Dr. Ilene Naomi Rusk

Your vagus nerve isn't something you can "hack" overnight, but you can learn to build a stronger relationship with it.

In this first video of our Vagus Nerve Exercise Series, I'm guiding you through a simple practice called Tracing the Vagus Nerve. This gentle exercise helps you visualize the path of the vagus nerve through your body while bringing mindful awareness to the places it influences.

While this practice isn't designed to stimulate the vagus nerve directly, it can strengthen interoception—your ability to notice what's happening inside your body—which is an important foundation for nervous system regulation.

Start slowly, stay curious, and notice what you experience. Small moments of awareness can become the building blocks of greater resilience over time.

Follow along with this series to learn more evidence-informed ways to support your nervous system.

When you're feeling overwhelmed, your first step isn't to force yourself to calm down. It's to notice what's happening in your nervous system.

Before reaching for a coping strategy, pause and check in.

On a scale of 1–10, where is your stress level?

Is your nervous system moving toward fight-or-flight (activation) or shutdown (freeze/collapse)?

That awareness is the foundation of effective nervous system regulation.

The more you practice noticing your body's signals, the easier it becomes to choose the right regulation tools for what you need in the moment. Awareness always comes before regulation.

Your nervous system doesn't respond to force.
It responds to safety.

If you've ever told yourself to "just calm down" and nothing happened, you're not failing. That's simply not how the brain and nervous system work.

Instead of trying to override stress with willpower, start by noticing what your body is telling you.

A racing heart, shallow breathing, tightness in your chest, or butterflies in your stomach are all important signals.

This awareness, known as interoception, is one of the foundations of nervous system regulation.

Real regulation happens through cues of safety: steady breathing, supportive connection, eye contact, gentle touch, and feeling that you're not alone. These experiences help your brain shift out of survival mode so calm becomes possible.

I'm currently putting the finishing touches on my book about anxiety and can't wait to share it with you soon!

In the meantime, explore more evidence-based resources on nervous system regulation, trauma recovery, and brain health by visiting my website at ilenenaomirusk.com.

Your nervous system moves through different states depending on what you’re experiencing—not who you are.

In this reel, Dr. Rusk breaks down the three zones: green for connection and regulation, yellow for activation and stress, and red for shutdown or overwhelm. These states can shift throughout the day, and none of them define your personality or your capacity.

Understanding your patterns is a meaningful first step toward responding to yourself with more awareness and care.

To learn more about Dr. Rusk's work on trauma, brain health, and nervous system regulation, please visit: ilenenaomirusk.com

What does a regulated nervous system actually look like in everyday life?

In this reel, Dr. Rusk shares six subtle clues that your nervous system may be feeling safe, supported, and resilient. These signs are not about being calm all the time. They’re about having the capacity to move through stress and return to balance.

Which of these signs do you notice most in yourself? Share it with us in the comments!

The vagus nerve is often discussed in relation to stress and relaxation, but its role in the body goes much deeper.

It is one of the key communication pathways between the brain, nervous system, and immune system as it helps the body respond to inflammation, stress, and changes in its internal environment.

In this video, I introduce the connection between the vagus nerve and immune health and explain why supporting this connection can be an important part of caring for the whole person.

→ Follow for more insights on brain health, mental health, nervous system regulation, and polyvagal theory.

The vagus nerve is one of the body's most important communication pathways, connecting your brain to many of your vital organs. It plays a key role in regulating your stress response, digestion, heart health, and overall brain-body connection.

In this reel, I'll introduce the science behind the vagus nerve and why it's receiving so much attention in neuroscience and medicine.

→ Follow for more facts about how the vagus nerve can help you with stress management, sleep, emotional well-being, and brain health.

Get your hands dirty + your brain will thank you.

Here’s the wild part: the soil itself might be doing you good.

Mycobacterium vaccae, a friendly bacterium living in healthy organic earth, has been studied for links to serotonin pathways and stress resilience. Translation? Digging in real dirt may be quietly tuning your microbiome + nervous system toward calm. 🧠✨

And the food? Vegetables you grow yourself get eaten fresher, which means more of the nutrients that start degrading the moment produce is picked. You also move more, stress less, and reconnect with where food actually comes from.

Organic, living soil = more microbial diversity underfoot, fewer synthetic inputs on your plate, and an ecosystem that feeds you back. Your gut microbiome loves variety, and your garden can deliver that variety 🥕🍅

So plant. Touch the earth. Enjoy the harvest. Even if it’s a little garden box in your apartment. You are built to thrive in connection with the wonder of the living world🌍💚