Here’s the rub: A nervous system that gasps and drags itself through life always leads to one disease after another, then to a miserable old age filled with doctor’s visits and many prescriptions, and finally, the final curtain call.
Why not avoid much misery and sorrow? Most of what medicine calls aging is the result of nervous system problems, which can be reversed. So let’s talk about some small tweaks that give your nerves a happy nudge.
1. Get good nutrition, both in your diet and in a supplement program tailored to do what your body needs it to do. Unfortunately, the facts about what constitutes good nutrition seem to be in the witness protection program, and hardly anyone knows how it works. Many of us think so, but no; we have to learn a better way.
Don’t follow the advice of shows like “The Biggest Loser.” His out of the way dietary advice promotes ill health, not good health. The trainers do the best they can on what they are taught, completely convinced that it is good information, but they are wrong. Really bad
2. Breathe deeply and correctly. We all know how to breathe, of course, but most of us are shallow breathers, whereas adjusting the nervous system requires deep, slow, ribcage-expanding breaths.
In addition to helping the nerves, this deep breathing technique calms the body. Why spend the night being a whirling dervish instead of sleeping? Concentrating on your breathing technique prevents your brain from jumping from one subject to another, which also helps.
3. Being cold once, or maybe several times a day. Drink cold water. Put an ice-cold wet washcloth on your face for several seconds. To make the most of this cold thing, take a cold shower. Freezing in the shower takes things too far in my mind, but you might like it.
4. Sleep (or lie down) on your right side. This increases heart rate variability and modifies the king of the nervous system, the vagus nerve.
5. Sing! The stronger the better. And group singing, whether in a choir, church hymns, or rousing songs, helps even more.
6. Gargle as often as possible. Do not drink a glass of water without gargling.
7. Chew gum. Unfortunately, sugarless gum contains aspartame, which hits the nervous system, and regular gum contains high fructose corn syrup, which is harmful to many parts of the body. Some people promote xylitol-sweetened gum, but that’s instant diarrhea for some people. So this is a complicated business. But it’s worth the effort to find something that works.
8. Laugh! The more you laugh, the better it is. More than just putting yourself in a good mood, though, it’s about all the muscles that laughter relaxes and shakes. YouTube.com has thousands of comedy clips in various categories. It would probably take a year to see all the possibilities that come up when you search for “clean comedy.” Personally, watching Tim Conway’s dentist and elephant routines works for me, no matter how many times I watch them.
9. Pet a dog, play with a child, or hug someone. This helps your body release oxytocin, your love hormone for the world.
10. Pray and meditate to smooth things out. Prayer and meditation actually create physical changes in our bodies, but it is not about doing it by heart. If you’re mad at the world when you start and you’re still mad at the world when you stop, it doesn’t work. Maybe you need more practice.
11. Finally, coughing also moves muscles that benefit the nervous system.
There you have eleven settings for your nervous system. (I left out a “helpful” tip on giving a brain injection that “might” work. Yikes!)