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clear search termsThe Parasympathetic Nervous System and the Vagus Nerve: For Practitioners
Hi!
Although you may already be a savvy practitioner, I am certain you will learn something new in this video about The Parasympathetic Nervous System and the Vagus Nerve: For Practitioners. You’ll walk away with pages of notes and practical pearls you can use in your practice right away.
Here are some of the things we’ll be discussing:
- The X-factor for sympathetic/parasympathetic balance – and why it’s unfortunately almost always overlooked!
- Why the PNS and Vagus are even More important for practitioners embrace during the pandemic (and its aftermath). This one is key.
- The What and Why of Vagal Tone. Any why you Really need to Know! Plus the fun, simple hacks anyone can do to improve it.
- Parasympathetic good; Sympathetic bad. Right? Not really. You need to remember this important devil-in-the-detail.
- Surprising measures that can shed light on autonomic nervous system health.
- Easy but oh-so effective hacks for improving autonomic balance.
- How and why this area of physiology is intimately tied to digestion, detoxification, and immunity. Do You know the mechanisms?
- The Biggest practitioner mistakes when talking to patients about stress.
Done-for-you patient handouts that can be helpful in encouraging your patients to explore the effects of stress and making tangible steps in reducing its impact can be found here and here.
Thank you very much for joining in the fun and learning! Please share your thoughts (please be thorough) in the “Ask a Question” area below about what inspired you in this presentation! Include what type of practitioner you are, so that we can all see your unique perspective.
P.S. If you are passionate about transforming healthcare through the power of functional medicine, we encourage you to learn more about SAFM’s practitioner training programs. Enrollment for our next cohort is now open!
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196 Questions for “The Parasympathetic Nervous System and the Vagus Nerve: For Practitioners”
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Sarah Hammett says:
Thank you for this talk! I love your example about animals not having to worry over stress because they let things go but we ruminate on events from years ago which is not beneficial for healing. So true! The breathing exercise is a great idea to talk to clients about. So simple and yet can be so effective! So many great tips and thoughts!
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Daniel Leade says:
I am a firefighter and I can’t wait to try out the box breathing to settle down after a stressful call. Thank you for the informative presentation!
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Sarah Piper says:
I really enjoyed today’s talk, and I especially appreciated the idea of hormesis, the value of short-lived stressors in creating resilience. The reminder that patients need specific tools to ‘reduce stress’ given the lack of skills to do so in our society was also a very useful reminder. Thanks so much!! Really enjoyed today.
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Lori Shore-Mouratoff says:
I learned about gargling to stimulate the vagus nerve.
Competing over stress is a cultural phenomenon that might make us hold onto stress.
I look for add to getting your handout tomorrow thank you -
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A great lesson that the body follows the mind. I appreciate the breathing exercises and gargling.
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Erin Roskos says:
What really made to me think was the connection between the sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system and immune function. Constant sympathetic nervous system dominance naturally lowers immune response. “If I’m going to die on the battlefield, why would I care about infection
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Sheri Brinkmeyer says:
It is always so fascinating to me how wise our bodies are with the sympathetic/parasympathetic balance. I’ve been advising my client to set timers to remind them to breathe deeply throughout the day. After listening to you today, I’m going to add in advise to gargle as well!
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Martina Harms says:
Thank you Tracy for another gem of a talk. I’m a PA by background, working as an online health consultant. This is such an important piece of the puzzle!! It MUST be addressed with every single client. I’ve had great success with multiple handouts that address this specifically. My favorite pearls from your talk today is the importance of taking “breathing breaks” throughout the day to get back into a parasympathetic nervous system mode. Box breathing is an incredible tool and habit to create. So simple, free, and healing. And I agree, asking a client to meditate 30 minutes a day right off the bat is going to fall flat for most clients who feel like they don’ t have the time, 5 minutes is enough to get the ball rolling to make lifestyle changes. Each one is a stepping stone to the next. Love to address this with everyone, we could all use help with this!
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Casey Eldredge says:
I used to hate when my mother would tell me, “just breathe”, but oh lordy was she ever right. You can also do coffee enemas to stimulate the Vagus Nerve. Thank you.
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Gabriela Van Eperen says:
Thank you for sharing this information!! The mind is such a strong power, thank you for showing us how to tap into that potential!! The techniques regarding the vagus nerve were so fascinating!!!
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Molly Jenkins says:
I always learn new information with these presentations. Stress consumes us so easily before we are even aware. I can relate to the one-upping competition of stress when really the competition should focus on who is controlling their stress. Appreciate the positivity and reminder that we can actively decrease our body’s response to stress. I’m not a journaling type, but will be more intentional to find methods that work for me – like looking at my new (and first) grand baby’s pictures or the box breathing. Thank you for the tips available to us all that empower us to change our negative thoughts and be active in our responses.
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Begona Martinez says:
It is always a pleasure to listen to you Tracy. You deliver the webinars with such a passion that is empowering and contagious and leaves me with the feeling of wanting to know more.
Today I was very impressed by the statement of ” We should take responsibility for our thoughts ” That is a new concept for me
I always thought that thoughts are thoughts, personal, private and nothing more. But though are powerful tools that can heal us or destroy us, so we should be very careful with the mindset that we feed our brains.
Keeps on going Tracy, teach us more -
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Rebekah Detweiler says:
Thank you so much for the webinar today! I find that the very practical pearls that people can begin to use right away, are the most helpful. I really found the tips about how to stimulate the vagus nerve through singing, humming, gargling, and box breathing to be very helpful. I also found myself doing box breathing in the car while driving home from work and listening to the webinar. I do find that driving sometimes makes me hold my breath, so this was helpful in keeping me calm.
Thanks again! -
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Carlien says:
Great reminder of the power of deep breathing and how it activates the vagus nerve. I love box breathing.
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Angela says:
Simple but powerful… stress (eustress) is necessary and healing.
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Amy McAlister says:
I am a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in an Integrative primary care office in St Louis, MO
I loved the reminder of the power of mindful breath work to engage the vagus nerve and access the parasympathetic response. I teach kids in my office the “box breathing” method when dealing with the obvious like anxiety and mood disorders, but I love the idea of incorporating it more often in the “gut” kids too… the bloated, reflux, tummy-ache prone kids need this tool too! Great info, and great engaging delivery. Thanks so much. -
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Lori says:
The tools for stress relief and mindfulness are great! Seems like such mediocre things but we easily forget
the simplicity of slowing down and mindfulness and the effect on stress. Thank you! -
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Lori Lamb says:
So fascinating to hear about the Vagus Nerve and simple things to do to stimulate it. Never would have guessed that gargling was one of those. I find myself holding my breath when stressed out and I’m always telling clients to BREATHE!
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Renee M Massucci says:
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and reinforcing the mindfulness connection (to the vagus nerve). I am guilty of saying “i’m fine” or “i’m good” while internalizing my stress so as not to have others worry about me. Thank you for the reminder of “just breathe”. 🙂
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The thing I particularly loved about your presentation is that, as an energy healer, I always tell my clients – BREATHE DEEPLY and OFTEN. When we move the anxious feeling from our throat (or head) to our lower abdomen, it is so calming. You also made the point to not just find a five-word gratitude – I’m grateful for the weather – but expound on it and tell a story. It really IS the story that allows us to imagine and fall in love with that particular grateful thought. Thank you for always being so “on target” and focused.