The vagus nerve is responsible for the regulation of all our internal organ functions. When it is damaged, the wide-ranging impact on our nervous system can manifest in a multitude of ways, including anxiety, hormonal imbalances, gastrointestinal distress, and vertigo. Based on current research into the vagus nerve and vagus nerve stimulation, this practical guide addresses a crucial missing link in healthcare and functional medicine by providing an innovative protocol on the management of anxiety and vagus nerve dysfunction through nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle. With a holistic, whole-person approach, this protocol bridges the divide between the physical and the psychological, providing a holistic approach that can be applied widely across various disciplines within healthcare, bodywork, and mental health. It provides detailed theory and is supplemented with an abundance of practical guidance including various recipes whilst also helping practitioners understand how clients may transition to a more sustainable, long-term protocol.

Exercise, a healthy diet, stress management, sound sleep: Most practitioners would agree that living well can mitigate the impact of mental disorders. Yet many are unprepared to address lifestyle factors in their care of patients. Lifestyle Psychiatry seeks to instill confidence by collating and analyzing the impressive emerging body of evidence that supports the efficacy of healthy lifestyle practices -- both as the primary intervention and in conjunction with traditional treatments such as psychopharmacology or psychotherapy -- in preventing and managing psychiatric disorders. This volume examines the impact of lifestyle interventions -- from exercise, yoga, and tai chi to mindfulness and meditation, diet and nutrition, and sleep management -- on psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and addiction. Readers can readily find data to support the use of specific lifestyle interventions for a patient presenting with a specific disorder. Detailed descriptions of the mechanisms of each lifestyle intervention also prepare practitioners to educate their patients on the specific neurobiological and psychological effects of these interventions to support their recovery. With chapters that focus on developing a robust therapeutic alliance and inspiring patients to assume responsibility for their own well-being, this guide provides a framework for lasting, sustainable lifestyle changes. Additionally, the book discusses the impact of the provider's lifestyle on clinical behavior and the implications of lifestyle medicine and psychiatry for health care systems and population health, offering a broader examination of the important role this new field can play in leading a sophisticated, holistic approach to optimizing wellness.

Nutrition and Lifestyle in Neurological Autoimmune Diseases: Multiple Sclerosis discusses important discoveries relating to the types of, and efficacy of, nutritional and lifestyle responses to symptoms and reoccurrence of MS. Each chapter defines a new approach to use in foods, dietary supplements, exercise, behavior, and/or lifestyle in health promotion and symptoms management for MS. This book presents the role of non-pharmaceutical approaches and is essential reading for neurologists, physicians, nurses, nutritionists, dietitians, healthcare professionals, research scientists, biochemists, and general practitioners. - Presents a comprehensive overview that details the role of nutrition and exercise in Multiple Sclerosis - Written for researchers and clinicians in neurology, neuroscience, and exercise and nutrition - Defines a new approach that focuses on foods, dietary supplements, exercise, behavior, and lifestyle in health promotion and symptoms management for MS

The brain is the most complex organ in our body. Indeed, it is perhaps the most complex structure we have ever encountered in nature. Both structurally and functionally, there are many peculiarities that differentiate the brain from all other organs. The brain is our connection to the world around us and by governing nervous system and higher function, any disturbance induces severe neurological and psychiatric disorders that can have a devastating effect on quality of life. Our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of the brain has improved dramatically in the last two decades. In particular, the critical role of cations, including magnesium, has become evident, even if incompletely understood at a mechanistic level. The exact role and regulation of magnesium, in particular, remains elusive, largely because intracellular levels are so difficult to routinely quantify. Nonetheless, the importance of magnesium to normal central nervous system activity is self-evident given the complicated homeostatic mechanisms that maintain the concentration of this cation within strict limits essential for normal physiology and metabolism. There is also considerable accumulating evidence to suggest alterations to some brain functions in both normal and pathological conditions may be linked to alterations in local magnesium concentration. This book, containing chapters written by some of the foremost experts in the field of magnesium research, brings together the latest in experimental and clinical magnesium research as it relates to the central nervous system. It offers a complete and updated view of magnesiums involvement in central nervous system function and in so doing, brings together two main pillars of contemporary neuroscience research, namely providing an explanation for the molecular mechanisms involved in brain function, and emphasizing the connections between the molecular changes and behavior. It is the untiring efforts of those magnesium researchers who have dedicated their lives to unraveling the mysteries of magnesiums role in biological systems that has inspired the collation of this volume of work.

