BREATHING and AIR
“Where there is life, there is breath, and where there is breath, there is life.”
Professor Edmond Bordeaux-Szekely – Medicine Tomorrow, 1936
Did you know that the human body can survive for at least 3 weeks without food? Without water we will only get to about 3 days. But without oxygen it’s lights out in about 3 minutes. So if we were to say that there were one biological essential that was more important (certainly more urgent) than the others, it really would have to be a plentiful supply of fresh air. But in our modern and busy world, most people take for granted this most urgent and indispensible of all the requirements for human health and wellbeing.
Have you ever noticed how people tend to take a deep breath when they are shocked, relieved, tired or when they relax prior to sleep? Breath, or more precisely oxygen, is of course essential for life, but it is also the driving factor for normal physical behavior, metabolic responses and reactions. So why is improving our breathing and our exposure to fresh air so important for health?
Top 5 Health Benefits of Deep Breathing
- Improves oxygen supply
- Improves cardiovascular health
- Improves nutrient absorption
- Detoxifies the blood and lymphatic systems-“Deep diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the cleansing of the lymph system by creating a vacuum effect which pulls the lymph through the bloodstream. This increases the rate of toxic elimination by as much as 15 times the normal rate.” –Dr. J.W. Shields, MD, Lymph, lymph glands, and homeostasis. Lymphology, v25, n4, Dec. 1992, p. 147
- Supports cellular and tissue repair
Have you ever stopped to think about the quality of air you breathe or the role it plays in your wellbeing? Commonly people tend to focus on diet and exercise in their quest for better health, however without optimizing the quality and quantity of air you breathe, you will be falling far short of the highest state of physical health you can achieve. Basically, your body needs oxygen to carry out pretty much every biological function it performs. One way to increase the amount of oxygen you consume on a daily basis is to breathe diaphragmatically. Diaphragmatic breathing has multiple positive physical and psychological effects on the body.
Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing
- Helps alleviate stress and anxiety
- Lowers blood pressure
- Increases energy
- Improves concentration
- Enhances sleep quality
- Improves digestive function
Healthy Tip
Rhythmic Diaphragmatic Breathing
Step 1 – Count as you breathe into your diaphragm till you reach your maximum capacity Step 2 – Hold your breath in for the same count Step 3 – Breathe out for the same count Step 4 – Hold your breath out for the same count (Repeat for a few cycles)
If you are healthy, a plentiful supply of oxygen is essential to keep you that way. But if you are unwell, then oxygen is even more important – think heart disease, asthma, poor kidney function, digestive disorders…the list is almost endless. If you are pregnant or wanting to become pregnant, oxygen intake is vital. And let’s not forget our children, their requirement for oxygen is even greater than for adults. But how can you incorporate more oxygen into your life on a daily basis?
No matter where you live or the quality of the air you live in, there are always ways we can improve the quality and volume of oxygen you consume in your daily life. I will teach you deep breathing techniques and create a breathing routine that will tune you into this essential element of health in a way you never have before.
I will design a program that works with your lifestyle and current state of health for maximum health optimisation. You will be amazed at how easy it is to implement this essential of health into your daily life and you will carry this essential life skill with you for the rest of your life.