Facebook has been pitching me an over-the-counter vagus nerve stimulator.

Lately Facebook has been pitching an over-the-counter vagus nerve stimulator.

And it seems like vagus-nerve content is showing up more often — in posts, videos, consumer products, books, workshops, and webinars.

When life feels overwhelming, a simple solution can offer a sense of control.

But most people aren’t dysregulated because their vagus nerve is weak or untrained.

They’re dysregulated because the demands around them exceed what any healthy nervous system can carry.Many of these promise a “vagus nerve hack” to ease stress, anxiety, burnout, inflammation, trauma, or gut issues.

I understand why the idea is appealing. And I understand the science. I’m a cardiologist who treats conditions involving the vagus nerve.

Workload. Sleep disruption. Loneliness. Trauma exposure. Financial pressure.

No breathwork routine or device can address these.

Hacks can help in the moment.
They don’t change the conditions that keep people exhausted.

And when they don’t work, people often blame themselves instead of the system.

A healthier path means shifting the question from “how do I activate my vagus nerve?” to “what do humans actually need to feel safe, supported, and whole?”

People need:
• rest
• connection
• psychological safety
• community
• boundaries
• humane workloads
• cultures that care

Because the real regulator of the human nervous system is not a hack.
It’s the environment we’re living in.

What does the vagus nerve do?

The vagus nerve is a crucial part of the autonomic nervous system and plays a significant role in various bodily functions, including:

Digestion: It helps regulate the digestive process.  

It serves as a direct connection to our second brain in the digestive tract.It influences heart rate and blood pressure.

Breathing: It controls involuntary breathing functions.

Immune Response: It is involved in immune system responses.

Mood Regulation: It affects mood and stress levels. 

Overall, the vagus nerve connects the brain to the gut and is essential for maintaining homeostasis in the body.

Autism spectrum disorder - Symptoms and causes -

Autism spectrum disorder - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Overview

Autism spectrum disorder is a condition related to brain development that affects how people see others and socialize with them. This causes problems in communication and getting along with others socially. The condition also includes limited and repeated patterns of behavior. The term "spectrum" in autism spectrum disorder refers to the wide range of symptoms and the severity of these symptoms.

Autism spectrum disorder includes conditions that were once thought to be separate — autism, Asperger's syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and a form of widespread developmental disorder that isn't specified.

Autism spectrum disorder begins in early childhood. Over time, it can cause difficulty functioning in society. For example, people with autism spectrum disorder may have problems being social or when in school or at work. Often children show symptoms of autism within the first year of life. A small number of children with the condition appear to develop as expected in the first year. Then between 18 and 24 months of age, they may lose some skills and develop autism symptoms.

There is no cure for autism spectrum disorder. But getting treatment early, during the preschool years, can make a big difference in the lives of many children with the condition.

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• Children’s Book: My Life Beyond Autism

Symptoms

Some children show signs of autism spectrum disorder in early infancy, such as less eye contact, not responding to their names or not being interested in caregivers. Other children may not develop as expected for the first few months or years of life. Then they suddenly become withdrawn or aggressive or lose the language skills they had before. Signs usually are seen by ages 2 to 3 years old.

Some people in the mild range on the autism spectrum may have more symptoms that aren't noticed early on. They may not be diagnosed until middle to late childhood, when there is a greater need to communicate and be social. Sometimes a diagnosis is made for the first time in adulthood, though symptoms were likely present during childhood.

Each child with autism spectrum disorder is likely to have a unique pattern of behavior that depends on whether symptoms are mild, moderate or severe.

Some children with autism spectrum disorder have trouble learning, and some have signs of lower than usual intelligence. Other children with the condition have usual to high intelligence. These children learn quickly but have trouble communicating, applying what they know in everyday life and adjusting to social situations.

Because each child can have a unique mix of symptoms, sometimes it can be hard to tell how severe the condition is. It's generally based on how severe the symptoms are and how much those symptoms affect a child being able to function.

Below are some common signs shown by people who have autism spectrum disorder.

Social communication and interaction

People with autism spectrum disorder may have problems getting along with others and communicating. They may have a mix of these and other symptoms:

• Don't respond to their name, or they don't seem to hear at times.
• Don't want to be cuddled or held and prefer to play alone, retreating into their own worlds.
• Have poor eye contact and have no expression on their faces.
• Don't speak or have delayed speech or lose the ability to say words or sentences as they could before.
• Can't start a conversation or keep one going, or only start one to make requests or label items.
• Speak with an unusual tone or rhythm and may use a singsong voice or robotlike speech.
• Repeat words or phrases word for word but don't know how to use them.
• Don't seem to understand simple questions or directions.
• Don't show emotions or feelings and don't seem to be aware of how others feel.
• Don't point at or bring objects to share interest.
• Are passive, aggressive or disruptive when interacting with others.
• Have a hard time figuring out what it means when people have different looks on their faces, position their bodies differently or speak in different tones of voice.