According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA), one of the most common mental disorders in the United States is anxiety disorder. This illness affects over 40 million American adults (18 years and older) each year, which is a big 18.1% of the US population. Although anxiety disorders can be treated, over a third, or 36.9%, of the population only gets the allotted treatment, while the remaining 63.1% remain suffering. Anxiety disorders are very common and have become associated with depression. These two illnesses may occur together, or one disorder leads to the other one and vice versa. Statistics say that almost half of the patients diagnosed with depression were also diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Are you one of these people suffering from anxiety? What if we tell you that your anxiety may be caused by a nerve that is related to your stomach and your brain? Have you heard of the vagus nerve? The vagus nerve is the “hunger nerve” that links your brain and gut. This nerve is responsible for sending signals from the gut to the brain back and forth. Studies have revealed that if this nerve is not functioning well by being less sensitive or “asleep,” it may lead to other health problems such as obesity, gastrointestinal diseases, seizures, fainting, bradycardia, chronic inflammation, mood disorders, and anxiety. How the vagus nerve becomes dysfunctional and what causes it to not work as it should, will be explained in the succeeding parts of the guide. Since the vagus nerve is a nerve that does its work in the gut, we have thought that to bring it back to its former glory, then a healthy diet may be one of the ways to stimulate it (hint: obesity-inducing food items weaken the nerve). In this guide, you will discover... What the vagus nerve is What its function in the body is Vagus nerve and your health How it becomes weak How to stimulate it What exercises can stimulate the nerve What food items can activate it back

The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook is your guidebook to the ultimate superdiet, an evidence-based keto diet that emphasizes a diversity of fish, healthy fats, and a rainbow of colorful vegetables—with 100 delicious recipes for everything from snacks to dinner. The Mediterranean diet has long been touted as one of the world’s healthiest diets, renowned for its protective effects against heart disease, cancer, and other chronic illnesses. However, its heavy inclusion of grains and carbohydrates can contribute to obesity and is a drawback for many. Also shown to have many health benefits, the ketogenic diet stimulates the fat-burning and longevity-promoting state of ketosis by limiting carbs and emphasizing high-fat foods. While the keto diet is about the proportion of macronutrients (fats, protein, carbohydrates) in the food you eat, the Mediterranean diet is about specific food types: seafood, olive oil, colorful vegetables, and other anti-inflammatory foods. This book is about living and eating at the intersection of these complementary diets so you can reap the benefits of both. While both diets advocate significant amounts of healthy fats and protein, the new Mediterranean approach to keto significantly shifts the fat profile of the diet to emphasize the monounsaturated and omega-3 fats that health experts agree promote living a long disease-free life. It also includes colorful vegetables, providing a diversity of nutrients and flavor. The result is an enhanced Mediterranean diet that stokes metabolism, supports the gut and microbiome, and is anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and nutrient-dense. Improve your overall health while enjoying delectable dishes including: Superfood Shakshuka Blender Cinnamon Pancakes with Cacao Cream Topping Green Goddess Salad Pancetta Wrapped Sea Bass Sheet Pan Crispy Salmon Piccata Fierce Meatball Zoodle Bolognese Nordic Stone Age Bread Chocolate Hazelnut “Powerhouse” Truffles With The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, you’ll learn how to balance your macronutrients, what foods are considered the new Mediterranean superfoods, and how to make tasty dishes to keep you satisfied all day.

“Thoroughly researched, clearly explained, and beautifully illustrated…[this book] provides powerful insights and actionable steps for regulating the nervous system.” —Alex Korb, Ph.D., Neuroscientist, Personal Development Coach, and Author of The Upward Spiral A somatic approach to treating trauma, anxiety, and depression has never been more popular. Perhaps that’s because recent studies show that 80% of mind-body communication originates in the body —the vagus nerve is the superhighway that facilitates this communication. Healing Through the Vagus Nerve walks you through how the nervous system and the vagus nerve function, with approachable, non-academic language and helpful illustrations. Amanda Armstrong (founder of Rise as We) teaches all about vagal tone and the impact it has on your mental health and everyday life. Then, a variety of exercises and practices provide an adaptable approach to improving nervous system function: Breathing techniques including diaphragmatic breathing, physiological sigh, voo breath, and the Valsalva technique Massage techniques for the ear, neck, and abdomen Visual techniques including lateral eye stretches, eye pushups, orienting, eye cupping, and gaze opening Physical techniques including cold exposure, yoga, and more Featuring relatable client stories, key details of the author’s own journey healing her nervous system, and a selection of entry points to help engage with the process, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve is a complete guide to improving your stress response through optimizing your vagus nerve and nervous system. Learn how to work with your nervous system instead of against it.