I am seeing so many different versions of “cortisol cocktails” on social media claiming to melt the belly fat. While all of them have beneficial ingredients and can be helpful there is one very large piece of settling down the cortisol system that is being overlooked.

During high stress times our cortisol spikes and we are moved from parasympathetic (calm, cool and collected) to our sympathetic system (fight-or-flight).

When we are in this constant fight-or-flight mode many negative things can happen to us.  We start having sleep issues and can even develop sleep apnea, insulin resistance starts to develop, our “storage tanks” increase in size which is the middle of our abdomen, blood pressure can go up and inflammation increases plus, plus, plus.  Do you recognize yourself in this cycle?

Using supplements can help calm this, help with your sleep and your blood sugars but if you really want to get rid of that cortisol belly, improve your sleep, etc.  you need to address the root cause of all of this to be long lasting and effective.

READ ON for the non-medication treatment of getting you out of this cycle….

When the sympathetic system is on high alert you will not lose weight, not be able to get your blood sugars down, not be able to decrease your cortisol and all of these are important areas that people are desperately seeking answers for.  Next thing you know you have an extra 15-20 pounds (or more) and it just won’t budge.  Many people are turning to and having success with the GLP-1 medications (Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro  (tirzepatide) and most of my patients taking this tell me they notice a decrease in their inflammation.  You may think it is because of the weight loss and while that may help, there is a very important system that gets stimulated with these medications and this is the vagus nerve.

The vagal nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body spanning from the brain to the gut.  It influences the brain center helping control food intake, insulin secretion , heart rate, breathing, digestion, mood as well as your immune system.  The vagus nerves are a part of your parasympathetic system which remember helps keep you cool, calm and collected.

Symptoms of vagal dysregulation can include

  • Abdominal pain and bloating
  • Heart rate changes
  • Blood pressure changes
  • Dizziness/fainting
  • Loss of appetite or suddenly feeling full quickly
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Constant fight-or-flight
  • Trouble losing your abdominal weight
  • Insomnia
  • Anxiety

There are many studies emerging regarding the vagus nerve in the use of treating many conditions including:

  • Headaches
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Chronic pain
  • PTSD
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Insomnia
  • Epilepsy
  • Depression
  • POTS
  • Some Parkinson symptoms
  • And more….

Newer studies are starting to show links with lower vagal tone and dysregulation associated with inflammation and higher incidences of plaque, heart disease and other inflammatory conditions!  When you improve the vagal tone and help the gut-brain connection not only do you see improved inflammation but add in improved mood and decreased anxiety to this and you start to see how important this is.

How do you improve vagal tone?  You might hear “decrease stress” however, we all know how difficult that is to consistently maintain.  I do think we all need a good stress toolbox to help us handle a variety of situations but sometimes you need some outside intervention to move you along and get you out of the vagal dysregulation stage.  Many avenues can be beneficial including vagal breathing exercises, meditation, exercise in general and massages. Stanley Rosenberg has a great book called “Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve” with some great exercises in the back of the book.

However, if you are really ready to address this and turn your parasympathetic system back on then try a vagal stimulator.  I have tried several different vagal stimulators in the past and while they all had their own benefits, I never really felt like I had major improvement.  Then during a conversation with Dr. Norman Imes, our own local pulmonologist and now sleep specialist, he provided the missing piece of why these devices underperformed.  They were not the correct frequency or using the right duration!  He pointed me to a device that he researched and is a game changer so I want to give him full credit for this discovery!  The best vagal stimulator available at this time is the tNVS device thru vagal.com.  It has the correct frequency, the ability to adjust intensity of signal as well as the ability to increase duration.

Recent Newsletters:  Ozempic - Is it for you?

A vagal stimulator is a device that is typically clipped to the LEFT ear on a part of the ear called the Tragus (look it up because this does not go on the earlobe).  Most people need to use this one hour at bedtime nightly.  There are a few exceptions so be sure and read those below.  Here are the specific recommendations:

  1. Clip to LEFT ear. The right vagal nerve may affect your heart rate and slow your heart rate down too much.
  2. Increase the intensity to where it is uncomfortable but not painful.
  3. Optimal duration for most people is one hour of use. See exceptions below.
  4. Use at bedtime as this has a tendency to make you tired. You can move around and do things with it on or just clip it on when you go to bed.
  5. Be consistent and use it nightly. The longer you use it the more benefit you get.  A realistic expectation is starting to see improvements after 30 days of use but many people do see changes before.
  6. If you have a small tragus, be sure and get the pediatric clips.

Important instructions and exceptions:

POTS syndrome:  people with pots syndrome have vagal dysautonomia no doubt but if you start too aggressively it can make the symptoms worse.  However, if you start with a low duration and gradually build up it can actually improve the symptoms.  Start with only 15 minutes at a time and gradually increase to an hour.  Do not push thru any symptoms and back down as needed.

High blood pressure: If you are taking blood pressure medications, be sure to monitor your blood pressure as you may start to see it go down.  Many people using a vagal stimulator can slowly lower the dose or even stop some of the blood pressure medications.  Never lower a dose of a medication or stop it without your doctor’s supervision and advice.

Who should NOT use a vagal stimulator?

  • Heart rhythm issues (arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation and slower heart rate (bradycardia)
  • Active stomach ulcers
  • Individuals who have had part of their vagus nerve removed
  • Mental health issues like schizophrenia or rapid-cycling bipolar disorders
  • People who have other forms of brain stimulation devices
  • Young children
  • Cochlear implants
  • Pregnancy
  • Severe sleep apnea – consult your sleep doctor before use (this can be very beneficial for mild sleep apnea or for people who are having trouble wearing their CPAP masks).

Are there any side-effects to consider when using a vagal stimulator? These devices are generally considered to be safe but some side-effects can occur and are usually temporary.  If you have any decrease the intensity and duration or if severe stop use of the device.

  • Hoarseness
  • Throat pain
  • Coughing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Heart rhythm changes
  • May worsen severe sleep apnea
  • Tinnitus (ear ringing)

 

I am finding this device to be very helpful for anyone who has that “cortisol” belly, insomnia, anxiety, high stress life as well as people with POTS.  Try it out and tell me what you think!

To your health,

 

Laura