September 19, 2013 - Breathe Well

I was sitting this morning while reading the 6th chapter of John and really began to focus in on my breathing. We don't speak of this often, but it really plays a critical role in our long-term health. While the article is long, it is very informative. I have already been practicing this morning. :) PS - remember Heathy4You! Life Group on October 6 (bring a friend) but I really need to know how many as I will be making basa fish. PSS - Last blog this week as I will be driving all day tomorrow. :) BREATH well today! It's important. PK Health Benefits Abundant If You Remember To Breathe (an excerpt from an article: Breathe Some LIfe Into Your Life by Dr. Joel McPherson) Would you be interested in a free method for increased energy, improved blood circulation, reduced swelling, and even an improved complexion? Better yet, you already own the required equipment - your lungs. Studies show that simply learning how to breathe correctly can have remarkable effects throughout your body. Breathing correctly can be as powerful as it is simple. The typical person only uses around twenty percent of their lung capacity, but with practice, they can learn how to tap into their lung's full potential. Sending better oxygen content to all the cells of the body can bring dramatic changes in general health and mood. Famous health guru, Dr. Andrew Weil, says that if he could only give one tip for better health, it would be to breathe properly. A clinical study* of thousands of participants over a 30-year period presents convincing evidence that the most significant factor in peak health and long life is how well you breathe. *You can get more information on the ongoing Framingham Heart Study from the Department of Health and Human Services/ National Institutes of Health/ National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/framingham/index.html Breathing correctly is critical in maintaining the level of oxygen for energy, keeping the correct pH levels in the body, and enough carbon dioxide for bodily functions. Healthy people make 93 per cent of their energy aerobically ("in the presence of oxygen") but poor breathing habits can reduce the amount of energy made aerobically to 84 per cent. A full seventy percent of the elimination of wastes from the body is through breathing. The good news is that poor breathing habits can be reversed. Among infants, correct breathing comes naturally. Observe a baby as it breathes to see its belly rise and fall with each breath. As we grow older, we are taught to "suck in that gut" and "puff out that chest" as we try to achieve as slim a waist as possible. Such resistance to the natural breathing posture restricts oxygen intake, which can lead to numerous physical as well as emotional problems. "Bad" breathing Shallow "chest breathing" invites problems by delivering less air per breath into the lungs. Less air per breath leads to a higher number of breaths, putting in motion a series of physiological changes that constrict blood vessels. Less oxygen reaches the brain, the heart and the rest of the body as a result. Less productive exhale causes an imbalance between the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the lungs and a buildup of toxins that should have been eliminated through breathing. Too much oxygen, and not enough carbon dioxide, can create an agitated state. As you learn to exhale slowly, you conserve carbon dioxide and rebalance the system. However, too much carbon dioxide, and not enough oxygen, can create feelings of fatigue and depression. Learning to inhale slowly re-balances your system by taking in more oxygen. In extreme cases, a restricted supply of oxygen can contribute to anxiety, panic attacks, and even phobias. Self Test To see how you currently breathe, find a comfortable position and make sure to breathe as you normally do. Place one hand on your stomach and one on your chest. Breathe as you normally would and notice whether your "stomach" hand rises or your "chest" hand rises. To breathe properly, your stomach area must rise more than your chest as your diaphragm expands. How to breathe "right" Begin by slowly breathing in through your nose through the count of 4. Breathe into your belly so your diaphragm expands. Hold the breath for a count of 7. Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of 8. When you exhale, try to make a soft "whoosh" sound by holding the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth as you exhale slowly. (Called 4-7-8 breathing) Repeat this process for three more times (for a total of four breaths). Do not do more than four breaths at first - with practice, you can work your way up to eight breaths. Do this twice each day. If the process causes you to begin panicking or if you become dizzy, only do it for as long as you are able. Increase the number of breaths each day until you can do the exercise four times per hour (every 15 minutes). With practice, you can be breathing this way naturally throughout the day.