1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to healthy Ish. 2 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 2: Thank you for joining us. Listeners, you have tuned into 3 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 2: the daily podcast from Body and Soul. I am Felicity Harley. 4 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 2: If you're a regular listener, you know we've covered the 5 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 2: vagus nerve recently a few weeks ago with physiotherapist Jessica Maguire. 6 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 2: Well you love this ep, thanks for listening, So we're 7 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 2: going to do another. Our guest today is Jennifer Warder, 8 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 2: Natchurepath with the Masters in Reproductive Medicine, and she's going 9 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 2: to talk about the relationship between the vagus nerve and 10 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 2: gut health and a simple trick to help you improve 11 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 2: your digestion. If you want more from Jennifer, I highly 12 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 2: recommend you listen to Extra Healthy Ish, where she talks 13 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 2: about how to use cycle sinking to. 14 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: Be a better you. You can catch that wherever we 15 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: get your podcasts. Jen Welcome to healthy Ish. 16 00:00:58,600 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 3: Thank you for having me. 17 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, ys for. 18 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 2: Joining us today. Now I'm excited about this topic. We 19 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 2: did it recently and everyone loved the episode, so I 20 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: thought it would be good to we'll get an understanding 21 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 2: of the link between vegas nerve and gut health. But 22 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 2: first for those or as a reminder, what is the 23 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 2: vegas nerve exactly? 24 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 1: And what does it do? Good question? 25 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 3: So it's one of those things we hear a lot about, 26 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 3: but we actually don't often know what it is. And 27 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 3: it's a really long nerve that runs from the base 28 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 3: of our brain all the way down to about where 29 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 3: our reproductive organs and our stomach are. So quite long 30 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 3: nerve running down the back spine. 31 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: What does it do? Why is it there? 32 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 2: I mean, it's actually also when you were describing, it's 33 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 2: actually good to get a vision on it as well. 34 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: I did google it a little while ago, going what 35 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: does it actually look like? What does it do? 36 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 3: The vegas nerve is what actually controls out involuntary activities, 37 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 3: so we don't really think about breathing. The vegus nerve 38 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 3: is connected to breathing. We don't really think about our 39 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 3: heart rate too much and also digestion, so it is 40 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 3: what is working behind the scenes on all of those activities. 41 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 3: And it can also regulate our immune system and inflammation 42 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 3: as well. 43 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: Why have we become obsessed with it right now? 44 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 3: I feel like, I mean, we're talking about it if 45 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 3: yone's talking about it, Yes, I think that is just 46 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 3: a representation of our society. We get really into certain areas, 47 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 3: but this one rightfully so, because if we actually have 48 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 3: a focus on the vegas nerve and ways to you know, 49 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 3: what's known as tone the vegas nerve, we can actually 50 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 3: get some really great benefits, particularly with our digestive system. 51 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it. I love how we all 52 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: just jump on health trends and I'm like, how come 53 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: we didn't talk about this years ago? We should all 54 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 1: know about this. 55 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 3: Yes, we're very informed now, We've got a lot of 56 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 3: information in our hands, and I'm truly a fan of 57 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 3: this one. 58 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: Talk to us a bit about what it does well, 59 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: the role it plays in our in the health of 60 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: our gut. 61 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 3: Yeah, and this is one where we often can get 62 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 3: confused because we think, well, how can a nerve impact 63 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 3: our digestive system? And it is that nerve that actually 64 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 3: regulates all those enzymes and acids in our starting from 65 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 3: mouth but through to our stomach. So when we start 66 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 3: to salivate, we're getting hungry, maybe we're at a fine 67 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 3: dining restaurant, and we can actually literally feel all those 68 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,799 Speaker 3: enzymes starting in our mouth the saliva. That's great, that's 69 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 3: the start of the digestive process, and that's the vagus nerve. 70 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 3: It's telling the brain, Okay, we're about to eat. There's 71 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 3: a stimuli there, maybe it's food, maybe we're starting to 72 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 3: think about food, and so it releases those enzymes, and 73 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 3: those enzymes and acids are actually really important for all 74 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 3: the processes of digestion. So not only does it start 75 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 3: to break down the food in the stomach, but it 76 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 3: signals the body to start the movement of peristalsis. And 77 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 3: peristalsis is another one of those functions that the vagus 78 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 3: nerve actually controls, And simply put, it's the movement of 79 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 3: food through the intestine. So these are two very vital 80 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 3: functions of our digestive system. Without it, we might get 81 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 3: an overload of bacteria because the acid builds up the bacteria, 82 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 3: or we might get really stagnant, fermented digestive trapped because 83 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,039 Speaker 3: things aren't moving through it. So we need our vegus 84 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 3: nerve to digest. 85 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: I've never even put these two together. 86 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 2: That is fascinating to know, just to just hear you 87 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 2: explain how well it's so important when it comes to digestion. 88 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 2: What are some of the conditions that can arise from 89 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 2: poor vegus nerve function pretty much anything so because particularly 90 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 2: the digestive enzymes and acids and also the peristaltic movement 91 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 2: are two very foundational functions of our gut. If they're 92 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 2: not working well, we can get bloating, we can get 93 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 2: loose movements, constipation, we can even get more chronic conditions 94 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: or if we're susceptible to them, chrones. Even some of 95 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 2: the newer terms. 