Bowen therapy and the vagus nerve - a component of the "inner environment" of the human body

If you suffer from high blood pressure, digestive disorders, inflammatory conditions or depression, the following information can serve as a source of inspiration to facilitate the discovery of new possibilities and mechanisms for managing the body's inflammatory response.

Operating far below the level of our conscious mind, a nerve located in the brainstem could be vital for maintaining the health of our body. The vagus nerve has been shown to be an essential part of the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for calming the organs after the "fight or flight" reflex, caused by adrenaline in response to various imminent dangers in the environment, or perceived by our minds. Not all people have the same vague nerve, so there will be some people with stronger nervous activity, which allows the physical body to relax faster after a stressful activity.

The vagus nerve begins in the brainstem, just behind the ears. It moves down both sides of the neck, over the chest and down through the abdomen. "Vagus" is a Latin term for "wandering" and indeed, this bundle of nerve fibers runs through the body, forming a network that connects the brain to the stomach and digestive tract, lungs, heart, spleen, intestines, liver and kidneys, to not to mention a number of other nerves involved in speech, eye contact, facial expressions and even the ability to regulate the body to perceive other people's voices.

Vagal tone can be determined by electrocardiogram that measures heart rate. Each time you inhale, the heart beats faster, to speed up the flow of oxygenated blood that reaches the tissues of the body. After you exhale, your heart rate slows down. This variability is one of the many aspects controlled by the vagus nerve, so the difference in heart rate between the period of inspiration and expiration provides information about the vagal tone. Therefore, vagal tone is directly proportional to the ratio of heart rate to inspiration and expiration.

The researchers found that high vagal tone helps the body regulate blood glucose levels, reducing the risk of diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular disease. Low vagal tone, on the other hand, has been associated with chronic inflammation.

Recently, devices have been created through which the manifestations of diseases such as epilepsy, depression, or even some mild forms of paralysis can be controlled with an electrical device powered by a battery that transmits weak electrical impulses to the heart to stimulate the vagal nerve which contributes to decrease the disappearance of seizures and symptoms associated with these conditions.

How to balance vagus nerve activity:

- By receiving sessions from Bowen Therapy, which manages this balancing so deeply and effectively that the diseases caused and / or maintained by the imbalance of the functioning of the parasympathetic nervous system (ie almost all) are cured or greatly improved.

- Meditation that encourages positive feelings - a study conducted in 2010 by Barbara Fredrickson and Bethany Kik found that stimulating emotions related to goodwill and gratitude led to improved vagal tone.

- Controlled, slow, rhythmic breathing in the diaphragm, such as that promoted by mind and body balancing practices such as yoga, taiji, qigong, reiki, stimulates and tones the vagus nerve.

- Cultivating harmonious social relationships and a general state of well-being and relaxation have proven effective in stimulating the activity of the parasympathetic system which includes the activity of the vagus nerve.