completely naturally, and for the long term!

Acupuncture has long had a similar gentle effect on the body, creating a gentle stimulation to the nervous system to act more efficiently in its daily activities, keeping the body well and disease free, and healing itself more efficiently when challenged.

An exciting time to see truly integrated medicine platforms arise, and ultimately treat all people with less drugs and less side effects. Another piece of evidence showing the human body is a genius machine!

PMT: Pre-Menstrual Tension - How Do I Relieve The Discomfort??

Almost all women of age suffer with PMT at one time or another, if not all their lives. This simply doesn’t have to be the way. Gentle and nourishing ACUPUNCTURE is generally a pleasant and relaxing experience, and balances hormones so well that PMT quickly becomes a thing of the past. 

Imagine your monthly PMT gone, forever. 

BACKGROUND and SYMPTOMS

PMS is associated with imbalanced levels of progesterone and excess oestrogen and can be responsible for many physical and emotional symptoms in the days leading to menstruation: 

• Mood swings

• Food cravings

• Depression

• Bloating and Fluid

• Breast tenderness

• Headaches

These symptoms vary from woman to woman but can begin as much as two weeks before a period and usually end an hour to a few days after the onset of menstruation. About half of all women regularly suffer from PMT and up to 10% suffer from extreme symptoms. 

ALSO TRY SOME PMT FRIENDLY FOODS

• Increase intake of mineral water, and drink herbal teas

• Ensure you eat lean sources of protein including chicken, fresh fish, turkey and non animal based protein including legumes, pulses, lentils, brown rice and nuts

• Eat regular meals and small snacks, and include some protein with each snack and meal

• Increase dietary fibre by including some nuts and seeds, whole grains, lots of veg

• Increase your intake of essential fatty acids (EFAs) through consumption of oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, plus avocado, nuts and seeds (no peanuts)

• Phytoestrogens (found abundantly in soy products) may exert a balancing effect when oestrogen levels are elevated. (legumes, seeds, soy, beans, plant proteins)

• Take a good multivitamin/mineral tablet daily as directed.

ACUPUNCTURE + GOOD NUTRITION = BALANCED HORMONES

Your Acupuncture Challenge, NOW: Stress Awareness Day

Release anxious feelings,

promote relaxation &

find ultimate well-being

National Stress Awareness Day: November 2

Relieve STRESS:

Take the Acupuncture Challenge!

Get STRESS FREE in just 3 Acupuncture sessions...

 

Get yourself balanced, calm and relaxed in time for National Stress Awareness Day this November 2nd, and spend the day sharing your good fortune and happy disposition with others.

This time don't be a victim of the day, but be the catalyst to help others find the inner peace and calm you've now found, just through three sessions of relaxation acupuncture.

 

Worrying, anxiety and stress on the emotional mind can have negative health effects.

The symptoms:

• disturbed sleep and eating patterns
• feeling of inability to cope
• loss of confidence
• difficulty in concentrating and making decisions
• headaches
• stomach upsets, feeling sick, butterflies
• emotional distress
• depleted immune system
• irritability
• feeling de-energised

Because acupuncture can have a full effect on the whole body, the metabolic system in charge of adrenaline and all our other hormones can be gently persuaded, through gentle acupuncture, to operate more efficiently and recognise when our body and mind needs to calm down.

Its a vehicle to encourage your body to see how to heal itself. Beautiful! 

Take Action

If you feel worried, anxious and stressed...

Some of these suggestions may work for you:

TRY THEM!

• Take Action - evaluate all your options, then make a decision and act on it. There is often something you can practically do about a situation you are worried or anxious about. Consider each worry one by one, Then ask yourself, on a scale of 1 – 10 (where 1 is slightly worrying and 10 is extremely worrying) How important is this worry? if its under 5, release it for another day.

• Positive Thinking - ban the word 'worry'... and say concern, issue, problem dilemma, challenge instead.
• Talk to friends - they may be able to suggest a possible course of action or solution. Worry is often a habit, doing a ‘reality check’ with others can help you to change your thinking from negative to positive
•  
• Write it down! - Worrying often happens when you are trying to go to sleep. Keep a notepad by the bed, write it down and tell yourself you will deal with it in the morning. 
•  
• Relaxation - this is another excellent way to cultivate the habit of postponing worry. Talk to yoru acupuncturist about relaxation breath techniques, body movements, and mindful exercises
•  
• Physical activity - Regular exercise helps improve mood and encourages sense of well-being. It’s good for the heart as well as the head! Exercise changes the focus from the mind to the body by relieving tension and metabolising excess adrenalin. You don't have to become a cardio gym pro, a good steady walk outdoors is effective too.
•  
• Improve your diet - Eating well at regular intervals can help stablise blood sugar levels,avoiding jittery feelings that contribute to your state of mind. Alcoho, caffeinel and smoking affect mood.... so consider reducing or stopping if worry and stress is really getting to you. And ask your acupuncturist or nutritionist about which times of day to take viatmins as they can have an effect on sleep quality
•  
• Complementary therapies - Not on;y acupuncture but many others are wonderful for encouraging wellbeing and calm. Consult a qualified practitioner who can look at you as a whole person. There are many options that can help including, yoga, massage, acupuncture, reflexology and aromatherapy
•  
• Psychotherapy/counselling/medication – these options may be needed for extreme worry that leads to constant anxiety. If you suffer with severe symptoms and seek counselling your GP may a good resource to direct you to therapy..

Useful UK Contacts

UK Organisations

Health and Safety Executive
Advice for work related stress
W: www.hse.gov.uk/stress

British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)
T: 01254 875 277
W: www.babcp.com
Can provide details of accredited therapists.

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
T: 0870 443 5252
W: www.bacp.co.uk
See their website for a list of practitioners in your area.

The British Psychological Society
T: 0116 252 9904
W: www.bps.org.uk

The British Osteopathic Association (BOA)
British Osteopathic Association 3 Park Terrace Manor Road Luton LU1 3HN
T: 01582 488455
F: 01582 481533
W: www.osteopathy.org

The Institute for Complimentary Medicine (IMC)
T: 0207 237 5165
W: www.i-c-m.org.uk
Provides information on complimentary medicine.

No Panic
T: 0808 808 0545 – Helpline
W: www.nopanic.org.uk
Helpline for people experiencing anxiety disorders.

National Phobics Society
T: 0870 122 2325 – Helpline
W: www.phobics-society.org.uk
Information and support for those with anxiety disorders.

Depression Alliance
T: 0845 123 2310
W: www.depressionalliance.org
UK’s leading depression charity with a network of self-help groups.

The Sleep Council
W: www.sleepcouncil.com

Relate (Relationships)
W: www.relate.org

Workplace Bullying
W: www.andreaadamstrust.org

National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH)
W: www.hypnotherapists.org.uk

United Kingdom Confederation of Hypnotherapy Organisations (UKCHO)
W: www.ukcho.co.uk

Stress Management Society
W: www.stress.org.uk

Stress Management with Melatonin
W: Information on hGH