Patterns of behavior

People with autism spectrum disorder may have limited, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities, including a mix of these and other signs:

• Make the same movement over and over again, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping.
• Do activities where they could hurt themselves, such as biting or head-banging.
• Create specific routines or rituals and become upset at even small changes.
• Aren't coordinated and may be clumsy, or they move in patterns that aren't usual, such as walking on toes.
• Have unusual, stiff or exaggerated body language.
• Are fascinated by details of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car, but they don't know what the object is for or how it works.
• Are sensitive to light, sound or touch but may not be affected by pain or temperature.
• Don't mimic others or take part in make-believe play.
• Fixate on an object or activity with unusual intensity or focus.
• Prefer specific foods, such as eating only a few foods or not wanting to eat foods with certain textures.

As they get older, some children with autism spectrum disorder interact more with others and show fewer disturbances in behavior. Some, usually those with the least severe problems, eventually may lead typical or nearly typical lives. But others continue to have trouble with language or social skills. And the teenage years can bring more behavioral and emotional challenges.

When to see a doctor

Babies develop at their own pace, and many don't follow exact timelines found in some parenting books. But children with autism spectrum disorder usually show some signs of delayed development before they're 3 years old. Signs of autism spectrum disorder often appear early in development when there are obvious delays in language skills and social interactions.

If you're concerned about your child's development or think that your child may have autism spectrum disorder, talk with a healthcare professional about your concerns. Your healthcare professional may recommend developmental tests to figure out if your child has delays in learning, thinking, language or social skills that point to autism spectrum disorder or another type of developmental condition.

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Mapping the Uneven Burden of Rising ACA Marketplace Premium Payments due to Enhanced Tax Credit Expiration | KFF

Mapping the Uneven Burden of Rising ACA Marketplace Premium Payments due to Enhanced Tax Credit Expiration | KFF

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) offers premium tax credits to help make health insurance more affordable. Under original Affordable Care Act provisions, an income cap for premium tax credits was set at 400% of the federal poverty level. Above that threshold, federal financial assistance was not available, creating a “subsidy cliff.” The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and later the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) temporarily expanded eligibility for tax credits to people with incomes over 400% of poverty, in addition to providing more generous support for people at lower incomes.

Enhanced premium tax credits expire at the end of this year. Enrollees currently receiving premium tax credits at any level of income will see their federal assistance decrease or disappear if enhanced premium tax credits expire, with an average increase of 114% to what enrollees pay in premiums net of tax credits. Since premium payments are capped based on income and family size, there is little geographic variation in the resulting increases in premium payments for enrollees with incomes below 400% of poverty. Out-of-pocket premiums for people with incomes below 400% of poverty will increase by hundreds of dollars to over $1,500 per person on average.

Among those with incomes over 400% poverty who are losing the tax credit altogether, the impact will be greatest for those whose unsubsidized premiums are highest: older Marketplace enrollees and those living in higher-premium locales. Among enrollees with incomes over 400% of poverty, just over half are between ages 50 and 64, and will therefore have high unsubsidized premiums.

The maps below show how much average premium payments would increase for 2026 benchmark silver plans with the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits at four income levels above an income cap of 400% of federal poverty for a 40-year-old and 60-year-old individual, namely 401%, 501%, 601%, and 701%..

Among these four income levels, enhanced tax credits provide the most financial assistance for those at 401% of poverty, which represents an annual salary of $62,757 for an individual in the contiguous United States. Because the cost of living is higher in Alaska and Hawaii, 401% of federal poverty is $78,396 and $72,140 for individuals there, respectively. In 46 states and the District of Columbia, a 60-year-old at 401% of poverty will see their average annual premium payment for a benchmark silver plan at least double without enhanced tax credits. In 19 states, this person would see their premium payment at least triple on average for a benchmark silver plan, consuming more than 25% of annual income. States with the highest premium payment increases due to expired enhanced tax credits for a 60-year-old at 401% of poverty purchasing a benchmark silver plan are Wyoming ($22,452 increase per year), West Virginia ($22,006), and Alaska ($19,636). The smallest increases caused by the loss of enhanced tax credits for what enrollees pay annually for the benchmark silver plan are in New York ($4,469), Massachusetts ($4,728) and New Hampshire ($4,877).

