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Vagus Nerve Reset

11/16/2022

I wrote before about the vagus nerve, what it is, what it does, and most importantly, it’s role in regulating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). When the vagus nerve is stimulated/activated, it can help induce calm, lower heart rate, increase digestion and decrease digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, increase cognitive function, decrease depression and anxiety, and act as a mood booster.

Some of the ways I had listed for activating the vagus nerve (cold water, meditation, humming, etc.) may not appeal to everyone, so I wanted to introduce a more active method involving specific movements that can help activate the vagus nerve. You’ll do one side of the body at a time, then switch sides, all while seated.

1. Place your left hand on your right upper trapezius, gently pushing down and away from your neck.
2. Take your right hand to your right jaw/chin and gently push the head to look left.
3. Then push the head to look slightly up.
4. Next exhale as you rotate the torso and upper body towards the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Take three deep, full inhales and exhales.
6. Slowly inhale and rotate back to center, releasing the hands.
7. Pause and notice any differences in the right side of the body versus the left, then switch and do the other side.

This technique is great to do at various times, like on your lunch break at work to help destress and reset for your afternoon, at the end of the work day and before bed, before and after those stressful holiday events that are coming up, and any time you’re feeling anxious. Anytime you need to go from fight/flight mode to rest/digest mode, this is a wonderful tool.

Best,
Katherine

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Work Smarter...

11/10/2022

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Where is your resistance?

I know that it seems like a very easy question, but based on some of the exercises that I see people doing it seems worth considering. If you are using free weights (dumbbells, barbells, weight plates, etc.), the resistance force is the pull of gravity. For example, if you were going to perform shoulder rotation exercises with a dumbbell, then you would need to position yourself such that the movement would be against the pull of gravity. Standing with your arm at your side with your elbow bent at ninety degrees would not have the rotation against gravity. In this position, the resistance of the weight will not be working the rotator cuff muscles.

Similarly, with a starting position of holding weights in your hands with arms extended in front of you while your torso is vertical and pulling your hands toward your torso is not an effective way to work the muscles of your back.

Both of these examples I have recently witnessed and I feel represent good intentions without good consideration. With free weights the force you are working against is toward the earth, and you need to position yourself such that the movement you will be performing is along that same direct pull.

If you are using a different form of resistance, then the force you are working against can be different from the straight down pull of gravity. Resistance bands use elasticity to provide a variable resistance (it’s harder the further it is stretched) so positionally you would align your movement to be pulling the band into a greater stretch. This type of resistance is more intuitive because the band will stay slack if not pulled in such a way to stretch it.

A bit more confusing are cables. Cables provide a constant resistance but are typically connected to a variety of pulleys which means that the effective weight is not the same as the actual weight on the plate stack, and the resistance force is directly along the line of the cable. To ensure you are aligned correctly with cables, position to ensure your movement is along the direction of the cable that you are pulling.

Levers are perhaps the most challenging because it is not always clear how to position. T bars, landmines and leg curl machines are examples of levers used for resistance training and each is unique in how to best position. In general, if the machine has a pivot point then you want to adjust to align your joint with that point. And then ensure that your angle of movement when using the lever is using muscle, ideally the muscle that you are trying to work.

I know that it can sometimes be confusing to think about resistance force vectors, but taking a moment to consider the direction of force that you are working against can go a long way toward increasing the effectiveness of the time that you are dedicating to exercise.

And, as always, let me know how I can help.

Adam

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Recline Bound Angle Restorative

11/10/2022

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This posture allows for the belly and the heart to rest open with support. Try it for 5-10 minutes and see what you notice. As with many practices, it’s most effective when used a little bit and often.

Sit with legs in a butterfly position, wrap a rolled towel or blanket around the feet and tuck it under the knees. Lie back over a bolster, pillow or folded blanket and tuck a little something under the head to bring the neck neutral. The photo here will show what this looks like!

Let me know what questions you have! There will be an in person restorative on Tuesday, December 13th from 6:00-7:30 PM, register and join me!

Warmly,
Carla

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Secrets They Don't Want You to Know

11/10/2022

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I found this infographic helpful in understanding the basic differentiations between the left and right hemispheres as defined by Iain McGilchrist.
And as western civilization is increasingly becoming more left brain driven, I thought it might be interesting to reflect on McGilchrist’s list relative to this recent article in Science Advances: Interconnectedness and (in)coherence as a signature of conspiracy worldviews

This research identifies some of the similarities in language used for conspiracy theories, regardless of the specific content of the message. While the article makes no mention of the difference in brain hemispheres, it is clear that the language used in the messages that are promoting conspiracies are left hemisphere.
This is not really new information. We are subjected to this same type of language with advertising and, perhaps most obvious, the click-bait ads online. Some sites are simply covered with links that promise to tell us “secrets that they don’t want us to know."

Seriously, I have been in the fitness industry for nearly 30 years and the ways to get yourself more fit is not some closely held secret.

The point is, this language is pervasive because it works. It is designed to directly connect with a part of your brain that will motivate you to some action. Sometimes, though very rarely, this method has been used for some positive actions (ex.handwashing in Kenya) so maybe you don’t need to ignore it entirely. Another option is to recognize the message and take a moment to think about the goal behind the message.
While it is not always possible to discern the goal, thinking about it will shift your brain from simply reacting to the message and sometimes that is enough.

As always, let me know how I can help.
Adam

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Vagus Nerve Reset

Work Smarter...

Recline Bound Angle Restorative

Secrets They Don't Want You to Know

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