The Great Nerve – by Dr. Kevin Tracey

Regular 10almonds readers will doubtlessly be aware of the merits of tending to one’s vagus nerve for reasons of relaxation and general health (per accessing the body’s “rest and digest” mode, and/or at the very least exiting the body’s “fight or flight” mode, which can be great in a crisis, but usually not what one wants at one’s desk on a Tuesday morning).

So, what does this book offer that stands out?

In this case it is much more of a focus on active healing, rather than simply avoiding harm.

Dr. Tracey covers how the vagus nerve (in and of itself, and/or in its role as the primary means of gut-brain information exchange) can be used torebalance inflammation (i.e., reduce general inflammation while increasing the immune response where and when and how it’s actually needed), regulate weight, improve metabolism, and reap the many health benefits that come with those things, especially if one’s starting point in one or more of those categories is Not Good™.

In terms of practicalities, he recommends an array of tools: meditation and breathwork, cold and exercise, and technological gadgets, with notes on therapies for various conditions.

The style is formal in tone, with lots of stories, and feels a lot like a for-the-public scientific presentation by an academic whose goal is more to engage the audience than necessarily to educate with a lot of details, as one might with an audience of students of one’s field. There are no citation markers as we go, although there is a respectable-sized bibliography at the back. The lack of referencing as we go is however quite a flaw, since it makes it much more difficult to check the sources for claims. It’s the equivalent of “yes, there is evidence for this claim; if you don’t believe me, here’s the library”.

Bottom line: if you’re looking for clinical understanding, this isn’t the best book for you. If you’re looking for just the practicalities, this book will feel quite padded with anecdotes. If, however, you want to learn about the vagus nerve in storytime fashion while curled up in your armchair, then you’ll probably find this book quite enjoyable.

Click here to check out The Great Nerve, and soothe yours!