Weight-loss hindrances
The Vagus Nerve.
Have you heard about the vagus-nerve? I don’t remember it being taught to me in High-School Biology, but I did learn about it in my gut health course. Now, this is how the gut and the brain are connected: via this nerve, allowing for communication between the gut and the brain. It is a nerve that is part of the parasympathetic nervous system. When you are stressed and your cortisol levels increase your heart rate and sweat, and you want to either fight the trigger or flight from the trigger, then your sympathetic nervous system is turned on. You want to get out of that state if it isn’t a life or death situation. In that case you want to turn on the parasympathetic nervous system to relax, and come back to your senses.
You do this by getting your mind back in to the present moment and begin to take deep breaths. Conscious diaphragmatic nasal breathing. This makes the vagus nerve strong, and when this nerve is strong, our digestive system, immune system and resting heart rate will all improve. The vagus nerve starts in the brain and runs down the body touching every organ along the way. So it influences them all. Because you want to stay in that relaxed state as much as possible, you should make it a habit to practice deep diaphragmatic breathing all day. If your gut wants to send a message to the brain it does through the vagus nerve. And if your brain wants to send a message to the gut, it does so through the vagus nerve. If it’s weak, the messages won’t get through, compromising digestion, immunity and remaining relaxed. Anxiety is caused by a weak vagus nerve. If digestion is hampered, then it will affect your weight-loss/management.
Besides deep diaphragmatic breathing, you should focus on a whole foods diet, cold-water immersion; particularly on the back of the neck and face, and physical exercises where you will bring your heart rate up and involve deep breathing throughout like yoga and Pilates, running, walking and swimming. Breathe in through your nose; hold, and breathe out through your mouth.
Book a session now to understand the root causes of your stubborn weight-loss journey. Chances are your body is finding a new homeostasis which is common as we age. How do you deal with that?
Let’s talk!
Sonia Salim.
“Good health practices are contagious.”
“I am a Nutrition and Being-Well Coach. My training is from IIN in NYC in Holisitc Health Counselling. I started my private practice in 2017 and as I gained clientele, I wanted to delve deeper in to the root causes of bad health whilst helping women reach their weight loss goals.
I earned 3 more certifications from IIN in Gut Health, Hormone Health and then later one in The Psychology of Food.
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You can contact me at my given email or phone number.
info@thefoodpharmacy.pk | thefoodpharmacyapp@gmail.com | +92 302 8437778
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Thanks, Sonia.
