The vagus nerve is one of the most critical pathways for transmitting messages between the brain and the body. It is the longest nerve in the body and serves as the master controller of our immune cells, organs, and stem cells, as well as our mood, digestion, memory, cognitive function, blood pressure, and many other aspects of our health. Learn how to repair your vagus nerve toxicity with Essential Oils.
The vagus nerve is one of two extremely long cranial nerves that start at the base of the brain and travel down the neck on both sides of the body (behind the earlobe on the mastoid bone). ‘Vagus’ is Latin for ‘wandering’, and as the name implies, the vagus nerve travels through the body, networking the brain with every organ of digestion, along with the lungs, heart, spleen, intestines, liver, and kidneys. It also connects with a range of other nerves that are involved in speech, eye contact, facial expressions, and even your ability to tune in to other people’s voices.
It is a vital channel for communication between the brain and the body, playing a crucial role in maintaining the body’s homeostasis and overall health. For example, the vagus nerve releases the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which signals the heart rate to slow down.
Vagus Nerve Toxicity
Poor health can often be traced to an infected or poisoned vagus nerve. Toxins are drained from the brain through the lymphatic channels located on the side of the neck. If lymph flow is congested, these toxins—including environmental toxins, heavy metals, infections, or pathogens—can linger near the vagus nerve and infect or poison the nerve, impacting the whole enteric nervous system.
Heavy metals and sulfur toxins have a high affinity for nerves and can contaminate the vagus nerve. Due to the extensive networking of sensory nerves and the autonomic nervous system, toxins can be rapidly absorbed in large quantities.
The origins of infections are often microbes in the mouth that don’t physiologically belong there. For example, heavy metals, pathogens, infections, viruses, or toxins can accumulate in the neck from chronically inflamed tonsils or sinuses, dental amalgams, infected root canals, or cavities in the jawbone, where they can migrate to nerve endings. From here, the toxins move into the nerves, traveling toward the brain stem, where they can affect the face and other brain nerves. Sadly, the vagus nerve, just like the other cranial nerves, can be infected.
Vagus Nerve Toxicity Impedes Health
A toxic vagus nerve can impede all downstream functions of the digestive system, leading to malabsorption, constipation, or leaky gut. Malabsorption can then contribute to the accumulation of large-molecular matter in the lymph, which can further trigger allergic immune responses and intolerances. As the vagus nerve controls motility in the digestive process, a toxic vagus nerve can lead to poor or misregulated intestinal motility, contributing not only to constipation but also to imbalances in the gut microbiome, which can contribute to SIBO, IBS, and candida overgrowth.
Similarly, since the vagus nerve signals the release of acetylcholine to slow down the heart rate, excessive stimulation of the vagus nerve can lead to cardiac issues. Root canals are often correlated with heart attacks for this very reason. The communication between the gut, the nervous system, and the brain is also compromised, impairing the immune system and contributing to autoimmune reactions.
Vagus Nerve Toxicity Contributes to Nutrient Malabsorption
A correlation exists between malabsorption of nutrients and an infection of the vagus nerve. If the parasympathetic state isn’t triggered, insufficient stomach acid is released, and nutrients are not adequately broken down and assimilated. For example, proteins are not broken down or absorbed adequately in sufficient quantities. Not enough bile flow prevents the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. If the excretion of pancreatic enzymes is insufficient, food is not digested correctly, and this leads to the growth of pathogenic microbes further down in the colon.
How to Detoxify the Vagus Nerve
Stimulating the vagus nerve with topically applied essential oils (behind the ear lobe on the mastoid bone) can help manually override impaired function. The lipid-soluble essential oils can directly and immediately access the nerve in a way that other supplements or remedies cannot. The following essential oil blends are best considered to support vagus nerve toxicity.
Parasympathetic™—To stimulate the vagus nerve and trigger the parasympathetic response, topically apply the Parasympathetic™ blend on the vagus nerve behind the earlobe on the neck. This can help manually override the infection and reset the autonomic nervous system.
Facilitating an increase in the activity of the vagus nerve and the corresponding neurotransmitters and hormones helps return the body to balance. When these systems are working optimally, the body will likely start to move and release heavy metals and toxins stored in the nerves, so it is essential to support the detoxification pathways below:
Lymph™—The lymphatic system needs to be functioning optimally for toxins to be removed from the neck and the brain. If you think of the body like a hydraulic system where congested tissue downstream prevents optimal flow upstream, congested lymphatic vessels in the neck will impede the drainage of toxins from the brain. To enhance lymphatic flow and drainage, generously apply Lymph™ around the sides of the neck to relieve congestion, improve drainage, and reduce brain inflammation.
Liver™—The liver is the primary organ of detoxification. It filters toxins and bacteria from blood and neutralizes the toxins in preparation for elimination. Before dumping more toxins into an already overworked liver, ensure that you support the liver with the energy and vitality it needs to keep up with the increased toxic burden. Applying 2-3 drops of Liver™ directly over the liver (on the right side of the body, under the breast) two to three times daily can help support the optimal health and vitality of the liver.
Kidney Support™—The kidneys bind toxins to acids and excrete them in the urine. High levels of toxins and metals can overwhelm the kidneys, impeding their ability to effectively filter toxins. They control the volume, composition and pressure of fluids in all the cells and water is symbolic of the unconscious, our emotion and of that which we do not understand and that which we fear. Applying Kidney Support™ over the kidneys on the back of the body can help support the gentle release of toxins.
Gallbladder™—The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile, which helps to emulsify fats and carry toxins and old hormones out of the body. Interestingly, healthy gallbladder function and the free flow of bile play a crucial role in preventing constipation. When bile flows from the liver (releasing toxins with it) through the gallbladder to the small intestine, where it breaks down the fat for the body to absorb, it acts as a natural irritant to the lining of the intestine, which stimulates peristalsis that promotes bowel movements. Unfortunately, stress, toxicity, hormones, or diets that are too low or too high in fat can cause the bile to become thick, viscous, and stagnant, which impairs its ability to flow both to the small intestine and out of the body. To support the flow of bile and, with it, toxins out of the body, apply Gallbladder™ on the right side of the body under the bra underwire or along and slightly under the right rib cage two to three times daily.
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- Gallbladder™ available here
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- Lymph™ available here
- Liver™ available here
- Parasympathetic™ available here
