Unlocking the Secrets of the Vagus Nerve: Exploring the Brain-Stomach Connection in Holistic Therapy7/2/2025 ![]() Unlocking the secrets of the vagus nerve reveals a fascinating intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and holistic health, highlighting the profound brain-stomach connection. This intricate neural pathway, central to the gut-brain axis, suggests that the cells lining our stomach share intriguing similarities with those in the brain, influencing our psychological health. Chinese medicine has long recognised the significance of the naval area, considering it a highly sensitive hub of change, where the cut umbilical cord at birth still symbolises a transformation centre. As interest in holistic therapy grows, exploring how the vagus nerve bridges our mental and physical well-being opens new avenues for alternative perspectives in health and healing. Join us as we delve into this compelling topic, uncovering how these neural connections can inform our understanding of holistic therapy. The Vagus Nerve Unveiled The vagus nerve, a crucial nervous system component, plays a pivotal role in the intricate connection between our brain and stomach. This section explores the fascinating world of neural connections and their impact on psychological health, shedding light on the gut-brain axis. Understanding the Brain-Stomach Connection The brain-stomach connection, mediated by the vagus nerve, is a complex interplay of neural signals that profoundly influences our physical and mental well-being. This bidirectional communication pathway allows for a constant exchange of information between our central nervous system and digestive tract. Recent research has revealed that the cells lining our stomach share remarkable similarities with those in our brains. This discovery has led to a deeper understanding of how gut health can directly impact our cognitive function and emotional state. The vagus nerve acts as a superhighway, transmitting signals back and forth between the brain and the digestive system. This constant dialogue helps regulate various bodily functions, including digestion, heart rate, and emotional responses. ![]() Neural Connections and Psychological Health The intricate network of neural connections between our brain and stomach plays a crucial role in shaping our psychological health. These pathways facilitate a continuous exchange of information, influencing our mood, stress levels, and overall mental well-being. Research has shown that disruptions in this neural network can contribute to various psychological disorders, including anxiety and depression. Conversely, maintaining a healthy gut-brain connection can promote emotional resilience and cognitive clarity. The vagus nerve, in particular, has been identified as a key player in regulating our stress response. By stimulating this nerve through techniques like deep breathing or meditation, we can activate the body's relaxation response, helping to alleviate anxiety symptoms and promote a sense of calm. The Gut-Brain Axis Explained The gut-brain axis is the bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal and central nervous systems. This complex network involves neural, endocrine, and immune pathways that maintain homeostasis and respond to external stimuli. At the heart of this axis is the enteric nervous system, often called our "second brain." This intricate network of neurons lining our gut can operate independently of the central nervous system, controlling various digestive processes and producing neurotransmitters that influence our mood and behaviour. The gut microbiome, comprising trillions of microorganisms residing in our digestive tract, also plays a crucial role in the gut-brain axis. These microbes produce compounds that can influence brain function, impacting everything from cognitive performance to emotional regulation. Understanding the gut-brain axis has opened new avenues for treating physical and mental health conditions. We can improve our digestive and psychological well-being by targeting this connection through diet, probiotics, and stress-reduction techniques. Holistic Therapy and Chinese Medicine Holistic therapy and Chinese medicine offer unique perspectives on the brain-stomach connection, emphasising the importance of balance and harmony within the body. This section explores how these ancient practices align with modern understanding of the vagus nerve and gut-brain axis. Exploring the Naval Area's Influence Chinese medicine has long recognised the significance of the naval area, considering it a highly sensitive hub of change and transformation. This ancient wisdom aligns with the modern understanding of the gut-brain axis and the vagus nerve's role in our overall well-being. The naval area, or Dan Tian in Chinese medicine, is believed to be a centre of energy and vitality. It's thought to play a crucial role in regulating our physical and emotional balance, much like how we now understand the vagus nerve to function. Traditional practices such as acupuncture and qigong often focus on this area to promote healing and balance throughout the body. These techniques may stimulate