Your vagus nerve and how to strengthen it

If you have trouble swallowing, including tablets, you may have poor vagus nerve function.

Or perhaps you barely have a gag reflex, your digestive system doesn’t gurgle when listened to closely, or you have constipation/diarrhea to poor motility (weak contractions).

Suffering from any one of these conditions can also indicate a possible vagus nerve disorder: IBS, weight gain, chronic fatigue, depression, bracycardia and tachycardia, peptic ulcer, weight loss, gastroparesis, chronic inflammation and epilepsy.

The vagus nerve is as the longest of 12 cranial nerves and comes directly from the brain and brainstem. It sends communication back and forth between the organs and brain. In fact, 90% of our brain’s output goes through the brainstem.

But did you know it can cause leaky gut? When the brain is in poor health it can inhibit vagus nerve activity, stopping the digestive tract from functioning normally.
While vagus nerve activity can be a sign of brain dysfunction, and it's important to support brain health to improve the gut-brain axis, there are some simple things you can do to improve your vagus nerve function. Without activation, it loses function. The first three are the most powerful when done together

Gargle – 1 large glass of water 2-3 times a day for 3 weeks to stimulate the vagus nerve and the digestive tract. After that, continue to gargle once a day. Do it aggressively, and watch for tears, which are a good sign
Gag – I do this one after I’ve brushed my teeth and scraped my tongue. Put the scraping device or toothbrush slightly too far back on your tongue and press carefully. Do this 20 times at least once a day
Coffee enemas – When performed regularly, these can be the most powerful way to activate the vagus nerve by distending the intestines and stimulating motility. The coffee needs to be organic and strong enough to make you want to evacuate your bowel immediately. But you need to hold it in for as long as possible. If you don't have this urge, make the mix stronger. Never use instant coffee
Gently massage the ear points shown in the diagram for a total of 1 minute twice daily
Do yoga, pranayama (breathing) and meditation – These stimulate your parasympathetic rest and digest mode, which supports your vagus nerve. Making your exhale longer than your inhale is key
Sing loudly – Sing to music at home, in the car, in a choir or wherever, to stimulate the back of the throat and activate the vagus nerve. Loud yoga chanting or 'om's will also do the job
Bathe in cold water – Take a 30-60 sec cold shower or a cold dip in the ocean, or have an ice bath. This is also anti-inflammatory. But if your adrenals lack resilience (you’re very stressed, exhausted or chronically ill), this may not be a good idea.