Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve

Stress can affect your physical and mental health, so finding ways to manage should be a priority. There are techniques we can use to help manage stress, boost healing, decrease pain, and regulate our nervous system for a decreased stress response.

What Is the Vagus Nerve?

“The vagus nerve is a major component of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the ‘rest and digest’ response,” Also called cranial nerve 10 (or cranial nerve X), the vagus nerve starts in a portion of your brain called the medulla and then branches down both sides of your throat, connecting with your tongue, heart, and digestive organs, it’s a communication channel that runs between your gut and brain.

The word “vagus” means wandering in Latin. This is a very appropriate name, as the vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve. It runs from the brain stem to part of the colon.

During periods of chronic high stress, the body stays in high gear, with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol coursing through the body. This creates wear and tear on the body and mind, and over time can create a multitude of health problems such as chronic pain, anxiety, mood swings, gut inflammation and so many more.

What does the vagus nerve affect?

The vagus nerve also called the pneumogastric nerve, is responsible for various internal organ functions, including:

• digestion
• heart rate
• breathing
• cardiovascular activity
• reflex actions, such as coughing, sneezing, swallowing, and vomiting

Sensory functions of the vagus nerve include:

• providing somatic sensation information for the skin behind the ear, the external part of the ear canal, and certain parts of the throat
• supplying visceral sensation information for the larynx, esophagus, lungs, trachea, heart, and most of the digestive tract
• playing a small role in the sensation of taste near the root of the tongue

Motor functions of the vagus nerve include:

• stimulating muscles in the pharynx, larynx, and the soft palate, which is the fleshy area near the back of the roof of the mouth.
• stimulating muscles in the heart, where it helps to lower resting heart rate.
• stimulating involuntary contractions in the digestive tract, including the esophagus, stomach, and most of the intestines, which allow food to move through the tract.

It plays a role in the autonomic nervous system, which controls actions people do unconsciously, such as breathing and digestion.

• Breathe more slowly (aim for six breaths per minute).
• Breathe more deeply, from the belly. Think about expanding your abdomen and widening your rib cage as you inhale.
• Exhale longer than you inhale. It’s the exhale that triggers the relaxation response.

Additional techniques for stimulating the vagus nerve include:

• Loud gargling with water or loud singing activates our vocal cords which in turn stimulates the vagus nerve.
• Foot massage: gentle or firm touch can assist in stimulation the vagus nerve.
• Cold water face immersion: immerse your forehead eyes and at least 2/3 of both cheeks into cold water. This elicits the vagus nerve, decreasing heart rate, stimulating the intestines and turns on the immune system
• Eating fiber stimulates vagus impulses to the brain slowing the gut movements and making us feel fuller after meals
• Laughter: having a good laugh lifts your mood, boosts your immune system and stimulates the vagus nerve.

Pick Your Practice

Many things will stimulate your vagus nerve, which then relaxes it. Some options, according to our experts, include:

• Laughing
• Gargling
• Singing
• Humming
• Cold-water exposure, such as splashing cold water on your face.
• Deep breathing.
• Activities that promote deep breathing, such as yoga, qigong, and meditation.
• Massage to the ears or alongside your neck.
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• Vagal nerve stimulation includes techniques that help increase the vagus nerve's activity. This can be done with lifestyle approaches like meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, massage, singing, humming, gargling, or cold exposure. 

#VagusNerve#OverallHealth#NaturalPainRelief#RelaxationTechniques 

#MindBodyConnection

Tax Saving Options for Salaried Employees

Tax Saving Investments & Planning

Death and taxes are not the only inevitable things in life.

As an Indian taxpayer, you need to know about your tax slab and the various income tax deductions for salaried employees.

It will help you figure out how tax saving for salaried class works and avoid complications that may arise during tax planning. If you find the appropriate financial instruments, you can reduce the payable income tax for salaried employees. However, availing the income tax deductions for salaried employees can be complicated if not done correctly. There are several tools that allow offer tax benefits to salaried employees and can make a significant impact on your financial planning. So, let’s take a closer look into the various tax saving options available to salaried people.

The Best Tax Saving Options in India

Benjamin Franklin said once, ‘there are just two things certain in life: Death and Taxes.’ There is not much we can plan for the former. But as for the later, you can certainly plan and find an effective way to know how much you pay every year.

Every individual, whether they are just starting with their career or are progressively climbing up the ladder, will be faced with two pertinent questions that are: 

·         How can I reduce my taxable income?

·         What is the maximum tax I can save? 

