The Vagus Nerve and How Chewing Gum Helps It
What is the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is your longest cranial nerve and serves as the major communication system, or “information highway,” between your brain and the rest of your body and other organs.
Why is it so important to health
The vagus nerve represents the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system, which oversees a vast array of crucial bodily functions, including control of mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate. It establishes one of the connections between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract and sends information about the state of the inner organs to the brain via afferent fibers.
As such, having good “vagal nerve tone”—or optimal functioning of your vagus nerve—is vital for gut health and proper digestion, hormone production and balance, thyroid health, kidneys, blood pressure regulation, heart rate, fluid balance, and much, much more.
Where does Chewing Gum Come In
One of the easiest ways to activate your vagus nerve very well might be chewing gum.
How?
Chewing gum has been linked to cephalic vagal activation [1] this involves the activation of the vagus nerve. The cephalic phase is the initial phase of digestion that occurs before food enters the stomach. It is triggered by the sight, smell, or taste of food, as well as the process of chewing. The vagus nerve plays an essential role in the cephalic phase by stimulating the release of digestive enzymes, gastric acid, and other substances necessary for proper digestion.
Other ways to optimise the vagus nerve
Much like our philisophy of marginal gains, or small things compounding into big results, chewing gum is one of many ways to incorporate the improved function of your vagus nerve. Other ways include:
- Deep breathing exercises: Slow, diaphragmatic breathing can help stimulate the vagus nerve, promoting relaxation and reducing stress [2].
- Meditation: Mindfulness meditation and other forms of meditation can improve vagal tone by promoting relaxation and stress reduction [3].
- Positive social interactions and connections can improve vagal tone [4].
- Cold exposure: Exposure to cold temperatures can activate the vagus nerve and increase heart rate variability [5]