Do You Know How To Breathe?
One of the biggest obstacles to overcome for better health is almost invisible, it is a rarely identified problem called chronic over-breathing. We often unconsciously take many more breaths than we need, which leads to a wide range of illnesses, from anxiety and asthma to insomnia and heart problems. The secret to health, fitness, and even weight loss is not the latest machine, supplement, or the most innovative workout routine. It lies in the most basic and overlooked function of your body, something we innately possess, something you are doing right now. Let’s talk about breathing.
In 1998, three American scientists won the Nobel Prize for their astounding work on how nasal respiration, along with humming, optimizes health and can potentially increase longevity by increasing performance in almost every aspect of the body.
Whether you’re a recovering couch potato or a triathlon champion, the simple yet revolutionary approach to improving your body’s oxygen use is to breathe through your nose at all times. The only exception would be for high-level athletes who need to open their mouths for an added adrenaline rush. The best way to deliver oxygen to the tissues is by raising the CO2 (the body’s most potent hormone) levels in your blood. By doing so, the hemoglobin releases more oxygen straight into the deficient tissues and bloodstream.
Nasal diaphragmatic breathing is not to be confused with deep inhalation and exhalations. The reason I emphasize the nose is because the nasal cavity has a fundamental role in the physiology of respiration. It promotes filtering, heating, and humidification of the inhaled air while improving arterial oxygenation uptake by about 10 to 20% therefore, improving oxygenation of the blood.
I believe that diaphragmatic breathing, which is deep belly breathing, should be done only through the nose by taking in smaller volumes of rhythmic air inhalations and exhalations. In terms of longevity, this is the type of breathing that restores the pH balance, lowers heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and stabilizes the autonomic nervous system.
Diaphragmatic breathing is a skill, it’s something you learn with practice. It takes a little work to bring the shallow breaths into your belly instead of your chest, but I promise you it is worth the effort. When I first started on this journey, I had a shortness of breath, just from talking or exercising because I was over-breathing through my mouth. Now having re-patterned my breathing, I have been able to train harder, but more importantly, I am in a calm state of mind. My clients have seen the same results. When they are stressed during a busy work week, I always encourage them to breathe with me and it immediately makes them feel calmer, more clear-headed.
Nasal breathing has a direct effect on your entire nervous system, sending you into a perpetually peaceful state. It will allow you to find a calm vibration which will raise your vibrational frequency as a whole. This is the essential element for everything! In divine essence, this is all about restoring harmony within the human system through the power of oxygen, which is the happy molecule of life. :)
If you are interested in improving your breathing or learning more, I am available to do virtual and in-person (New York area) breathing sessions. Please feel free to reach out!