The amount of tax that an individual can save would depend upon two factors- the tax regime chosen and the expenses or the investments made by the individual for claiming the said deductions. It is important to note that no change has been made in the income tax slabs for FY 2024-25 (April 1, 2024-March 31, 2025) in the interim budget 2024.

A salaried individual has to opt specifically for the old tax regime. If an individual opts for the old/existing tax regime, then the individual will be eligible to claim the tax-exemptions such as house rent allowance (HRA), leave travel concession (LTC) and deductions under sections such as 80C (maximum up to Rs 1.5 lakhs in financial year), 80D (deduction on the medical policy premium paid), 80E (Interest paid on education loan) etc. Do keep in mind that there are only two deductions available.

Deductions and exemptions for eligible investments or expenses

Section 80C: A maximum deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh per financial year can be claimed by individuals under section 80C. The 80C tax benefit can only be claimed by those taxpayers who opt for the old tax regime.
The eligible investments under section 80C are vast and includes investment in Public Provident Fund, Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), equity-linked savings scheme (ELSS), and tax-saving fixed deposits (FD), National Savings Certificate (NSC) etc. Even certain expenses can also be claimed under section 80C provided the expenses are actually incurred. Some of these include life insurance premium, children's school fees, repayment of home loan principal, etc.

Tax-saving investment options under Section 80C

There are several options you can choose to save tax under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. These include:

1. Equity Linked Saving Scheme (ELSS)

2. National Pension Scheme (NPS)

3. Unit Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP)

4. Public Provident Fund (PPF)

5. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY)

6. National Savings Certificate (NSC)

7. Fixed Deposit (FD)

8. Employee Provident Fund (EPF)

Please note that these benefits are available if you have chosen the “Old Tax Regime.

Important Subsections of Section 80C

Section 80C encompasses various subsections, each catering to specific investment or expense categories:

1.    80CCC:
Pertains to contributions to pension funds.

2.   80CCD(1):
Deals with contributions to the National Pension System (NPS) by employees.

3.    80CCD(1B):
Offers an additional deduction for investment in NPS.

4.    80CCD(2):
Related to employer contributions to NPS, which is over and above the 80C limit.

Understanding these subsections can help you make informed decisions about where and how much to invest or spend to maximize your tax benefits*.

Beyond Section 80C

If you are still looking for tax-saving investment avenues, there are several tax-saving instruments other than 80C to look out for.

·         Over and above the aforementioned deductions, paying health insurance premiums under section 80D permits for a deduction of up to 25,000.

·         Additionally, you can also claim for a tax deduction on your house rent allowance or get a deduction on the interest on your home loan as also for repayment of an educational loan.

·         Keeping money in your savings account also allows for a tax deduction under the section 80TTB for an interest of up to 10,000 per year.

·         Donations made to government-approved charitable institutions are also exempted from tax.

Apart from the 80C deductions, there are various deductions under Section 80 you can use to save on income tax. Tax benefits on health insurance premiums and home loan interest are a few-

• Interest paid on a home loan can be claimed as a deduction under section 24 up to Rs 2 lakhs. Section 80EE also allows you to claim a deduction of up to Rs 50,000 on home loan interest, which is over and above the limit of Section 24. 
• Any charity that is made to institutions or funds can be claimed as a deduction under section 80G.
• Interest paid on education loans is allowed as a deduction under section 80E
• Employer contribution to NPS is eligible for deduction u/s 80CCD(2) with an overall threshold of Rs 750,000 (Including Employer contribution to PF).
• Individual contributions to NPS are eligible for deduction u/s 80CCD(1B) with a limit of Rs 50,000 a year.
• Section 80GG provided a deduction for non-salaried individuals to claim a deduction of up to Rs 60,000 per annum for the rent being paid on accommodation.
• Section 80TTA provided a deduction of up to Rs 10,000 on saving bank interest for ages less than 60. For senior citizens, section 80TTB provides deductions up to Rs 50,000 on all interest incomes.

Interest on Home Loan on Let-out Property under Section 24

Under the new tax regime, interest on a home loan for self-occupied property is prohibited under section 24. Whereas interest on a home loan on the let-out property is allowed as a deduction without any upper limit. 

Transport Allowance and Conveyance allowance 

Transport allowance means the allowance given to the employee by the employer to compensate for the travel expenses incurred for commuting between his place of residence and work.

The exemption allowed, from FY 2018-19 onward, will be Rs 1,600 per month and Rs. 3,200 per month for a physically challenged employee commuting from his place of residence to the place of duty.