the vagus nerve, potentially explaining their effectiveness in reducing stress and promoting overall health. Modern research is beginning to explore the scientific basis behind these ancient practices, shedding light on how they may influence our nervous system and gut-brain connection. The Birth of Change: A New Perspective The concept of the naval area as a transformation centre in Chinese medicine offers a unique perspective on personal growth and healing. This viewpoint aligns with our modern understanding of neuroplasticity and the brain's ability to change throughout our lives. In Chinese medicine, the cut umbilical cord at birth symbolises the beginning of individual life and the potential for ongoing transformation. This idea resonates with current neuroscientific research on the vagus nerve's role in adapting to new experiences and environments. Individuals can tap into their innate capacity for change and healing by focusing on this area through various holistic practices. This approach encourages a mindful connection with our body's core, potentially influencing the vagus nerve and promoting overall well-being. Embracing this perspective can empower individuals to take an active role in their health and personal growth, recognising the profound connection between our physical and mental states. Integrative Approaches to Healing Integrative approaches to healing combine the wisdom of traditional practices with modern scientific understanding, offering a comprehensive strategy for addressing health and well-being. These approaches recognise the importance of the brain-stomach connection and the vagus nerve's role in maintaining overall health. Holistic therapies such as acupuncture, mindfulness meditation, and yoga can stimulate the vagus nerve, promoting relaxation and reducing inflammation. These practices align with Chinese medicine's emphasis on balance and harmony within the body. Nutritional approaches that support gut health, such as incorporating probiotics and prebiotics, can also play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy gut-brain axis. This aligns with traditional wisdom and modern understanding of the importance of gut health for overall well-being. By combining these various approaches, individuals can create a personalised healing strategy that addresses physical and mental health, recognising the intricate connections within our bodies.
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Food and Feelings Connection The relationship between food and emotions is complex and deeply rooted. Many of us turn to food not just for nourishment but as a way to cope with stress, anxiety, or other intense feelings. This connection often develops early in life, when food might have been used as a reward or comfort. Over time, our brains can associate certain foods with emotional relief, leading to a pattern of emotional eating. Understanding this connection is crucial for developing a healthier relationship with food. It's not about willpower but about recognising the emotional triggers that lead to unhealthy eating habits. By becoming aware of these patterns, we can start to address the underlying emotions and find more effective ways to cope, paving the way for mindful eating practices. Emotional Health and Eating Patterns Our emotional well-being significantly influences our eating habits and vice versa. We might turn to food for comfort or distraction when stressed, anxious, or sad. This can lead to a cycle where emotional eating becomes a coping mechanism, potentially impacting our overall health and self-esteem. Recognising the connection between our emotions and eating patterns is crucial for improving our emotional health and relationship with food. We can develop healthier coping strategies by addressing the root causes of emotional eating. This might involve seeking support from a mental health professional, practising stress-reduction techniques, or learning to identify and process emotions without turning to food. Remember, emotional health and eating patterns are intertwined, and improving one often leads to positive changes in the other. Coping with Food: Common Triggers Understanding the triggers that lead to emotional eating is crucial in breaking the cycle. Common triggers often include stress, boredom, loneliness, and positive emotions like celebration. Work pressures, relationship issues, or financial worries can all drive us to seek comfort in food. Sometimes, the trigger isn't an emotion but a situation - like watching TV or attending social gatherings. Identifying your triggers is key. Keep a food diary, noting what you eat and how you feel before, during, and after eating. This can help you spot patterns and recognise when you're turning to food for emotional reasons rather than physical hunger. Once you're aware of your triggers, you can start developing alternative coping strategies that don't involve food. Building Healthy Relationships with Food Shifting to Mindful Eating Mindful eating is a powerful approach to transforming your relationship with food. It involves being fully present during meals, paying attention to your food's