GUEST POST BY MARY RICCIARDI, FOUNDER OF WARRIOR STRONG WELLNESS
Do you ever feel overwhelmingly stressed each day? You’re not alone. In fact, we’ve all been there. And while it’s not always straightforward to find ways to de-stress, one way that can help is the vagus nerve. Essentially, the vagus (pronounced as Vegas) nerve is a fascinating piece of the body’s anatomy. It is the longest cranial nerve that branches out to several vital organs—including your heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and digestive tract.
But what does it do? This article will delve into what it does in your body. Furthermore, we will look into the steps you can do to activate the nerve and how you can take advantage of the Ashwagandha capsule benefits for vagus nerve function and mental health.
​Vagus Nerve Essential Facts
The vagus nerve AKA the “wandering nerve” wanders through the body and connects many of the body parts to the nervous system. It regulates your heart rate, breathing rate, and other functions that affect your blood pressure. In addition, the vagus nerve plays a role in stress response via the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps calm down your body when it needs to slow down for recovery or digestion.
When stressed out or anxious all the time, the vagus nerve can potentially malfunction and cause you to get stuck in a fight or flight situation. This puts immense strain on your body and heightens your risks for health issues such as:
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Depression, anxiety, and panic attacks
- Increased blood pressure
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Type 2 diabetes
- Emotional burnout
- Lack of energy
Thankfully, it is reassuring to know that, like other body parts, the vagus nerve can grow strong and resilient. All you need is to understand the critical step to tone and stimulate the tissue.
To learn more about keeping your mind and body healthy grab our free e-book Embracing Peace on Your Journey to Wellness.
Stimulating the Vagus Nerve
There are several ways to stimulate your vagus nerve. And most of them do not require without having any kind of surgery. Some are simple exercises and a bit of diet change, while others require more time commitment but will yield better results if implemented consistently over time. Here are some simple ways to stimulate your vagus nerve (and keep it healthy) starting today:
Try breathing exercises
One way to stimulate this nerve is through exercise. You do not have to go out and run a marathon or lift weights at a gym, though both are good options. Instead, try doing yoga or walking briskly around your neighborhood every morning before work starts. The more you move around in the day, the better off you will be!
One exercise that works well is called “breathing meditation“. This involves taking slow breaths through your nose and then exhaling them again through pursed lips.
Another form of relaxation exercise is yoga.Yoga strengthens your core muscles (like abs) and improves posture, which is essential for maintaining good health as you age. Plus, regular yoga practice comes in handy in reducing chronic pain by increasing blood circulation to your joints and decreasing inflammation throughout the body.
Eat well
Try eating more fruits and vegetables with a low glycemic index. Doing so will help you keep your blood sugar stable. In addition, you might find it helpful to incorporate a good amount of spicy foods and some hot tea into your meal plans. Studies also strongly recommend including the following food items to your daily meals to increase vagal tone:
- Omega-3 fatty acid-rich food (chia seeds, salmon, mackerel, walnuts, etc.)
- Enriched yogurt
- Probiotics-rich food and drinks (yogurt, kombucha, kefir, tempeh, etc.)
- Pistachios
- Polyphenol-rich wine
- Food products with vitamin B12 (eggs, fortified cereal, meat, shellfish)
- High-choline foods (poultry, dairy, beef, etc.)
Reconnect with nature
Hiking or walking in nature parks can help you improve your mood. Hence, it may be worth it to schedule regular nature trips to boost your vagus nerve function. You may schedule it several times a month or have surprised nature visits in between a hectic work week. We’re certain that you have plenty of options to reconnect with nature, so we suggest taking advantage of every opportunity you can get.
Take Ashwagandha supplements
Taking Ashwagandha supplements religiously may also help keep your vagus nerve in tip-top shape. Essentially, this evergreen shrub contains an adaptogen—a substance that helps people adapt to stressful situations by reducing inflammation and increasing energy levels. It also helps with stress relief so that your body can recover from any physical damage caused by stress, like headaches.
When your vagus nerve is healthy, you can feel calm and in control. But when your vagus nerve is damaged or weak, it can make you more prone to high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. This is why it’s so important to keep yours in superb condition!
​Take Advantage of Ashwagandha Capsule Benefits
If you’re looking for a way to de-stress or calm down when you’re feeling anxious or at your wit’s end, try checking out the Warrior Strong Wellness Ashwagandha capsules. These pure organic capsules contain 100% natural ingredients, including the powerful herb Ashwagandha.
We formulated the supplement to help you relax your body and stimulate the vagus nerve. It also offers several Ashwagandha capsule benefits, including:
- Supporting the immune, adrenal, reproductive, and mental health
- Regulating cortisol levels in the body
- Promoting lasting relaxation
- Reducing inflammation
- Boosting overall gut health
- Regeneration of damaged nervous system tissues
- Better and longer restorative sleep
- Improved memory and concentration
​Don’t miss out on your chance to tap into a life-changing supplement. Order a bottle (or two) of the Warrior Strong Wellness Ashwagandha capsules and enjoy better stress relief and management. It’s about time you take advantage of the many Ashwagandha capsule benefit.
ABOUT MARY RICCIARDI
Lifestyle Expert, Mary Ricciardi is a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach, Certified Gut Health Specialist, Certified Nutrition Specialist and Certified Mindset Coach. Mary created Warrior Strong Wellness in 2017 shortly after she lost her son to childhood cancer. She wanted a way to help people to fortify their bodies with supplements that helped with overall health while focusing on the gut, brain and immune health with supplements that were free of all of the junk that many supplements have in them as well as raise awareness and funds for Childhood Cancer. Warrior Strong Wellness gives a portion of proceeds to Childhood Cancer Research every day.