Benefits of Ceremonial Cacao on the Vagus Nerve & Gut
The vagus nerve is a nerve that runs from the brainstem to the abdomen and plays a major role in regulating the digestive system, the heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and visceral The vagus nerve is also the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system within the body and is the nerve that forms a link between the gut and the brain, known as the brain-gut axis.
The health of the vagus nerve and the microbiome in the gut is extremely important to our health, well-being and mental health.
It has been scientifically proven that the health of the gut plays an important role in how we feel. If we feel good, then our health improves mentally and physically. When we suffer from gut problems such as IBS, constipation, leaky gut, sensitive stomach, skin problems (which relate back to gut health) we can feel crappy.
Keeping these two systems in the best health we can is really important and easy to do.
So, you may be asking…How does Ceremonial Cacao benefit the vagus nerve and gut?
Ceremonial Grade Cacao naturally has a bitter quality to it. It is this bitterness in ceremonial grade cacao that has a positive impact on the health of the gut and vagus nerve by simulating them both in a positive way.
The bitter taste receptors on the side of the tongue are connected to the vagus nerve, when stimulated, they can increase activity in the vagus nerve. This can lead to a number of positive effects, as it stimulates the digestive system to produce more stomach acid, improved digestion, reduces gut inflammation, and aid in a healthier gut.
Bitter foods such as ceremonial cacao are a rich source of antioxidants and other beneficial vitamins and macronutrients. Ceremonial Grade Cacao is rich in magnesium, copper, zinc, and antioxidants PEA, and anandamide (feel-good chemicals) which all are vital nutrients for neurotransmitters, help to lower blood pressure, calm your nervous system, & increase dopamine in your body.
Ceremonial Grade Cacao helps to stimulate the production of bile, which is important for the digestion of fats, reduces inflammation in the gut, improves digestion, and stimulates the production of enzymes that help to break down food and stimulate the self-healing mechanism found in the gut lining, stimulate appetite, aids the liver in detoxification, can help with bloating, and indigestion.
If you can’t grab a piece or a mug of ceremonial grade cacao then other bitter foods that you can incorporate into your diet include greens like arugula, dandelion, and radicchio, as well as bitter herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, and cumin.
Bitter fruits like grapefruit, pomelo, and bitter grounds are also excellent options.
Not everyone may like the taste of bitter foods, but incorporating small amounts of them into the diet can have a beneficial impact on overall health and well-being.
So try incorporating ceremonial grade cacao into your diet to help stimulate the vagus nerve and improve your gut health, which will in turn improve your health and well-being on many levels.
