Could poor vagus flow be the cause of your chronic constipation?

The vagus nerve is a fundamental component of the parasympathetic nervous system fondly referred to as our "rest and digest" pathway.

The vagus releases the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which modulates a number of processes that includes.... gastrointestinal motility!

Motility is like a production line; and  the vagus flow causes movement of food through the upper GI tract, stomach acid production, the opening of the pyloric valve at the base of the stomach allowing food to pass into the intestines, activating the migrating motor complex to sweep bacteria out of the small intestine, gallbladder functioning to release bile for digestion of fats, pancreatic functioning to release digestive enzymes, and movement of the stool (“peristalsis”) to trigger a bowel movement.

So, If there is a diminished vagus nerve outflow (as seen if there is chronic inflammation, stress, poor blood sugar management or disturbed sleep patterns) this means there is a diminished activity of the entire GI TRACT!

This can result in Chronic constipation and/or gastroparesis, bloating, SIBO and dysbiosis. A clue I often look for on a Nutrigenomic panel is a SNP on the PEMT gene, as PEMT is an enzyme which generates the production of acetylcholine.

Find out more about supporting our vagus flow output and how a TENS machine works and can help. It's a highly effective way of keeping your nervous system in res-digest anti-inflammatory state here.

Full credit to Dr. Samuel Yanuck for this incredible insight and technique!