96 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 3: You might have heard of c bow, so small intestine, 97 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 3: bacterial overgrowth, it might be reflux. So it's a really 98 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 3: important topic to address when you do have digestive issues 99 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 3: and to understand, well, is there some involvement there for me? 100 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: How do we work that out? 101 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 2: Yes? 102 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 1: I mean that's the really other question, isn't it test? 103 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 3: You know, to start to work on the vegas nerve 104 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 3: is pretty simple and it's pretty instant. The best thing 105 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 3: about our digestive system is it renews really quickly and 106 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 3: it responds really quickly. So it could be something people 107 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 3: do at home, and it could be something people start, 108 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 3: you know, as of today when they jump into their 109 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 3: lunch or dinner or breakfast. 110 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,280 Speaker 2: So if we if someone's listening and thinking, oh, I've 111 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 2: got that symptom. 112 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 1: I feel like all of us have some sort of 113 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: digest we do how and we. 114 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 2: Put the focus on the vagus nerve. Is there anything 115 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 2: we can do to as you say, tone or resent? 116 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 2: I mean, there's different terms to be used around this, 117 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 2: the vagus nerve better digestion. 118 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 3: Absolutely yes, So really anything that will relax you will 119 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 3: have a effect on the vegas nerve and therefore digestion. 120 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,359 Speaker 3: So we don't want to always have to think so specific. However, 121 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 3: there are some certain ways that are known to specifically 122 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 3: work on that nerve. So a lot to do with 123 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 3: your throat, if you hum, seeing gargle, even it's all 124 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 3: stimulating the vegas nerve. There are also some acupressure points, 125 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 3: massage points that can be triggered. If you perhaps have 126 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 3: your own practitioner, can they can lend in on that. 127 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 3: But also meditation and cold plunges which is so popular 128 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 3: right now. They're all working so well because of their 129 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 3: effect on the vegas nerve. So you know, the simplest 130 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 3: way you can start this now is you've got your 131 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 3: meal in front of you, you put your tech away, 132 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 3: and you take three deep breaths, look at your food 133 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 3: and just wait for those signals to go to your mouth, 134 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 3: so you might start salivating, you might start going, oh, 135 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 3: I'm actually feeling really hungry all of a sudden, and 136 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 3: it's that brain connecting with the gut and going right, guys, 137 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 3: we're ready, we're eating. Now, let's swap over to that 138 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 3: digest phase and let's eat that food, do what we 139 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 3: should be doing, digest it well, and then you'll be 140 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 3: pretty much not symptom free, but you know, lower symptoms 141 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 3: pretty significantly straight away. 142 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: There's tips I've heard in a long time. Literally just 143 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: three like a couple of seconds. We don't we do that, 144 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: do we? 145 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 2: We just sit there like I'm so hungry or I've 146 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 2: got so much on I've just got to eat this, 147 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 2: as I just did in front of you, eating like 148 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 2: I'm guilty to see that I'm chopping on my sandwich. 149 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 3: Yes, I'm a natural bath and I'm guilty of it. 150 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: So okay, good. 151 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 3: Yeah. But you know, when we do it really well, 152 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 3: when we go to find dining, because it's our whole experience. 153 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 3: We sit there, we look at the menu, the waight 154 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 3: it comes over and explains it. We've been looking forward 155 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 3: to it all week the food gets presented to us, 156 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 3: we're told what it is. We have every little bite 157 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 3: with such you know, focus and intensity. That's you know, 158 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 3: perhaps a step too far, but that's how we should 159 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 3: be addressing food. Of Okay, I'm so excited by it. 160 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 3: What have I got here? You know? What colors have 161 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 3: I got? And actually engaging with the food, and that 162 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 3: can have profound effects on digestion. 163 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 2: Just quickly does the food? What about the food we eat? 164 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 2: Does that affect the vegus neva? What sort of role 165 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 2: does that play it? All? 166 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: These? 167 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 2: Yeah? 168 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, so it doesn't necessarily affect the vegus nerve unless 169 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 3: you go ten steps back and your thinking neurology and 170 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 3: nervous system. But if your vegas nerve is struggling a 171 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 3: little bit, and therefore you are digestion struggling, that's where 172 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 3: you want to go to easier to digest meals because 173 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 3: if it's not producing those enzymes and acids and perastalsis 174 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 3: isn't working so well, then you want to load it 175 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 3: up with really easy to digest food. So slow cooked meals, 176 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 3: maybe beautiful soups stew, particularly in winter time, but just 177 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 3: be thinking, am I going to actually be able to 178 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 3: digest that big meal if I'm stressed and if I'm 179 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 3: not present to it, and maybe making some decisions. 180 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 1: Around that great advice. Jan, thank you for coming on 181 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: healthy Ish. 182 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for having me. 183 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 1: Three seconds. 184 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 2: Next time you sit there in front of a bowl 185 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 2: of food, in front of a plate of food, whatever 186 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 2: sort of food, just wait three seconds and your mouth 187 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 2: start talking. 188 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoyed this chat. I sure did. What 189 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 1: a good one. 190 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 2: Anyway, if you do want to go back and listen 191 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 2: to that last episode on the Vegas Nerve, I will 192 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 2: leave a link to it in the show notes. Please 193 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 2: rate and review this episode if you did enjoy it, 194 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 2: or of course, subscribe to this podcast healthy Ish or 195 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 2: a big sister one extra healthy Ish, follow us on socials, 196 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 2: grab our print edition which is out in your local 197 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,199 Speaker 2: Sunday paper, and of course body andsoul dot com that 198 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 2: are used a place to go for more info. Thanks 199 00:09:53,520 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 2: again for listening, and stay healthy ish.