The Breathe of Life

"He who breathes most air lives most life"-E. Barrett-Browing

Most of us take breathing for granted...an odd thing to take for granted due to the fact that we would all be dead rather quickly should this autonomic function go array. One's breathe has many functions in addition to the function of keeping us upright. In fact, by optimizing the breathing, we are doing the single most important thing we possibly can to stay healthy! We can incite internal changes to occur as a result of our increased focused breathing. This is made possible by the increased oxygenation that deep nasal breathing provides.
By perfecting our breathing, we can improve our body's circulation, thereby easing strain on the heart as well as helping our bodies to detox by moving lymph fluids more efficiently. Breathing via the nose is how we are designed, yet due to allergies, deviated septum, etc., many of us breath thru our mouths without even realizing that we are doing so. The additional benefits of nose breathing are more apparent when one partakes in exercise as we can create more energy in general by breathing thru the nose than the mouth. The lungs are the primary source of our energy levels. Nose breathing increases the body's energy by slowing the air escape from the lungs, allowing more oxygen to be extracted. Proper breathing can calm the body, as well as help one to maintain proper PH levels in the tissues (subject of a future blog post).

In order to switch from primarily mouth breathing to nose breathing, one needs to pay close attention to how they breathe in order to change. Partaking in Yoga is also very helpful as it gets one to slow down and pay attention to breath as when one breathes deeper, one becomes more flexible. I have tried this and it works! My two-by-four hamstrings have actually become more flexible as a result of breathing more slowly when I stretch! More in depth steps to take in order to retrain the body's breathing are: 1. Use nasal breathing strips, 2. Use nasal spray or a neti pot. I have used a neti pot daily for over two years and it helps to clean out the mucous and debris on the nose hairs. I do have a deviated septum, therefore, it is more difficult for me to nose breathe totally during heavy exercise, 3. Try not to eat anything within three hours of bedtime, 4. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime, 5. Known food and airborne allergies can exacerbate breathing issues, so, please do some investigation into what you may be allergic too and correct the allergies. I would suggest getting a good air purifier in your bedroom in order to clear up the chemical allergies, 6. Regular exercise, especially outdoors, allows you to breathe better thru the nose, and 7. Finally, try to relax, as stress causes one to breathe shallow. We live in a fast paced world making it difficult to do so, however, try your best to at least be aware of how you breathe . These tips can help lead us down the path to better breathing and consequently better health! I would suggest the following book for those interested in incorporating nasal breathing into their workouts:  Body, Mind, and Sport-by John Douillard.