taste, texture, and aroma, and listening to your body's hunger and fullness cues. This practice can help break the cycle of emotional eating by encouraging a more conscious and intentional approach to nourishment. Try eating without distractions like TV or phones to start practising mindful eating. Take small bites and chew slowly, savouring each mouthful. Pay attention to how different foods make you feel during and after eating. This shift can help you develop a more positive and balanced relationship with food, reducing the likelihood of using food as an emotional crutch. Nutrition Counselling Benefits Nutrition counselling can be a game-changer for those struggling with emotional eating. A qualified nutritionist or dietitian can provide personalised guidance, helping you understand the nutritional aspects of your diet and how they relate to your emotions and overall health. They can work with you to develop strategies for overcoming emotional eating triggers and create a balanced meal plan that supports your physical and emotional well-being. Moreover, nutrition counselling can help you develop a healthier relationship with food by teaching you about proper portion sizes, the importance of balanced meals, and how to listen to your body's hunger and fullness cues. This professional support can be invaluable in your journey towards mindful eating and emotional well-being, providing the tools and knowledge to make lasting, positive changes in your eating habits. Practical Tips for Emotional Eating Overcoming emotional eating is a journey, but there are practical steps you can take to build a healthier relationship with food. Keep a food and mood journal to identify your emotional eating triggers. When you feel the urge to eat emotionally, pause and ask yourself if you're truly hungry or responding to an emotion. Develop a list of alternative activities to turn to when emotions run high, such as walking, calling a friend, or practising deep breathing exercises. Stock your kitchen with nutritious foods and prepare healthy snacks in advance. Practice mindful eating by eating slowly and without distractions. Remember, seeking support from friends, family, or professionals is okay. Be patient with yourself as you learn new habits, and remember that progress, not perfection, is the goal. Embracing Positive Food Connections Cultivating Awareness and Balance Developing a positive relationship with food involves cultivating awareness and balancing eating habits. This means being attuned to your body's needs and responding to them mindfully. Start by paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues, eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're satisfied, not overly full. Balance also means allowing yourself to enjoy all foods without guilt. There's room for nutritious meals and occasional treats in a healthy diet. Practice moderation rather than restriction, and focus on nourishing your body rather than depriving it. Remember, food is not just fuel but also a source of pleasure and social connection. By cultivating awareness and balance, you can create a positive, sustainable relationship with food that supports your physical and emotional well-being.
Long-term Strategies for Emotional Health Developing long-term strategies for emotional health is crucial in maintaining a positive relationship with food. Start by prioritising self-care activities that don't revolve around eating. This could include regular exercise, meditation, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy. These activities can help manage stress and emotions more effectively, reducing the likelihood of turning to food for comfort. Build a strong support network of friends, family, or support groups who understand your journey. Don't hesitate to seek professional help if needed, such as therapy or counselling, to address underlying emotional issues. Practice self-compassion and avoid harsh self-criticism when you experience setbacks. Remember, change is a process with small, consistent steps. Support Systems and Resources Building a strong support system is crucial in your journey towards a healthier relationship with food. Surrounding yourself with understanding friends and family can provide emotional support and encouragement. Consider joining support groups or online communities to share experiences and learn from others facing similar challenges. Professional resources can also play a vital role. Nutritionists, dietitians, and therapists specialising in eating behaviours can offer expert guidance tailored to your needs. Many healthcare providers now offer telehealth options, making support more accessible than ever. Don't underestimate the power of educational resources. Books, podcasts, and reputable websites can provide valuable information and strategies for managing emotional eating. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. You're taking proactive steps towards long-term emotional health and a positive relationship with food by utilising these support systems and resources. We can hold onto emotions like collecting unwanted gifts, storing them in cupboards (our unconscious mind vault).
