Regulating your nervous system

1. Nourishing Foods for a Regulated Nervous System

Your nervous system and vagus nerve thrive when they are well-fed with calm, anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense foods. Here’s what to focus on:

🌱 Foundational Nutrition

• Omega-3s (calms inflammation & supports brain health): Flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, oily fish like mackerel and sardines.

• Magnesium-rich foods (natural nervous system soother): Dark leafy greens, almonds, pumpkin seeds, bananas, avocado, black beans, dark chocolate (70%+).

• B vitamins (especially B6, B9, B12 – crucial for mood and nerve repair): Eggs, leafy greens, nutritional yeast, legumes, oats, and quality animal proteins.

• Fermented foods (supports the gut-vagus nerve connection): Natural yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso.

• Protein at every meal (balances blood sugar, supports neurotransmitters): Beans, lentils, eggs, fish, tofu, chicken, nuts/seeds.

• Warm grounding meals (like soups, stews, porridge): Helps signal safety to the body and ease internal tension.
  

🧂 Bonus Tip:

Use sea salt or pink salt (in moderation) in water to support adrenal function if feeling depleted.

2. Lifestyle Practices to Soothe & Regulate

The vagus nerve is like a highway between the body and brain. When it’s calm, you feel safe and grounded. Here’s how to gently stimulate it:

🌬️ Daily Nervous System Soothers

• Deep belly breathing (especially exhale-focused – try 4 seconds in, 6 out).

• Gargling or humming (stimulates the vagus nerve through the throat). (Reciting Quran so you can hear yourself)

• Cold water face splashes or cold showers (30 seconds).

• Gentle movement (walking, stretching, rebounding, dancing).

• Singing or chanting (sound vibrations relax the vagus nerve).

• Laying on the ground with legs up against the wall (restorative for the parasympathetic system).

• 5-4-3-2-1 grounding (a simple tool for moments of overwhelm – helps you return to the body). *

3. Simple Daily Rhythm to Try

• Wake: Warm water with lemon or pinch of sea salt. Gentle breathwork.

• Breakfast: Protein + healthy fat (e.g. eggs + avocado on rye, or porridge + seeds + nut butter).

• Midday: Walk outdoors if possible – natural light regulates circadian rhythm and mood.

• Lunch: Cooked veggies + quality carbs (e.g. lentil soup + sourdough + side salad).

• Afternoon: Herbal tea (like chamomile or tulsi), mindful pause, journaling or body scan.

• Evening: Warm dinner, low-stimuli time (no screens after 8 if possible), legs-up pose.

• Before bed: Magnesium-rich snack (banana + almond butter or oat milk + cinnamon), 10-minute breathing or vagus humming. 

4. Herbs & Supplements (Optional – Check With a Practitioner First)

• Magnesium glycinate (calming, sleep-supportive)

• L-theanine (gentle mood balancer)- naturally found in green and black tea.

• Ashwagandha (adaptogen – helps calm and restore the nervous system)

• Tulsi (Holy Basil) tea (stress-relieving and uplifting)

• Rose (the aroma and compounds in rose tea may help lower cortisol levels)

🌿* 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise

Take a slow, deep breath. Then name:

5 things you can see 👉 Look around you and notice five distinct things. They can be small or big – a shadow on the wall, the colour of the carpet, a tree outside the window.

4 things you can feel 👉 Bring your attention to your body. What can you physically feel? The texture of your clothes, the chair under you, your feet on the floor, the warmth of a mug in your hand.

3 things you can hear 👉 Tune into the sounds around you. Can you hear birds, distant traffic, your own breath, a clock ticking?

2 things you can smell 👉 Take a breath and notice any scents in your environment. If you can’t smell anything, that’s okay – bring something close like essential oil, your jumper, or a cup of tea.

1 thing you can taste

 👉 Notice the taste in your mouth, or take a sip of water or a snack and observe the flavour.