• How Anxiety Shows Up in Your Body (Not Just Your Mind)
    Aug 26 2025

    Anxiety isn't just in your head—it's a physical experience happening throughout your body, communicating through your vagus nerve and nervous system. By understanding how anxiety manifests physically, we can respond with effective tools that calm the body and, in turn, soothe the anxious mind.


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    Click the link to learn how to reset your vagus nerve to decrease stress & anxiety 👉🏻 ⁠https://mailchi.mp/itstartsatvagus/vagusreset⁠

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    6 mins
  • Joy Spotlights: Rewire Your Brain's Focus
    Aug 19 2025

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    We explore how to retrain your brain's spotlight to naturally find moments of joy instead of stress. By understanding your reticular activating system (RAS), you can break anxiety loops and build joy loops that fuel your healthiest habits.


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    Cash App me at $ItStartsAtVagus
    Thank you!! I really appreciate your support 💗

    Click the link to learn how to reset your vagus nerve to decrease stress & anxiety 👉🏻 ⁠https://mailchi.mp/itstartsatvagus/vagusreset⁠

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    8 mins
  • Pet Therapy for Your Nervous System
    Aug 12 2025

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    Pets offer more than companionship—they provide natural nervous system regulation through the vagus nerve, helping us switch from stress to calm. The simple act of interacting with animals releases oxytocin, activates our parasympathetic system, and builds vagal tone for greater stress resilience.

    Share a picture of your pet on our Facebook page to connect with our community. Subscribe to It Starts at Vagus for weekly nervous system tips, released every Tuesday, and share with someone who could benefit.


    Support the show

    Want to give a one-time donation as a thank you?
    Cash App me at $ItStartsAtVagus
    Thank you!! I really appreciate your support 💗

    Click the link to learn how to reset your vagus nerve to decrease stress & anxiety 👉🏻 ⁠https://mailchi.mp/itstartsatvagus/vagusreset⁠

    Join our Facebook group 🤩 It Starts at Vagus

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    7 mins
  • Training Your Nervous System: Why Calm Takes Daily Practice
    Aug 5 2025

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    Calm isn't a state we can simply decide to feel but rather a skill we develop through consistent practice, similar to building a muscle. When we understand that our stress responses are patterns developed over time, we can begin to retrain our nervous system by exercising our vagus nerve - the calm switchboard of the body.


    Support the show

    Want to give a one-time donation as a thank you?
    Cash App me at $ItStartsAtVagus
    Thank you!! I really appreciate your support 💗

    Click the link to learn how to reset your vagus nerve to decrease stress & anxiety 👉🏻 ⁠https://mailchi.mp/itstartsatvagus/vagusreset⁠

    Join our Facebook group 🤩 It Starts at Vagus

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    6 mins
  • Rewiring Stress Through Body Awareness
    Jul 29 2025

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    Massage isn't just about working muscles—it's a profound "brain game" that retrains our nervous system to recognize and release tension we didn't even know we were carrying. In this enlightening conversation with returning guest Melissa Kary, we explore the fascinating challenge many people face: achieving relaxation during a massage session but struggling to recreate that state independently.

    The most powerful insight emerges when we discuss anxiety not as an enemy to overcome but as valuable information our bodies provide. Through a personal story about navigating a steep hill at a concert venue, Melissa demonstrates how listening to anxiety—rather than fighting it—led to finding a safer path and ultimately greater enjoyment. "Your body shouldn't be working against you," she explains. "It should always be working for you." This perspective shift transforms our relationship with stress, teaching us to work with our nervous system rather than against it.

    Ready to stop dismissing your body's signals and start creating the calm you deserve? Subscribe to It Starts at Vegas for weekly episodes that help you soothe your nervous system and reclaim who you are at your core. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from learning to listen to their body's wisdom—because wellness truly does start from within.

    Support the show

    Want to give a one-time donation as a thank you?
    Cash App me at $ItStartsAtVagus
    Thank you!! I really appreciate your support 💗

    Click the link to learn how to reset your vagus nerve to decrease stress & anxiety 👉🏻 ⁠https://mailchi.mp/itstartsatvagus/vagusreset⁠

    Join our Facebook group 🤩 It Starts at Vagus

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    17 mins
  • The Vagus-Sleep Connection: How Rest Recharges Your Nervous System
    Jul 22 2025

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    Your emotions feeling out of control? Your reactions a bit over the top? Before you blame yourself, check your sleep quality. That irritability, anxiety, and emotional rawness might not be character flaws—they're classic signs of a sleep-deprived vagus nerve.

    The vagus nerve—that remarkable communication superhighway linking brain and body—thrives during deep, restorative sleep.

    But there's good news: supporting your vagus nerve doesn't require complicated protocols.

    Ready to transform your emotional resilience and physical wellbeing? Start by treating sleep as essential medicine for your nervous system. You don't need to hustle your way to health—you need to rest.

    Support the show

    Want to give a one-time donation as a thank you?
    Cash App me at $ItStartsAtVagus
    Thank you!! I really appreciate your support 💗

    Click the link to learn how to reset your vagus nerve to decrease stress & anxiety 👉🏻 ⁠https://mailchi.mp/itstartsatvagus/vagusreset⁠

    Join our Facebook group 🤩 It Starts at Vagus

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    9 mins
  • Reply to 9518 & a Thank You!
    Jul 22 2025

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    This mini episode is to reply to the phone number with 9518 from California.

    Also, to give Stephanie a big THANK YOU!

    Support the show

    Want to give a one-time donation as a thank you?
    Cash App me at $ItStartsAtVagus
    Thank you!! I really appreciate your support 💗

    Click the link to learn how to reset your vagus nerve to decrease stress & anxiety 👉🏻 ⁠https://mailchi.mp/itstartsatvagus/vagusreset⁠

    Join our Facebook group 🤩 It Starts at Vagus

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    1 min
  • The Vagus & Nature Connection: Take a Walk, Calm Your Nerves
    Jul 15 2025

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    Your vagus nerve—essentially your body's emotional thermostat—responds remarkably well to green spaces. When you step outside mindfully, cortisol levels drop, heart rate variability improves, and your body receives the safety signals it needs to shift into healing mode. The beautiful truth is that you don't need elaborate protocols or expensive supplements to support vagal tone; sometimes the medicine is right outside your door.


    Support the show

    Want to give a one-time donation as a thank you?
    Cash App me at $ItStartsAtVagus
    Thank you!! I really appreciate your support 💗

    Click the link to learn how to reset your vagus nerve to decrease stress & anxiety 👉🏻 ⁠https://mailchi.mp/itstartsatvagus/vagusreset⁠

    Join our Facebook group 🤩 It Starts at Vagus

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    7 mins