If we don’t deal with pain, and I’m not just talking about physical pain, it can resurface as compounded emotional toxicity at a later time. It may manifest as insomnia, hostility, anger, fear or anxiety. Often seeming in an unrelated incident further down the line. If you don’t know how to deal with these feelings of anger and fear, they can turn inwardly on you, make you believe, “It’s all my fault.” That feeling can affect our physical, emotional, and spiritual energy until simple things just start to feel impossible. An exhausting cycle. What about taking Christmas Present to take back control, clear out some of those old metaphorical parcels. Wouldn’t it be great to start the new year with a cleared out cupboard to store fresh experiences and parcels of life and living? As Joe Dispenza says “A memory without the emotional charge is called wisdom.” We don’t want to forget things that may keep us safe in the future but to not to be in fear every time we visit that metaphorical store cupboard, what a present that would be? Imagine how that Christmas future would look? Baubles, snow globes of joy and laughter. What do you hope to accomplish in the next year? If you could have three Christmas wishes what would they be? Over the weekend I was at Biggin Hill airshow and chatting to the border force team that were there. One was saying he finds job interviews terrifying and because of this never succeeds in gaining promotion. I looked at him and said 'that was me'. Ten years and I never once got promotion even though I could do the job inside out. Why? Because, like raising my hand at school, I was fearful of saying the wrong thing and looking stupid. Fast forward ten, fifteen years. Not only do I talk to people easily that I consider my peers, I’ve taken a leap I would never have thought I’d do. I can honestly say I love speaking on stage in front of a large audience. So what changed? I learnt to become me in front of that audience, whether it be one, two or a hundred or more. I laugh, I joke, I make mistakes and I interact and if I forget a word or two the audience will often help. How many times have you found yourself thinking ‘I wish I had answered that question’ or ‘why didn’t I volunteer to do …’ It’s time to step out of your own shadow. I have helped individuals from every level to overcome this, the office worker, the school headmaster, even company directors. No more sitting at the back of the class, It's time you took your turn at the front, to shine. Pick up the phone and give me a call today. The call to your future where there is an abundance of opportunities, when you stand up to be heard. “I know it sounds silly, but get this feeling in the pit of my stomach. It's like fear. I just can’t get rid of it."
I hear this a lot in my line of work as a hypnotist. I explain that the feeling is an inbuilt safety mechanism that’s protecting them from something that caused trauma or fear in the past. Our predecessors would have used it to run away from Sabre Tooth tigers, crocodiles, etc. It creates a story in the mind about something that’s going to happen in the future, based on what happened in the past. Tiger=Being eaten alive. Some of the new rapid techniques I have learned help me help the client realise that it’s not actually happening right now. So if it’s not happening how can it predict what the future holds? So how can you be afraid of it? "Does it mean I’ll have no anxiety again?" No. Anxiety within our control gives us a buzz to do more. Many top motivational speakers harness that energy. I used to be extremely shy. Now I busily chatter to the whole world. It gives us back the ability to want to try. Interestingly, since training in these new techniques, it's noticeable how the clients change their words. They send the problem to past tense rather than the present. What would you like to see back to the past where it belongs? Ask me how I can help you. Drop me an email at [email protected] Becky Wells Hypnotherapist. Kinetic Shift trainer and practitioner Skype: beckyjoewells www.beckywells.com 01293 839 949 01444 688294 Do you spend your life wondering how everyone else's life is so wonderful when your's is stuck in a rut, or maybe a deep well?
Remember most do not post what's truly going on in their life. Most social media sites are the 'I want you to think this about me' sites. So how can you get back in your own rhythm?
https://beckyjoewells.thinkific.com/courses/yourlifestory I’m guilty. Are you?
I’ve been chatting with several clients this week and noticed a similar pattern of distraction interaction. What do I mean by this?
I know I rate quite highly at times in the moderate range. We have become a generation of ‘instant gratification seekers’. I’ve noticed on the rare occasions that I’ve not had my technology, I reconnect with the ‘real’ world and people. So what are some of the ways we can take back control? Recognise why you reach for your phone. Boredom, stress, anxiety. It’s almost as if we are trying to distract ourselves from the problem at hand. Next time you reach for the unlock button, ask yourself what’s going on right now that you’re distracting yourself from. Know the differences between interacting in person and online. How many times have you read something online and got the wrong end of the stick? Without that face to face interaction, things can be misinterpreted. We are not picking up the energy of the person. If you are trying to hide from the real world behind social media is it not is the time to step out of its shadow and take back you? Not Joe Bloggs the facebook, Twitter or Instagram icon. Anyone for coffee? A real one? The story of one of my clients. Who would love to share their story with you. Joy was a nine to five office worker who got up every morning and trundled off to work. She dreamed of winning the lottery. One day, that dream came true and she inherited £100,000. Set for really good life some may say? The trouble was, at the back of her mind, she felt unworthy. To change her mind set she decided to set up a home design business. She invested money in training and then set out to make her first million. Did she? No. But why? She’d been given a large sum of money and the best training possible. What she had failed to do is to feel worthy of any of it. Her unconscious mind was still that person who felt she’d ended up where she was by luck. No other reason. Her unconscious habits and behaviours set out to help her achieve what she was focusing on… failing. She knew she’d been pretty good at that. It happens in so many cases. Look at the lottery winners who win millions and end up with nothing or less than nothing. We look and say we’d never do that. I suspect they’d have said the same thing too. So how can you get out of that cycle of self-destruct?
