05/24/2026
I Love working the VAGUS NERVE on my reflexology clients in foot sessions.
Did you know that you can actually stimulate the vagus nerve in your own feet? But why is the VAGUS NERVE so important?👇
"It is our vagus nerve that provides the gateway between the two parts of the autonomic systems. The vagus acts as a bio-informational data bus that routes impulses going in two directions. Since the vagus nerve acts as the central switchboard it should come as no surprise that impaired functioning of this one nerve can lead to so many different conditions and problems. Some neurological diseases actually come up from the gut spreading to the brain via the vagus nerve.
Christopher Bergland, writing for Psychology Today, said, “The vagus nerve is the commander-in-chief when it comes to having grace under pressure. The autonomic nervous system is comprised of two polar opposite systems that create a complementary tug-of-war, which allows your body to maintain homeostasis (inner-stability). The sympathetic nervous system is geared to rev you up like the gas pedal in an automobile – it thrives on adrenaline and cortisol and is part of the fight-or-flight response. The parasympathetic nervous system is the polar opposite. The vagus nerve is command central for the function of your parasympathetic nervous system. Unfortunately, the vagus nerve’s reflexive responses can backfire and turn it from comrade into saboteur.”
The vagus nerve is known as the "wandering nerve" because it has multiple branches that diverge from two thick stems rooted in the cerebellum and brainstem that wander to the lowest viscera of our abdomen touching our hearts and most major organs along the way.
Vagus means "wandering" in Latin.
It meanders all the way down, into the belly, spreading fibers to the tongue, pharynx, vocal chords, lungs, heart, stomach, intestines and glands that produce anti-stress enzymes and hormones (like Acetylcholine, Prolactin, Vasopressin, Oxytocin), influencing digestio