Conveyance allowance is granted to meet the expenditure incurred during the performance of office duty. However, conveyance allowance is exempt only to the extent of actual expenditure incurred.

Section 80 CCD(1B): By making investments in the National Pension System (NPS), individuals can claim up to Rs 50,000 deduction which is additional over and above the deduction under section 80C.

"The deduction under section 80CCD(1B) of up to Rs 50,000 is over and above the threshold limit of Rs 1.5 lakhs under section 80C. Hence combining both the deductions an individual can claim up to Rs 2 lakhs as a tax deduction under the old tax regime.

Section 80 CCD(2): Deduction under section 80 CCD(2) can only be claimed if an individual's employer (government or private) contributes to the individual's NPS account. The maximum deduction that a private sector employee can claim is 10% of his/her salary where salary means basic plus dearness allowance (DA). Government employees can claim up to 14% of salary as a deduction under section 80 CCD(2).

There is also another condition which is employer's contribution to NPS, EPF and a superannuation fund is eligible for deduction only up to Rs 7.5 lakhs in a financial year. If the total contribution by the employer exceeds Rs 7.5 Lakhs in a financial year, then the excess contribution would be taxable in the employee's hands as perquisites and any interest or dividend earned on it will also be taxable in employee's hand.

The 80CCD(2) deduction is available under the new and old tax regimes.

Section 80D: Deduction under section 80D is available only if an individual has purchased a health insurance policy for self, spouse, dependent children’s or their parents. Further, it is only available under the old tax regime.

Individuals, who are below the age of 60, can claim up to Rs 25,000 as deduction under section 80D for health insurance premium paid for self, spouse and dependent children. Further, if the individual is paying health insurance premium for parents aged below 60 years, then an additional amount i.e. Rs 25,000 can be claimed as a section 80D tax deduction.

"If an individual is paying health insurance premium for senior citizen parents (those aged 60 years or above), then instead of Rs 25,000 additional deduction the individual can claim up to Rs 50,000 additional tax deduction under section 80D.

Section 80E: Under section 80E an individual can claim deduction for interest component under an educational loan. There is no limit on the maximum amount of deduction that can be claimed under section 80E, and neither is an individual required to upload any documentary evidence for claiming such a deduction. This deduction is allowed for maximum of 8 years.

Standard deduction: A standard deduction of Rs 50,000 is available to salaried individuals under both the old and the new income tax regimes.

To conclude, although tax saving is a priority, most financial experts agree that it should be paired with a long-term financial goal. This ascertains that while you are saving on taxes, you are also focused on wealth creation. Efficient financial planning begins at the start of the financial year and not at its conclusion.

KNOW YOUR NOSTRIL DOMINANCE: #SWAR YOGA

The nasal cycle is an ultradian rhythm characterized by alternating patency of the left and right nostrils, with a periodicity of two to eight hours.

Respiration is the most important function of the body. Yet most people are not aware of the simple fact that the breath does not flow equally through the two nostrils. At times one nostril is more active than the other, and at other times it may become less active than the other. 

In a healthy human, the breath alternates between left and right nostril throughout the day. The pattern can vary but one nostril is typical dominant for about 88 minutes, followed by only two minutes where there is equal air entry through both nostrils and then it switches to the other nostril.

Some activities benefit from a more dominant push impulse and some from a more dominant pull-back impulse. Accordingly, we can undertake activities that our nervous system is more conducive to at a given time.

For example, physical exercise, emptying bowels, arguments etc are better done when the right nostril is more open (i.e. pushimpulse). Undertaking these activities during the left nostril time will be unproductive or may even cause problems and diseases.

Similarly, enjoying nice music, going to sleep, reading a nice book etc are better done when the left nostril is more open (i.e. pull-back impulse). Attempting them during the right nostril time can cause problems.

If one puts pressure under the armpit corresponding to the currently dominant nostril, brain will automatically switch to the other nostril!

Suppose right nostril is more open and one wants to switch to the left nostril. One needs to apply pressure under the right armpit. 

In yogic thoughts the right nostril along with the right half of the body carries a warming SOLAR energy. It connects to the Pingala Nadi. In Ayurveda the Pitta dosha relates to the right solar Nadi.
The power of Pitta gets increased when the breath flows through the right nostril which will improve

• Circulation
• Bodily heat
• Digestion
• Perception

The left nostril along with the left half of the body carries the LUNAR energy and connects to Ida Nadi. In Ayurveda the Kapha dosha relates to the Ida Nadi. When the breath flows through it, it will promote

• Sleep
• Relaxation
• Tissue formation
• Bodily coolness

This can also explain why you might feel more irritable, increased heat sensation or disturbed sleep if your left nostril is blocked while you might experience more heaviness, coolness, sluggishness if your right nostril is blocked. When our sinuses are blocked, we cannot receive our proper prana which will result in an imbalance of body and mind.
On a spiritual level the right nostril breathing develops Shiva energy (the cosmic masculine force) and the left side breathing develops Shakti energy (the cosmic feminine force).