One final note to remember is some of the greatest names in history have been there.
![]() Photo: Pixabay 1. Awareness is the first step to understanding that you create everything in your experience. Every part of your life, good or bad, has a root somewhere within your mind.
2. Create your own experience, you can finally take control of what you are inviting into your experience. People do not realise that they are the creators of their own experience, and live their lives reacting to the things around them. 3. To consciously create your life with responsibility, act, don’t react. Performing the same action over and over yet expecting different results isn’t going to work. Live in the moment not the past. 4. You may have to go through a period of change where you admit that you were causing negative or painful experiences to happen to you because of your thoughts and actions. This can be hard, because we do not want to take responsibility for our lives. We want to blame others for what is happening to us. But nothing “just happens” to us, we create our own lives through our thoughts, words, actions and beliefs. 5. The fear inside of us has been in control for too long. Fear is like a parasite inside of you, and it feels very threatened by the idea of freedom and of living with conscious awareness, it feeds on drama, judgments, negative emotions and on your fear of change. The beginning of change always lies within us. Awareness is the first step to creating change. Be the listener, not the judge. Be the comfort, not the hindrance. We live in a world of ‘what if?’, ‘what might have been?’ and ‘what could?’. How about living in the ‘what right now?’.
If we stop and take a look at all that is around us right now, we can learn and be aware of the abundance of right now. I can hear you saying… not me I’m not abundant. I’ve got bills coming out of my ears, I’ve got a job I really don’t like, I’m afraid to change in case…. STOP. Take a minute to think about exactly what you do have right now.
In fact if we did not believe, like the author, Hansel and Gretel may have got lost in the woods forever. Pinocchio would just have been a wooden puppet on a carpenter's shelf. But we allowed ourselves to follow each moment believing that, moment by moment, belief would lead to positive outcomes. Even when obstacles were placed in the way. So how does that make me abundant? As a child you used those amazing skills breathing, listening, learning to become the adult you are now. I suspect you’d not even thought of that. How? You lived in that moment of time. Let’s take walking. You would have fallen over trying tens, maybe hundreds of times to walk. But the first time it worked and you walked steady, you forgot those other times and moved forward to the next step. Life is about learning to try again. As the saying goes “falls down seven times, gets up eight”. Would Facebook exist? Google? Telephones? Would electricity exist if in a moment of difficulty they thought “I won’t bother again”? I wouldn’t be writing this blog now if I hadn’t tried again. I struggled all my life to get words to make sense in a sentence, a page, an article. Now, if I slip a bit in the moment, I get up and in the moment check myself and go again. How can the abundance of now help you? The only moment you can truly deal with is right now. We do not know what will happen, even five minutes from now in reality. So take those bills out see how you can reduce them one by one. Maybe by talking to someone? An expert, citizens advice, a friend. A problem shared can bring a whole new perspective to a situation. That’s why I help people as a coach, a therapist, a mentor. That job you don’t like, is it the job or is it all that’s going on around it? What are your skills? It took me 20 years but I finally pulled my fingers out of my ears and realised that my true skill is the art of listening, listening without judgement, not judging on what I may think. By doing this it allows my clients to learn to gain their belief to do the same thing, listen to themselves without judgement. Choose to live in the now. Live every day, hour, minute to the max because you won’t get it back again. So as you finish this last sentence I challenge you to STOP for a minute and listen to ‘the now’. |
AuthorBecky lives in West Sussex, UK and is a Therapist using hypnosis, Psy-TaP, Kinetic Shift and Mindscaping. Please feel free to explore the website to learn more about her. Archives
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