I know, I know you may be tired of the continued messages to get healthier. Well, what I have learned your quality of life improves when you are in charge of what type of life experiences you may encounter if your health is not a priority. For example, if you are living unhealthy life and if you are not doing your part to provide the nutrients needed for your body -it may cause havoc on your body. Once we begin to live beyond “no fear” teenager. Or the living it up person in our twenty’s when life is full of choices no financial worries and then the thirty-something kicks in and you are making choices of rent, car payments, insurance, student loans, groceries, etc…no money for savings, for the movies, the clubbing, or the sporting events you loved during your tweenities years (teenager/twenty something years) it becomes stressful. But! If you are equipped with basic nutritional facts and live by them your body will not suffer as greatly maybe if you keep your immune system in good working order to protect your body. (Next issue we will talk more about Immune System) If our health is not a priority at some point, our health will dictate what our life will become. Yes, are there exceptions, accidents beyond our natural control, genetics, may happen but what we know about eating more fruits and vegetables, limiting the use social/prescription drugs, and quit smoking it will increase the overall well being at any age.
How many of you have worked out, went swimming, walking or even yoga – your overall well-being increases. I have learned to take more deep breath throughout the day to inhale oxygen — it does the body good. Now, stop reading and try it. Check out the following exercises recommended by Andrew Weil, M.D. Go to: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00521/three-breathing-exercises.html to learn more. For your convenience, the three exercises are below.
Pick one of the exercises and let me know what you think. Thank you for your listening eyes!
Sincerely HealthE
Exercise 1: The Stimulating Breath (also called the Bellows Breath) The Stimulating Breath is adapted from a yogic breathing technique. Its aim is to raise vital energy and increase alertness.
- Inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose, keeping your mouth closed but relaxed. Your breaths in and out should be equal in duration, but as short as possible. This is a noisy breathing exercise.
- Try for three in-and-out breath cycles per second. This produces a quick movement of the diaphragm, suggesting a bellows. Breathe normally after each cycle.
- Do not do for more than 15 seconds on your first try. Each time you practice the Stimulating Breath, you can increase your time by five seconds or so, until you reach a full minute.
If done properly, you may feel invigorated, comparable to the heightened awareness you feel after a good workout. You should feel the effort at the back of the neck, the diaphragm, the chest and the abdomen. Try this breathing exercise the next time you need an energy boost and feel yourself reaching for a cup of coffee.
Exercise 2: The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise This exercise is utterly simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. Although you can do the exercise in any position, sit with your back straight while learning the exercise. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
- Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
- Hold your breath for a count of seven.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
- This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4:7:8 is important. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases. With practice you can slow it all down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more and more deeply.
This exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. Unlike tranquilizing drugs, which are often effective when you first take them but then lose their power over time, this exercise is subtle when you first try it but gains in power with repetition and practice. Do it at least twice a day. You cannot do it too frequently. Do not do more than four breaths at one time for the first month of practice. Later, if you wish, you can extend it to eight breaths. If you feel a little lightheaded when you first breathe this way, do not be concerned; it will pass.
Once you develop this technique by practicing it every day, it will be a very useful tool that you will always have with you. Use it whenever anything upsetting happens – before you react. Use it whenever you are aware of internal tension. Use it to help you fall asleep. This exercise cannot be recommended too highly. Everyone can benefit from it.
Exercise 3: Breath Counting If you want to get a feel for this challenging work, try your hand at breath counting, a deceptively simple technique much used in Zen practice.
Sit in a comfortable position with the spine straight and head inclined slightly forward. Gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then let the breath come naturally without trying to influence it. Ideally it will be quiet and slow, but depth and rhythm may vary.
- To begin the exercise, count “one” to yourself as you exhale.
- The next time you exhale, count “two,” and so on up to “five.”
- Then begin a new cycle, counting “one” on the next exhalation.
Never count higher than “five,” and count only when you exhale. You will know your attention has wandered when you find yourself up to “eight,” “12,” even “19.”
Try to do 10 minutes of this form of meditation.