At 501% of poverty ($78,407 in the contiguous U.S., $97,946 in Alaska, $90,130 in Hawaii), expiration of enhanced premium tax credits would at least double average premium payments for a benchmark silver plan in 37 states and the District of Columbia for a 60-year-old; at 601% of poverty ($94,057 in the contiguous U.S., $117,496 in Alaska, $108,120 in Hawaii), 19 states would see the average benchmark silver premium payments at least double for a 60-year-old if enhanced tax credits expire; at 701% of poverty ($109,707 in the contiguous U.S., $137,046 in Alaska, $126,110 in Hawaii), the average benchmark silver premium payment would be at least twice as high in five states without enhanced tax credits for a 60-year-old. The impact on a 40-year-old is more modest at all income levels.

FDA Limits Gene Therapy Treatment Following Deaths of 2 Children | The Epoch Times

FDA Limits Gene Therapy Treatment Following Deaths of 2 Children | The Epoch Times

https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/fda-limits-gene-therapy-treatment-following-deaths-of-2-children-5945764?utm_source=truthsocial&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=ettruthsocial

The Food and Drug Administration approved an updated safety warning for a gene therapy treatment that restricts its use following reports of two deaths among pediatric users, the agency said in a statement on Nov. 14.

The approval was granted for Elevidys, a one-time gene therapy treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) by pharmaceutical company Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. DMD renders muscle cells vulnerable to injury, leading to progressive muscle degeneration.

Elevidys is a prescription gene therapy used to treat ambulatory and non-ambulatory individuals aged at least 4 years old who suffer from DMD and have a confirmed mutation in the dystrophin gene. Ambulatory refers to individuals who can walk and are not confined to bed.

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The labeling update limits the “therapy’s indication to ambulatory patients,” the FDA said. The labeling must no longer contain an indication that the treatment is for non-ambulatory patients with DMD.

Furthermore, the new labeling includes a Boxed Warning—the agency’s “most prominent” safety warning.

“These actions follow reports of fatal acute liver failure in non-ambulatory patients treated with the product,” the FDA said.

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The two male pediatric patients who died had elevated levels of transaminase, which are enzymes released by the liver into the bloodstream. High levels of transaminases indicate that the liver is under stress.

In both cases, the patients ended up getting hospitalized two months after they received Elevidys treatment.

Following the safety communication, Sarepta voluntarily ceased the distribution of Elevidys for use in ambulatory patients, the FDA said.

In addition to the fatal cases, there has also been a non-fatal case of acute liver injury, with the individual suffering complications such as vein thrombosis, necrosis, and bowel ischemia, it said.

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“After a comprehensive evaluation of the available safety data, FDA has now approved substantial labeling revisions for Elevidys,” the agency said.

Revised Guidelines, Company Response

Sarepta’s Boxed Warning describes the risk of “serious liver injury and acute liver failure, including fatal outcomes.”

The labeling should update the Warnings and Precautions, Adverse Reactions, Dosage and Administration, Clinical Studies, and other relevant sections, the FDA said. It must also include a new Medication Guide for patients and caregivers.

According to the FDA, the revised labeling should recommend that users conduct weekly liver function tests for at least three months after treatments, with the individuals advised to remain near a medical facility for at least two months following the therapy.

The labeling must warn patients who experience yellowing of the skin or eyes, or a change in mental status, to immediately seek medical attention. It should also contain a warning that Elevidys is not recommended for patients with preexisting liver impairments, recent or active infections, or those who have received recent vaccinations.

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“The FDA is requiring the manufacturer to conduct a postmarketing observational study to further assess the risk of serious liver injury,” the agency said.

“The study will enroll approximately 200 patients with DMD and follow them for at least 12 months after administration of Elevidys, with periodic liver function assessments.”

In a Nov. 14 statement, Sarepta said the company was continuing to work closely with the FDA to ensure all regulatory decisions regarding Elevidys are “grounded in science,” and in the best interests of the patients.

To date, the gene therapy has been administered to more than 1,100 individuals worldwide in both clinical and real-world settings, it said.

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“We want to thank the FDA for their thorough and collaborative review. Completion of the safety labeling change for ELEVIDYS will ensure that families and healthcare professionals have clear information, supported by a Medication Guide, to help understand these updates and guide treatment decisions,” said Louise Rodino-Klapac, president of research & development and technical operations at Sarepta.

In a quarterly report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the period ending Sept. 30, the company said it had stopped all shipments of Elevidys in the United States effective July 22, including for ambulatory patients.

On July 28, the FDA informed Sarepta that it recommended continuing shipments of the therapy for ambulatory patients. The suspension for non-ambulatory patients remained.