One of the aims of yogic breathing techniques is to equalize the airflow in the nostrils.

1. Go to the toilet when right nostril is flowing and urinate when the left nostril is flowing.

 2. Eat meals when right nostril is flowing and drink water when the left is flowing. 

3. Go to bed at night when right nostril is flowing and rise when the left is flowing. 

4. When you leave home, step out with the foot corresponding to the nostril in which the breath is flowing. 

5. Start a long journey when left nostril is flowing and enter other houses when the right is flowing. 

6. During the day, left nostril dominance is auspicious and at night right nostril flow is favourable for good health and longevity. 

7. Public speaking, studying and learning are favourable when the right nostril flows. 

8. Meditation, mantra chanting, starting any auspicious work such as construction, entering a new house, opening a new business etc. are favourable in left nostril dominance. Avoid all external material work in Sushumna Nadi. (Both nostril dominance) all work done in Sushumna Nadi becomes fruitless.

When the sympathetic system is dominant on the right side and parasympathetic system is dominant on the left, you get:

§  Right nostril dominance

§  Right lung dominant

§  Generally, more active state

§  Locomotor activity increased

§  Heart rate increased

§  Blood pressure increased

§  Respiration rate increased

§  Body temperature increased

§  Cortisol increased

§  Prolactin secretion reduces

§  Testosterone increased

§  Endorphins increased

When the sympathetic system is dominant on the left side and parasympathetic system is dominant on the right, you get:

§  Left nostril dominance

§  Left lung dominant

§  Generally, more resting state

§  Locomotor activity decreased

§  Heart rate reduced

§  Blood pressure reduced

§  Respiration rate reduced

§  Body temperature reduced

§  Cortisol reduced

§  Prolactin secretion increased

§  Testosterone reduced

§  Endorphins reduced

Healing through Swara Yoga

Swara Yoga advises changing the dominant nostril at the first sign of any physical or mental disturbance. Thus, the active side of the body is changed and glandular secretions reestablish balance.

For example, in fever, one should plug the operating nostril with a cotton ball and keep it plugged until body temperature becomes normal again. Chronic indigestion can be cured by cultivating a habit of eating only when the right nostril is dominant. The same goes for eating and defecating in case of constipation. Stress created by hard work and physical labor can be cured by lying on the right side and breathing through the left nostril for 25 to 30 minutes. If you want to alter an unwanted emotional state, just breath through the congested nostril for a while.

"To lead a fulfilling life, both nostrils should be balanced. This would power our life force and allow us to use our wisdom while being active in the world. Practice 10 minutes of Nadi Shodhan Pranayama, also called Anulom Vilom every day and see the magic!".

Synchronising the swara

 If the right or left Swara happens to function out of rhythm with the solar/lunar cycles, then any one of the following methods can be used to synchronise the breath:

1. Close the active nostril and breathe through the inactive nostril for a few minutes.

2. Inhale through the active nostril and exhale through the inactive nostril.

3. Apply pressure to the armpit on the same side as the active nostril. After some time, the opposite nostril will become activated. For this purpose, the yogis have a stick called the yoga Danda which they rest in the armpit.

4. Lie on the same side as the active nostril. In this position you can also use any of the first three methods.

5. The external environment also influences nasal activity. Washing the body or just the face in extremely hot or cold water automatically changes the breath flow.

6. The type of food consumed will affect the Nadis. Foods which heat the body, such as cayenne pepper, ginger and honey, directly stimulate Surya Nadi, while foods that cool the system, such as ghee and bananas, activate Chandra Nadi.

Decrease the breath, increase the life

The Swara yogis not only analysed the breath in relation to the flow of the three main Nadis. They also studied the nature of each and every breath. An average person breathes 15 times per minute, 900 times per hour or 21,600 times per day. Furthermore, according to these yogis, the length of a person's lifespan is predetermined by a certain allocated number of breaths, already recorded within the body. By knowing the number of breaths allotted for one lifetime, the lifespan can be calculated and also regulated. Slowing down the rate of breathing, for example, stretches out the lifespan, and vice versa.

BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY TO WELL-BEING AND TRANSFORMATION NOW!