We take how we breath for granted. And apparently over the last several hundreds of years, we have forgotten how to do it properly and how to do it for our health. There are a series of studies going on right now that are set out to discover how to breathe.
Our failure to breath correctly is causing a laundry list of chronic illnesses, and its time that we all relearned how to do it properly.
By changing how we breathe, we can improve many modern conditions. Asthma, anxiety, ADD, psoriasis and more can be impacted by how we breathe.
I think we all understand now that stress can be lowered with conscious breath like the Dr. Andrew Weil 4-7-8 breathing exercise
https://bit.ly/weilbreathing4-7-8
I discussed in last month’s article, but are you aware that improving how we breathe and taking deeper breathes has enormous impact on our health in general?
Breathing in different patterns can impact our weight and can hack our own nervous system. It can control our immune response (especially on everyone’s mind now to ward off Covid-19). In fact, learning how to breathe can lengthen our Telomeres (the tips of our DNA) and help us live longer as a result.
As you breathe, the billions of molecules that you breathe in build your bones, your muscles, your blood, your brains, and your organs.
Have I piqued your interest on how to change how you breathe? As a result of the recognition of how breathing impacts our bodies, we are redefining the potential of the human body. In fact, breathing should not be passive.
There are several recommended ways to breathe to add to your daily routine. The perfect breath is 5.5 seconds. 5.5 seconds in and 5.5 seconds out. There is a video on you tube that you can use to keep your rhythm steady for 10 minutes using this breathing method.
Using 5-5-5 Breathing to Calm Down
One part of our nervous system gives us more energy when we need it. This part is called the sympathetic nervous system. Another part helps calm us down when we are too excited. This part is called the parasympathetic nervous system. When you get upset, nervous, or anxious, you can trigger your parasympathetic nervous system to calm yourself down. This activity will teach you a simple technique called 5-5-5 breathing.
Your Turn Try 5-5-5 breathing. (perfect breathing) Follow these steps.
1. Inhale very slowly through your nose for 5 seconds: 1-2-3-4-5.
2. Exhale very slowly through your nose or mouth for 5 seconds: 1-2-3-4-5.
3. Wait for 5 seconds: 1-2-3-4-5.
4. Repeat the process three more times (1 minute total).
5. Notice how you feel. (You should feel calmer.)
https://bit.ly/perfectbreathevideo
The alternate nostril breath
This relaxes the brain and the body. Its quiets anxiety and quiets a busy mind. It calms the body. To do this breathing correctly, look up the zoom video that demonstrates it
https://bit.ly/alternatenostral
Resonance breathing
Resonant breathing is the practice of slowing your breathing rate to approximately six breaths per minute. This requires complete control over your breathing, which is an automatic bodily function that most people do not think about in daily life. Most people naturally take between 12 and 20 breaths per minute, so resonant breathing requires you to cut your normal breathing rate at least in half. Automatic breathing, sympathetic nervous system.
• Slowly inhaling through the nose.
• Slowly exhaling through pursed lips.
• Breathing deep from within your gut, feeling your stomach expand and empty with each breath.
• Focusing your mind entirely on your breathing.
Resonance breathing lowers your pulse and your blood pressure, relieves anxiety, and stimulates your vagus nerve. This helps give you control over your stress and emotions.
https://bit.ly/resonancebreathing
6 breaths per minute. This places the heart, lungs and circulation into a state of coherence.
Buteyko Breathing
There is little awareness and understanding within the medical profession of the adverse health implications of chronic mouth breathing. A conscious effort to ensure that people predominately nose breathe would likely result in a healthier population and a resultant decrease in healthcare expenses. Nose breathing changes the gas mix coming in to and circulating in our body to a healthier mix with more nitric oxide. This results in lower blood pressure and greater lung capacity.
https://bit.ly/buteykobreathing
Nose Songs
This one is easy, but the benefits are great.
The simple habit of humming and feeling the vibrations in our nose is extremely healthy for our body.
Breathe normally through the nose and hum, any song or sound and do it for at least 5 minutes a day.
Did you know our caveman ancestors did not snore?
We need to chew more and build the muscles around the jaw so that our breathing passages are correctly open. What is recommended is a wax called Mastic gum. It is a tree sap and you can chew it for long periods of time to exercise your jaw muscles. It does not taste great, but it lasts a long time and its good for your jaw and long term for your breathing.
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*Award winning book “It Feels Good to Feel Good, Learn to Eliminate Toxins, Reduce Inflammation and Feel Great Again.”
Cheryl cares about our health and has many many tips, an upcoming tv show and a podcast. you can follow her on FaceBook here http://www.facebook.com/cherylmhealthmuse
My latest book, Feeling Good Living Low Toxin in Community and Everyday Life is now available on Amazon. It is loaded with tips to keep you healthy in the days to come.