Science has acknowledged
a mind-body connect as early as 1872. The Orient has had the knowledge of this
important connect for thousands of years, and has succeeded in developing some powerful techniques
to help modulate the mind through the body and vice versa. The human body is a miracle in action. The human nervous system is made of
more than a hundred billion nerve cells The nervous system release information
from the brain to the body and back. One of the most important command central for bi-directional
communication between the brain and body is the Vagus Nerve. A nerve probably 99% of the population
never heard of nor have a clue of its location.
So what is the Vagus Nerve? Vega in Latin means to wander. This nerve wanders around the body impacting major organs. This being the longest cranial nerve,
it controls all involuntary body processes, such as breathing, speech, swallowing,
heartbeat, blood pressure, hearing, taste, circulation, digestion and gut health. It also controls bladder movement, orgasms & fertility. A healthy Vagus nerve allows us to access
the parts of the brain responsible for creativity, higher cognition and complex decision-making.
In the absence of a healthy Vagus Nerve we only end up having
access to parts of our brain that control primal instincts, like fear and fight-or-flight response. Hence a healthy Vagus Nerve is essential
for leadership and decision-making. The functioning of the Vagus Nerve can be
impaired by stress, anxiety, poor lifestyle, smoking, drinking alcohol and overworking,
lack of exercise, proper nutrition and sleep. When the Vagus Nerve is not able
to perform to the best of its ability, the body and mind become
susceptible to a range of diseases, like depression, anxiety, obesity,
cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, diabetes, digestive disorders, chronic inflammation,
kidney malfunction, infertility and even Parkinson's. Doctors have started stimulating the Vagus Nerve with
electric impulses from a device that increases its activity, to help with diseases like depression. However there are natural ways to stimulate
the Vagus Nerve as well, such as: Breathing, pranayama and meditation, exercise, yoga,
omega-3 and probiotic rich diet, singing and chanting, splashing cold water, laughing, hugging, massages. One of the most effective ways of Vagus
Nerve stimulation is through Breath.
A powerful breathing technique that has positively
impacted millions of people around the world, it is the Sudarshan Kriya yoga, taught by the Art of Living Foundation. When one undergoes Sudarshan Kriya yoga
the breathing and heart rate slows down, the Vagus Nerve then gathers a signal
from multiple organs from the body, notes that things must be calm and restful,
it then passes on this message to the brain, which nine times out of ten will listen
and then allow us to relax rest and digest. Regular practice of Sudarshan Kriya activates the Vagus Nerve, and has shown to have relieved depression
in over 67% of a studies participants decreased the release of the stress hormone cortisol by 56%, and reduced anxiety in 71% of people. It improves deep sleep and
hormones that contribute to well-being. Due to the activation of the Vagus Nerve, one experiences
tremendous benefits after Sudarshan Kriya yoga, like: Stress Resilience, Improved Immunity Happiness Creativity Stronger Relationships and ability to handle situations.
The Vagus Nerve remains one of the
most well kept secrets of the human body Love and Empathy Sense of Connectedness Intuition mental and physical well-being
all become integral parts of life, when you keep the Vagus Nerve nurtured and activated If you like this video, don't forget to click the like button, comment and share 🙂 Subscribe to this channel for more.